The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) on Wednesday said it was ready for a dialogue with both the government and the Opposition over its demands, even as it prepared for a protest in the national capital later this week demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET and CBSE fiasco. Addressing the party's first press conference at the Constitution Club of India here, CJP spokesperson Saurav Das, an independent journalist, dismissed the government's transfer of CBSE chairperson Rahul Singh and secretary Himanshu Gupta on Tuesday as an "eyewash". The party appealed to young people from across the country to participate in the proposed protest.
"We have given an open call. Anybody can join us without a party banner. We are ready to have a dialogue with everybody, be it those in power or the Opposition," Das said, referring to CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke's call for a protest on June 6. "We are demanding accountability in the system. We have been demanding the resignation of the education minister, but no action has been taken against him till date. The transfers are being projected as action. It's not. There's a rot in the system," Das added.
On May 22, the Delhi High Court issued Das a notice alongside AAP leader Gopal Rai on a plea seeking contempt proceedings against them over an alleged "orchestrated social media campaign" against Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma, who recently withdrew from hearing the Delhi excise case. Das said upon landing in Delhi at 8 AM on June 6, Dipke, who is pursuing higher education in the US, will head to Delhi's Parliament Street Police Station to seek permission for the proposed demonstration at Jantar Mantar. Dipke, who served as a core member of AAP's social media team in the past, has announced that climate activist Sonam Wangchuk will also join him at the protest. Referring to the possibility of police action against Dipke upon his return, another CJP spokesperson Vijeta Dahiya, described by the party as a political researcher, author and filmmaker, said, "If Sonam Wangchuk could be arrested, Dipke could be arrested as well. If he's arrested, more people will rally behind us."
Responding to questions about CJP's alleged links with the AAP, CJP functionary Ashutosh Ranka said, "Our past affiliations are not important. This fight is bigger than that. CJP is bigger than an individual or any organisation." Ranka, an alumnus of IIT Kanpur and the London School of Economics, previously worked with global consulting firm McKinsey & Company in London. He has also been appointed a spokesperson for the CJP. Dahiya said the movement reflected growing dissatisfaction among young people with the political system.
"The way this movement has captured the imagination shows that an entire generation is dissatisfied with the state of affairs," he said. Responding to questions on the venue for the proposed protest, Ranka said the organisers were hopeful of receiving permission from the authorities. "Jantar Mantar has historically been a site for peaceful dissent. We are confident that police will give us permission," he said. Asked what would happen if Pradhan stepped down, fulfilling one of the movement's principal demands, Ranka said, "This is a fast-evolving situation. If Pradhan resigns in the next two days, we will update you about our position."