Cockroach Janta Party Marches on Parliament Over Education Failures

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) organized the 'Chalo Sansad' march to the Indian Parliament on July 20, 2026, demanding systemic education reforms and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The movement emerged in May following widespread exam paper leaks, including the NEET-UG exam, which allegedly led to over 20 student suicides. Tensions peaked after police forcibly moved activist Sonam Wangchuk to Safdarjung Hospital on July 18 following a 20-day hunger strike. In response, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke launched his own indefinite fast and expanded the party's demands to include the resignation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Despite the gathering of thousands at Jantar Mantar, the Delhi Police denied permission for the march and imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita. Authorities deployed over 5,000 personnel, including paramilitary forces, water cannons, and riot guns, while the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation temporarily closed several stations to secure the high-security zone during the Parliament's Monsoon Session.

From Safdarjung Hospital, Sonam Wangchuk stated he would end his fast if the government took accountability for education failures or if political leaders provided assurances that these issues would be addressed in Parliament. While his wife, Gitanjali J. Angmo, characterized his hospitalization as "illegal detention," a Delhi court ruled the transfer lawful. CJP spokesperson Saurav Das later claimed the government had reached out for discussions, though he noted a lack of clarity on the terms.