Cockroach Janta Party holds demonstration in Nagpur; ‘saffron’ activists try to disrupt protest
Cockroach Janta Party’s protest in Nagpur on 16 June 2026. Photo credit: X/@abhijeet_dipke
The protest organized by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) in Nagpur was attended by hundreds of youth, students and people from different sections of society, who wore cockroach masks, unfurled banners and shouted slogans for justice.
Speaking on the occasion, CJP founder and activist Abhijeet Dipke advised the youth to stay away from religion-based politics.
The demonstrators demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over last month’s NEET (UG) paper leak issue, five days before the medical entrance re-examination.
Responding to the call of HSK, the satirical collective that has turned into a political movement, protesters gathered at Samvidhan Square in the orange city for the demonstration, which was the latest in a series of agitations organized by the organization since its formation a month ago.
The agitators held banners with messages like ‘Fire Dharmendra Pradhan, enough, accountability transparency justice… Resign as Education Minister’ and shouted slogans like ‘Inquilab zindabad’ (long live the revolution).
Addressing the meeting, Mr. Dipke touched upon the death of Akansha Chaturvedi, a NEET aspirant from Madhya Pradesh, who died by suicide in Nagpur last month after the medical entrance test she appeared for was canceled due to irregularities.
The CJP founder also criticized the “anarchist” comment of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
“If they call me an anarchist because I defended Akansha Chaturvedi, who died in Nagpur, then I am an anarchist,” Mr. Dipke said.
The activist insisted he would stand up for the students no matter what.
Meanwhile, a group of people wearing saffron dupattas also shouted slogans against CJP and shouted ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogans at the venue. They argued with the protesters and asked them why they had not taken to the streets earlier when the exam papers were leaked.
The group alleged that the CJP was misleading the youth and some “urban Naxals” joined the protest at Samvidhan Square and shouted anti-RSS slogans. Workers wearing saffron dupattas got into a verbal clash with CJP supporters after both sides shouted slogans against each other.
Elaborate security arrangements were made at Samvidhan Square ahead of the CPI’s agitation.
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It was published – 16 June 2026 20:04 IST
