‘Just the beginning, long way to go’: Abhijeet Dipke reflects on CJP movement after protest victory

Abhijeet Dipke, the face of India’s Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) movement, said the group’s recent success was only the beginning and that it had a long journey ahead, following the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over allegations of exam paper leaks.

In a video message posted on his X account on Sunday morning, Dipke appeared relaxed after weeks of protests, saying he could finally rest without worrying about the next challenge.

“I could go to sleep and wake up in my bedroom without thinking about what to do next or what will happen till evening,” he said.

Recalling the 37-day protest campaign, Dipke described the period as “really, really difficult” but said there was “no panic” after the government accepted their demands and the movement called off its demonstrations.

“This is just the beginning. The Cockroach Janata Party has a long way to go,” he told his followers.

Dipke founded the CJP in May as a satirical response to a comment by India’s Chief Justice, but the initiative soon transformed into a nationwide youth movement over education reforms, unemployment and government accountability.

Thousands of supporters, who called themselves “cockroaches,” gathered at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar protest site, demanding accountability over alleged irregularities in major entrance examinations, including NEET.

The protesters held Pradhan responsible for the exam paper leak crisis and the deaths of some students, and made his resignation one of their key demands. After weeks of demonstrations, Pradhan stepped down, while the government assured that no legal action would be taken against protesters. The CJP subsequently withdrew its agitation.

Reflecting on the movement, Dipke thanked supporters who stood by the campaign despite widespread doubts about its success.

Suffering from typhoid and fever, he also apologised for not being able to personally thank everyone who gathered at Jantar Mantar after the announcement.

“All the people who were waiting at Jantar Mantar for 37 days, I want to thank each and every one of you. I really, really, really appreciate what you did for this country,” he said.

Dipke also expressed gratitude to critics, saying their questions helped him improve and contributed to the movement’s ability to deliver results.

“I think that’s why we were able to deliver as well,” he added.

Source: NDTV