Protest Continues Overnight Despite Police Directive
Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke and his supporters maintained their sit-in protest at Jantar Mantar throughout the night, demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET paper leak controversy. The demonstration entered its second day on Sunday, with Dipke urging people to join the gathering and asking NEET re-exam aspirants to participate after completing their tests.
“We are holding the fort but without your support this movement won’t be successful,” Dipke said in an appeal to the public. The protest continued even after Delhi Police stated that the permission granted for the assembly ended at 5 pm on Saturday and ordered protesters to vacate the site. Dipke requested police to assign an alternative location but insisted they would remain at Jantar Mantar until then.
Appeals for Support and Basic Amenities
In a series of posts on X, Dipke appealed to police not to block people from reaching Jantar Mantar, asserting that protesters were not doing anything wrong and were only seeking justice for students who died by suicide. He also requested authorities to restore water supply to public restrooms at the protest site, claiming there had been no water since Saturday night. Protesters had earlier alleged that lights were switched off and access to water, food, and washrooms was restricted. Later, they confirmed that drinking water access was restored and lights were turned back on.
Police Warning and Legal Action Threat
Delhi Police had on Saturday night directed Dipke and protesters to leave the venue, stating that the demonstration was permitted only from 10 am to 5 pm. The police warned that continuing beyond the permitted hours violated the conditions of permission and could lead to legal action. Despite this, Dipke and his supporters remained at the site, turning the protest into an overnight sit-in. They continued raising slogans demanding Pradhan’s resignation, with a steady presence of supporters through the night. Dipke addressed the gathering repeatedly, urging more people to join.
Protest Atmosphere and Demands
Several protesters carried placards and raised slogans, maintaining a charged atmosphere at Jantar Mantar. Dipke reiterated that the protest would remain peaceful and kept the door open for dialogue with the Centre, provided accountability was fixed and the education minister resigned. The protest began on Saturday afternoon under heavy police deployment, CCTV surveillance, barricades, and security personnel wearing body cameras. Hundreds of supporters, mostly youth, gathered after Dipke’s call to bring “thali and chammach” (plates and spoons), banging them while demanding Pradhan’s resignation.
Dipke demanded compensation of Rs 1 crore for the families of students who died by suicide following the paper leak and the cancellation of the entrance examination. “If there are arrests, I will be the first to court arrest,” he told protesters. Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who joined the protest, announced he would go on a hunger strike on June 27 if Pradhan did not step down. This was the second protest organized by CJP at Jantar Mantar over alleged repeated paper leaks and demands for government accountability.
