{"id":579,"date":"2026-06-06T11:40:51","date_gmt":"2026-06-06T11:40:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/?p=579"},"modified":"2026-06-06T11:40:51","modified_gmt":"2026-06-06T11:40:51","slug":"mock-political-party-for-indias-young-cockroaches-holds-first-protest-in-new-delhi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/?p=579","title":{"rendered":"Mock political party for India\u2019s young \u2018cockroaches\u2019 holds first protest in New Delhi"},"content":{"rendered":"
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NEW DELHI (AP) \u2014 Hundreds of supporters of the Cockroach Janata Party<\/span>, an online joke that drew millions across India, gathered for the first time in the national capital on Saturday, taking the social media movement off screens and into its biggest real-world test yet.<\/p>\n

Read more Ukraine targets St. Petersburg again after Putin rejects Zelenskyy\u2019s offer for direct talks<\/a><\/p>\n

The protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, marks the movement\u2019s first foray into street politics after weeks of dominating social media feeds and news headlines, attracting millions of online followers and widespread support among young Indians.<\/p>\n

The immediate trigger for Saturday\u2019s protest was reported irregularity in a recent exam that has dominated headlines in India, angering a large community of students.<\/p>\n

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Protesters seek minister\u2019s resignation<\/h2>\n

Hundreds of mostly young Indians gathered in the heart of New Delhi\u2019s protest zone near Parliament, some with placards and cockroach masks.<\/p>\n

Abhijeet Dipke<\/span>, founder of the online movement, joined the protest after he landed in the capital from the U.S. on Saturday morning. Police had laid steel barricades at arrivals at New Delhi\u2019s international airport.<\/p>\n

Dipke said in a social media post shortly after arriving that police granted permission to the Cockroach Janta Party, or CJP, to hold the protest, adding: \u201cCockroaches gather at Jantar Mantar.\u201d<\/p>\n

CJP organizers used social media to rally supporters for Saturday\u2019s march, demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The demand grew out of an exam irregularity controversy in May that quickly became a broader outlet for frustration over India\u2019s education system and limited job opportunities.<\/p>\n

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Supporters chanted slogans including, \u201cCockroaches are coming, Dharmendra Pradhan is going!\u201d One placard read: \u201cWaiting for exams that don\u2019t leak.\u201d <\/p>\n

Participants were encouraged to bring India\u2019s national flag and a book, which organizers said symbolized the right to education and equal opportunity for all. Organizers also urged demonstrators to remain peaceful and avoid any confrontations with police.<\/p>\n

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\u201cTime to turn this tiny joke into a revolution,\u201d the official CJP account on X posted Friday.<\/p>\n

Mansi Sehgal, a 26-year-old protester, said the protests began around exam issues, but the deeper problem is that people haven\u2019t had a space to speak up or ask questions. \u201cCJP is doing that. So, this is literally the first thing that people can connect and ask questions,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

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