Two months after the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) gained viral attention in India, its protests have entered a critical phase. On the 21st day of his indefinite hunger strike, educator-activist Sonam Wangchuk was forcefully removed by police from the CJP’s sit-in at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar and taken to hospital against his will. Meanwhile, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke has begun his own hunger strike.

Protesters gathered at the site plan to march towards the Indian Parliament on Monday, July 21st, 2026, demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The calls come in response to university entrance exam leaks that have sparked nationwide outrage and exposed broader failures in accountability within India’s competitive examination system. There have also been calls for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s resignation.

The CJP emerged in mid-May following remarks by Chief Justice Surya Kant, who referred to unemployed youth as “cockroaches,” a term that ignited widespread public anger. The party’s name reflects a sentiment of disenfranchisement: “If this is how power sees us, then let us speak in that name,” protesters have said.

Before the recent escalation, the government’s approach was one of calibrated containment—allowing protests within strict limits, policing their scope, and waiting for the coalition to fragment rather than engaging in open accommodation or a full crackdown.

The symbolism of the cockroach underscores a tragicomic reality for many Indians, representing dashed hopes for upward mobility amid systemic challenges.

Sources