Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Jun 14: Actor Prakash Raj is set to participate in a protest organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) at Bengaluru's Freedom Park on Sunday as the Gen-Z movement intensifies its demand for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged examination irregularities, including the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case.
A vocal critic of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Prakash Raj had earlier expressed support for the movement but was unable to attend the group's first protest in New Delhi due to prior commitments.
The actor and the organisation confirmed his participation through separate posts on X. The CJP described his presence as a major boost to the campaign, while Raj urged people to join the peaceful protest and raise their voices to hold the government accountable for alleged failures in the education system.
The organisation has been conducting demonstrations across the country, demanding accountability over examination-related controversies and calling for the education minister's resignation.
The Bengaluru protest follows a large gathering at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on June 6. Subsequent demonstrations were held in Pune on June 11, Lucknow on June 12 and Amritsar on June 13.
The group is also scheduled to organise a protest in Hyderabad on Sunday, where activist Sonam Wangchuk is expected to address participants.
Speaking at the Amritsar protest, movement leader Dipke said supporters would gather in Delhi on June 20 and continue their agitation until the minister resigns. He urged students not to fear arrests and said the movement aimed to secure justice for NEET and CBSE students while demanding accountability for recurring paper leak incidents.
During the Pune demonstration, Dipke said the government must choose between supporting millions of students and retaining what he described as an ineffective minister.
Addressing protesters in Lucknow, he appealed to students to continue participating in peaceful demonstrations and join the planned mass mobilisation at Jantar Mantar on June 20.
At the group's earlier protest in Delhi, hundreds of participants, mostly young people, attended the demonstration. Many wore cockroach masks and carried flowers as symbols of the movement, while several school students and their parents also joined the gathering.