Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Sunday, June 7, said it’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s responsibility to get Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to resign over exam-related lapses, and asserted that the agitation won’t stop till the demand is accepted.
Addressing a press conference in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, a day after leading an agitation in Delhi, Dipke alleged that politics in the country over the last decade has been centred around the Hindu-Muslim agenda, calling for a change in the government’s priorities and flagging unemployment as a pressing issue.
“This will not end here because employment is also a key issue in the country. After Dharmendra Pradhan resigns, we will prepare an agenda for bringing changes in the education system,” he said.
Dipke reached his residence in the MIDC Waluj area in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district on Sunday morning and was welcomed by his family members.
At the presser, he reiterated that the agitation undertaken by the Cockroach Janata Party will not stop until Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigns.
Pradhan is in the eye of a political firestorm amid the alleged NEET paper leak and CBSE OSM glitches.
If Modi can stop Russia and Ukraine war, can’t he stop the paper leak? asks Dipke
When asked about why he did not speak about PM Modi (during the Jantar Mantar agitation), Dipke said, “If accountability (for the exam lapses) is not getting fixed, it is the responsibility of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan.”
If he (Modi) can stop the war between Russia and Ukraine, can’t he stop the paper leak? Dipke asked.
Asserting that the Jantar Mantar protest had shown that Gen Z was not afraid, he said youth must raise their voices against wrongs.
”The protest we staged (at Jantar Mantar) was successful, as 6,000 to 7,000 people attended it. This agitation will go nationwide. We will roll out a further action plan to take this agitation nationwide,” he added.
Also ReadCockroach Janta Party founder Dipke arrives in Delhi for protest
Security at Dipke’s residence beefed up
Meanwhile, security at Dipke’s residence was beefed up.
“We have increased the security at his residence from today. Earlier, 11 security personnel were deployed; now the number has reached 15. The deployed staff is from the local police station as well as the city police headquarters,” an MIDC Waluj police station official said.
Dipke said an agenda for bringing changes to the education system will be prepared after Pradhan steps down.
He said someone should own up to the (NEET) paper leak that has impacted a large number of students.
“How can the system work efficiently if no one is taking responsibility? he asked.
Dipke claimed youths in the country are getting “ruined” as they are neither getting employment nor are their exams being conducted properly.
“Because questions are not asked, paper leaks continue to take place,” Dipke added.
CJP won’t be associated with any political party: Founder
Dipke stressed that the CJP is exclusively for Gen Z and it won’t be associated with any political party.
“We have not spoken to leaders of any political party. This movement is for Gen Z. Those who want to support us can support us externally, but we will not associate ourselves with any political party,” he added.
He also slammed statements attributed to the profile of protesters who joined the Jantar Mantar demonstration.
”A huge crowd at Jantar Mantar and photographs speak about the people. How many people will they label as Pakistanis? Will they call the agitating students, the Opposition and media asking questions as Pakistanis?” he said without naming anybody.
Are the ‘IT cell’ people (of the ruling parties) only Indians?” he questioned.
Dipke said the CJP movement, which began as an online satirical platform over the “cockroach” terminology, cannot be equated with agitations that had taken place in some neighbouring countries.
“Because, here (in India), there is a system. Those who compare our movement with those that occurred in neighbouring countries should know that the Jantar Mantar protest was very peaceful. Youths who attended the agitation came from all corners of the country,’ he added.
Elaborating on his future plans, Dipke said the agitations will be staged on a larger scale in a peaceful manner.
Dipke responds to Devendra Fadnavis
He also targeted Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis over his purported criticism.
“Fadnavis should think before speaking, as he is the CM of a progressive state like Maharashtra, and not of Uttar Pradesh. I have a book with Dr Ambedkar’s photo. Did the leader of the ruling party (Fadnavis) mean that showing Ambedkar’s photo is anarchy? Is giving the slogan of ‘Jai Bheem’ anarchy according to them?” he said.
Birthed as an online campaign in May, the CJP, which garnered over 22 million followers on Instagram, had exhorted youths to take part in the protest in the national capital over alleged irregularities in examinations and recruitment tests, in an apparent show of strength.
A day earlier, Dipke arrived in Delhi from the United States.
At Jantar Mantar, protesters, armed with posters demanding Pradhan’s resignation, wore cockroach masks.
Besides demanding the education minister’s resignation, the demonstrators also raised slogans demanding that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stop indulging in “Hindu-Muslim” politics, and hailed the motherland with “Bharat Mata ki Jai” slogans.
Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, CPI(ML) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, CPI’s Annie Raja and activists from Left student and youth organisations also participated in the demonstration.
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