CJP and Sonam Wangchuk to March to Parliament on July 20 Over Exam Irregularities
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) announced on Thursday, July 9, 2026, that it will lead a peaceful march from Jantar Mantar in New Delhi to Parliament on July 20 to demand the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The protest march, scheduled for the first day of the Monsoon Session, seeks to highlight examination irregularities and demand a transparent testing system.
The announcement came as the youth-led group's demonstration at Jantar Mantar entered its 20th day amid heavy monsoon rains. The CJP has called upon students, parents, and citizens nationwide to join the march to seek justice for students who died by suicide following recent competitive examination glitches.
Educator and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike at the protest site since June 28, will join the march. Doctors attending to Wangchuk on Wednesday reported that he had lost more than seven kilograms since beginning his fast.
In a social media post, Wangchuk urged citizens to travel to Delhi to join the July 20 march, stating that Parliament is the appropriate forum to raise these issues. He emphasized that his hunger strike aims to address both student suicides and environmental protections for Ladakh and India's rivers.
Meanwhile, the protest has faced logistical challenges. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke shared a video confronting Delhi Police personnel for allegedly refusing to allow tarpaulins into the protest site. Dipke questioned why the police, who were stationed under waterproof tents, prevented protesters from using tarpaulins to protect hunger-striking students from the heavy rain.
The health of other protesters has also deteriorated. Hrishikesh, an activist from the All India Students' Association (AISA) who was on an indefinite hunger strike, was admitted to the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital after his condition worsened.
The protest has garnered support from opposition political figures. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant and veteran CPI(M) leader Subhashini Ali visited Jantar Mantar to express solidarity. Sawant assured the protesters that he would raise the issue of examination irregularities during the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament.
The CJP's demands include the resignation of Minister Pradhan and compensation for the families of students who died by suicide following the cancellation of the NEET-UG medical entrance exam. The exam, originally held on May 3, was cancelled due to paper leak allegations, leading to a re-test on June 21.
