Cockroach Janta Party Protests Overnight at Jantar Mantar Over NEET Row

Members of the Cockroach Janta Party staged an overnight protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on June 20 and 21, 2026, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET exam controversy. The demonstration stretched into the night despite the Delhi Police denying permission for an overnight gathering at the site.

The protest, which was the group's second demonstration in the capital this month, began around 1 p.m. on Saturday. While it started as a modest gathering, the crowd eventually swelled to more than 1,000 people as performers, including rappers and poets, engaged the attendees. By nightfall, Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijit Dipke and around 70 to 100 supporters remained at the site.

Dipke, 30, addressed the crowd from a stage behind barricades, chanting "Go Pradhan Go" and criticizing the central government for not removing the education minister. Referencing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pandemic-era call, Dipke encouraged the crowd to bang plates and spoons, which many attendees had brought with them.

Activist Sonam Wangchuk joined the demonstration at around 3:30 p.m. He spoke about the distress and suicides among exam aspirants across the country, urging accountability from the government. Wangchuk warned that he would resume protests if Minister Pradhan does not resign by next week.

Several local residents and students attended the protest to show solidarity. Pragya, a 19-year-old Delhi University student, said she attended because her friends who appeared for NEET were hopeful for change. Another attendee, 45-year-old Aadesh Sharma from Karawal Nagar, said he felt compelled to join after seeing the impact of the exam's cancellation on a NEET aspirant in his neighborhood.

Despite the lack of police permission to stay overnight, protesters vowed not to leave Jantar Mantar until their demands were met.