A day after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan submitted his resignation, Abhijeet Dipke, the leader of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), expressed his gratitude to supporters who demanded Pradhan’s resignation over the NEET paper leak. In a video message, Dipke said he could finally have a relaxed morning without worrying about the protests. He recalled the last 37 days of the protest to be ‘really, really difficult’ for him and the team.
Dipke reminded supporters that their demands being met by the National Democratic Alliance-led (NDA) government at the Centre was ‘just the beginning.’ He said, ‘The Cockroach Janta Party has a long way to go.’ Dipke thanked each and every supporter of the CJP spread across India, who placed their faith in the party despite being doubted by others. He also appreciated those who critiqued the conduct during the protests, saying it helped them improve. Dipke apologised for not being able to meet supporters at Jantar Mantar yesterday following Pradhan’s resignation, citing his diagnosis with typhoid and high fever.
The CJP founder said the party’s movement gained supporters from all across India after Chief Justice of India Surya Kant likened some Indian youth to ‘cockroaches,’ which became the catalyst for criticism and political satire. The CJI later clarified that his remarks were misquoted and that he was criticising those who entered professions like the Bar with fake and bogus degrees, not the youth of the nation. The CJP’s protests at Jantar Mantar demanded the education minister’s accountability over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak, and sought wider reforms in the conduct of public examinations.
Opposition parties, including the Congress, have welcomed Pradhan’s resignation. Dipke said, ‘I could go to sleep and wake up in my bedroom without thinking about what to do next or what will happen till evening.’ ‘There is no panic,’ Dipke assured, recalling the last 37 days of the protest to be ‘really, really difficult’ for him and the team. He also reminded all supporters that their demands being met by the National Democratic Alliance-led (NDA) government at the Centre was ‘just the beginning.’ ’And, as I have been saying since day 1, this is just the beginning.
The Cockroach Janta Party has a long way to go,’ Dipke added. ‘From the bottom of my heart…’ ‘Most of all, I would like to thank each and every supporter of the Cockroach Janta Party spread across India. All the people who supported us, who placed their faith in us, who loved us when everybody was doubting us, I really want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart,’ Dipke said in the video message. He also thanked all those who continued to be at Jantar Mantar for 37 days. ’I really appreciate what you did for this country… Without you all, we wouldn’t have been able to achieve this.
Salute to you all,’ he added. He also extended his appreciation for those who critiqued the conduct during the protests, without which, Dipke said, ‘we wouldn’t have gotten the opportunity to improve.’ ‘And those who criticised us, doubted us… I want to thank them as well… It’s because of your criticism, because of your legitimate questions, we were able to improve ourselves, and deliver as well.’ The CJP founder also apologised for not being able to meet those who waited at Jantar Mantar yesterday following Pradhan’s resignation. ’I couldn’t meet them, or thank them. I have been diagnosed with typhoid, and I had high fever, with my body temperature reaching 101 degrees.
That’s why I had to come home.’ Dipke founded the Cockroach Janta Party in May 2026, after Chief Justice of India Surya Kant likened some Indian youth to ‘cockroaches,’ which became the catalyst for criticism and political satire. Soon after the movement gained supporters from all across India, the CJI said he was ‘misquoted’ in his oral observations for a ‘frivolous’ case. ’What I had specifically criticised were those who have entered professions like the Bar (legal profession) with the aid of fake and bogus degrees. Similar persons have sneaked into the media, social media, and other noble professions as well, and hence, they are like parasites.
It is totally baseless to suggest that I criticised the youth of our nation. Not only am I proud of our present and future human resource, but every youth of India inspires me…,’ he stated. The CJI on Friday, too, reiterated that his remarks about cockroaches during the hearing at the Supreme Court was only in the context of those who had gained entry into the legal profession using fake degrees and not all youth for whom he had great respect.
