The protesters of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) will be back on the streets from Thursday, demanding the resignation of education minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
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The CJP first protested at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on June 6, the same day its founder, Abhijeet Dipke, landed in India. It was a one-day protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, and Dipke had said they would return to the streets if Pradhan was not sacked.
The demand for his resignation comes in the wake of alleged examination irregularities, including the NEET-UG paper leak and issues faced by Class 12 students due to the on-screen marking system.
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In a fresh statement, the CJP declared that it would not sit back after the one-day protest and is planning to take the demonstrations beyond Delhi to cities such as Pune, Lucknow, Amritsar, Bengaluru, Jaipur and Hyderabad.
Pune protest starts tomorrow
Dipke took to X and urged his party’s supporters to turn up in large numbers for the Pune protest, which begins on Thursday at the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Statue at Savitribai Phule Pune University from 4 pm.
Pleae come in in huge numbers and demand the removal of education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, said Dipke, in a video message, on X.
Dipke also said that activist and educator Sonam Wangchuk would be present during the protest. Wangchuk had also attended the Delhi demonstration.
An indefinite protest if Pradhan does not resign, says CJP
The statement further said that the CJP could launch an “indefinite sit-in” at Jantar Mantar from June 20 if the minister does not step down.
Calling it a national issue affecting millions of families and young people whose future has been placed at risk due to alleged irregularities in the conduct of examinations, the CJP said, “The Education Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, has failed to take responsibility for these repeated failures. Accountability must begin at the top. That is why we reiterate our demand: Dharmendra Pradhan should resign.”
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“If the government does not answer this demand and remove the minister, or if he does not offer his resignation, the youth of this country will gather together on June 20 at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi for an indefinite peaceful sit-in protest till the minister resigns. We will not leave until accountability is delivered,” it added.
Pradhan, among other leaders, performed puja at different temples, wishing PM Narendra Modi’s good health as he completed 12 years in office, becoming the longest-serving Prime Minister in the history of independent India. Pradhan has also promised a smooth NEET-UG re-test on June 21.
“All arrangements are being completed. We have taken up this responsibility seriously. The NTA will certainly succeed in conducting the re-examination smoothly,” he said, according to PTI.
“We had earlier assured students that we would conduct an error-free examination, and I want to reassure them now. We will also ensure that the results are declared on time so that students do not lose valuable learning time,” he added.
