It has been almost a month since the protests began at Jantar Mantar, and the resilience on the ground is deeply moving. Triggered by over a dozen student suicides linked to the NEET paper leak, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), led by founder Abhijeet Dipke, continues its indefinite sit-in alongside parents, students, and activists. Their primary demand is clear: the immediate resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Here is the current reality from the protest site:
- The Ground Zero Atmosphere: The area has transformed into a resilient community camp. Plastic sheets, rolled-up mattresses, and hand-painted placards are a daily ritual. Between speeches, students huddle in the shade, scrolling through old admit cards and exam notifications, while volunteers constantly navigate the crowd to distribute water and ORS packets.
- Hunger Strikes Continue: Activists and students are pushing their physical limits. Sonam Wangchuk is deep into his indefinite hunger strike, which continues to garner widespread public and political backing. Several students have also been fasting for over two weeks.
- Unwavering Crowds: Despite recent heavy police crackdowns—where over 1 lakh protesters faced tear gas and lathi charges during their march toward Parliament House—the movement refuses to back down. The Jantar Mantar stage, which was briefly dismantled by authorities, was quickly rebuilt by CJP members to keep the sit-in going.
- The Core Triggers: The agitation is fueled by the NEET-UG medical entrance paper leak and widespread irregularities in the CBSE on-screen marking process, which have left thousands of students waiting for clarity on their futures.
With the government yet to initiate a proper dialogue, the students remain firmly planted, making it known that their hope and demands are not fading anytime soon.
