After the slogans fade, what future awaits the Cockroach Janta Party?

AS the solarise began to go down o'er Delhi's Jantar Mantar on sat eve, police announcements crackled through loudspeakers, informing protesters that the gathering had been declared illegal and that they should disperse.The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders, and some protesters showed little sign of backing down.Protesters continued banging steel plates and spoons, while CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke posted a video urging supporters across the country to launch peaceful "Jail Bharo" protests if he was arrested.The demonstration, centred on demands for Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation over examination-related controversies, drew students and supporters from several states, with protesters banging thalis and chanting in unison, “Go Pradhan Go” — a reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 2020 call during the Covid-19 lockdown.But beyond the slogans and speeches, another question emerged on Saturday: what comes next for a movement that has rapidly grown from a social media campaign into a visible presence on the streets?The answer remains far from clear.Over the past several months, the Cockroach Janta Party has attracted a sizeable following online and organised demonstrations around issues such as examination integrity, alleged paper leaks and recruitment-related concerns. Saturday's protest showed that the group can draw supporters beyond social media platforms. Whether it can sustain that momentum, expand its agenda or evolve into a more structured organisation remains an open question.Movement born out of anger, frustrationThe second CJP protest at Jantar Mantar came a day before the NEET-UG re-examination and nearly a month after allegations of paper leaks and irregularities triggered a national controversy around the testing process.From the stage, speakers repeatedly targeted the National Testing Agency (NTA), accusing it of failing students and evading accountability. Placards demanding the education minister's resignation competed for space with posters questioning the credibility of examination systems that affect millions of aspirants every year.The concerns resonated with many in the crowd.Also Read: #Melodi moment, ‘Panvel nikalna hai’: Meme-filled posters in spotlight at CJP protest in Delhi“Everytime there’s some issue, the NTA blames it on technical glitches. These technical errors are used as a shield by the agency to evade responsibility,” said 28-year-old Gautam Babu, a judiciary aspirant from Bihar who now lives in Delhi.Others pointed to the emotional toll examination controversies have taken on students.“A friend took a drop last year for NEET. She prepared not just for NEET but several other paramedical entrance exams. She was really happy after giving the paper in May and was hopeful. Then we heard the paper had been leaked,” said Hunar Jain, an 18-year-old undergraduate student from Delhi.“It’s been over a month that her family and friends have been counselling her. It’s not just NEET, she has lost motivation to appear for other exams.”Throughout the day, references to NEET, examination stress and accountability generated some of the loudest responses from the crowd, suggesting that these issues remain the movement's strongest rallying point.Rise of the cockroaches?The origins of the 'cockroach' movement were visible everywhere at Jantar Mantar.Many attendees said they had first encountered CJP online. Some wore cockroach masks. Others livestreamed speeches and uploaded videos from the venue. Unlike traditional student movements that often emerge from university campuses, CJP's support base appears to have been assembled largely through social media.That has allowed it to attract people who may never have participated in organised political activity before.“I am from Mumbai. There has been no CJP protest there, but the issues that the party is raising resonate in every place where students reside,” said 29-year-old Neil Khopkar, a working professional who travelled to join the protest.Also Read: ‘Lost motivation, no accountability’: What protesters said at CJP protest at Jantar Mantar“The quality of education in private and public institutions is just widening each year.”Several protesters described the movement as organic rather than organisational.A young public policy professional attending the protest said one reason people connected with CJP was because it did not emerge from a traditional political structure.“The movement started on social media rather than in organised rooms. It was organic and refreshing, and that is why people connected with it,” he said.Yet that same characteristic raises questions about its future. Social media can help build visibility quickly, but sustaining a movement often requires structures, leadership networks and long-term goals that extend beyond digital engagement.Can CJP expand beyond examinations and paper leaks?As the day progressed, organisers increasingly attempted to broaden the conversation.Speeches touched on unemployment, governance and the broader challenges facing young Indians. Dipke himself criticised what he described as divisive politics and questioned whether such debates had helped address issues affecting students.The question is whether supporters are joining because of CJP itself or because of the examination-related issues that first brought them together.Many participants acknowledged uncertainty about where the movement goes next.“Nobody knows exactly where this is going,” said the public policy professional.Others suggested that the appeal of the movement lies precisely in that uncertainty.Also Read: 'Start jail bharo andolan': Abhijeet Dipke tells youth to continue protest if he is arrestedUnlike traditional political organisations, CJP has so far remained largely focused on issues relating to examinations, accountability and students. Expanding beyond that could potentially attract a larger audience, but it could also require the group to take positions on issues that currently sit outside its core agenda.“We are trying to first fix this, fix our education system, but there is a lot more that needs to be done if we want a better future for ourselves,” an 18-year-old protester said.Political movements often reach a point where they must decide whether to remain issue-based platforms or evolve into broader campaigns. CJP may soon face the same choice.Beyond Abhijeet DipkeFor much of Saturday, the protest revolved around its founder.When Abhijeet Dipke arrived at the venue, he was greeted by loud cheers. His speeches drew the largest crowds, and supporters frequently gathered near the stage to hear him speak.At one point, he asked the crowd whether they wanted to end the protest at 5 pm, when police permission expired, or continue until the education minister resigned. Many responded by calling for the sit-in to continue.Later, after police refused to extend permission, the majority left but some protesters formed a cordon around the stage as security personnel entered the area in larger numbers.Dipke's prominence has undoubtedly helped build the movement. But it also raises a question that many emerging organisations eventually confront: can they develop beyond a single leader?The call for district-level "Jail Bharo" protests appeared to be an attempt to decentralise the movement and encourage local mobilisation. Whether supporters take up that call may offer an early indication of how deeply rooted the organisation's support network really is.What happens when the immediate demand is not met?Perhaps the biggest challenge facing CJP is one that confronts many protest movements: what happens if the demand at the centre of the agitation is not met?Despite weeks of mobilisation, there is little indication that the government is considering the resignation of the education minister. Yet many supporters insist that the campaign cannot end there.“Today there is fire in the hearts of youngsters, but they are doing a peaceful protest only so that Dharmendra Pradhan can resign. But if that doesn't happen, I am sure that they will all gather at Parliament,” one protester told HT.Others argued that the issue extends beyond any one minister.“The government has put all its machinery from airlifting Re-NEET papers to banning Telegram. So much money of taxpayers is going into this. Why can’t they conduct the exam on their own rather than outsourcing it to an agency that is not accountable to anyone, including Parliament,” said Ranvijay, a 32-year-old PhD scholar at JNU.Whether the CJP remains a pressure group focused on examinations, evolves into a broader platform for issues of the youth or struggles to maintain momentum after the NEET controversy fades remains to be seen.For now, even the “cockroaches” admit they do not know exactly where it is headed.(With inputs from Gargi Shukla).