Daijiworld Media Network - Pune
Pune, Jun 11: Amid growing concerns over alleged irregularities in examinations across the country, Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Thursday announced the launch of a nationwide protest campaign demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The campaign began from the Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) campus, where CJP also unveiled its education manifesto outlining key reforms aimed at improving transparency and accountability in the education system.
Addressing a press conference, Dipke said the protest would remain peaceful and be conducted within the framework of the Constitution.
"We are starting our nationwide protest from SPPU today. Along with the protest, we are releasing our education manifesto, which focuses on reforms in the examination system and safeguarding students' interests," he said.
According to Dipke, the manifesto addresses issues such as prevention of question paper leaks, timely declaration of examination results, transparency in recruitment and entrance examinations, stronger accountability mechanisms for examination authorities, and solutions to problems faced by students due to delays and irregularities in examinations.
Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk is also expected to participate in the protest programme.
Dipke said the movement would expand to several cities, including Jaipur, Lucknow, Amritsar and Bengaluru, before culminating in a major demonstration at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on June 20.
Claiming that examination-related issues have adversely affected millions of students, he alleged that the Union Education Minister must take responsibility for the situation.
"We will continue our agitation until we receive a response to our demands. The future of more than one crore students cannot be compromised," he said.
The CJP founder further stated that the organisation remains open to dialogue with the government but alleged that authorities had instead taken action against the group's social media platforms.
He said the movement seeks to highlight the concerns of students and young people and urged policymakers to engage with issues affecting the country's youth.
The organisation has gained attention in recent weeks through social media campaigns focusing on alleged examination irregularities and the need for reforms in the education sector.
Earlier this month, CJP organised a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, drawing participation from students and youth from various parts of the country who demanded greater accountability and transparency in competitive examinations.