‘Cockroach’ party to protest in Pune

India’s viral Cockroach Party is set to protest in Pune on Thursday demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.  

Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), urged supporters on X to join the protest at 4 pm at the Savitribai Phule Pune University.

The call comes days after hundreds of CJP supporters gathered on Saturday in New Delhi in the movement’s first major street protest.

The online campaign, which has attracted millions of followers, has tapped into growing frustration among young Indians over alleged exam fraud, including the recent cancellation of the national medical entrance examination following a question paper leak and concerns over the evaluation of high school board exams.

Dipke also posted another video saying CJP could launch an indefinite sit-in at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi from June 20 if the minister does not step down.

“…we will only return from Delhi after securing the resignation of the country’s Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan,” Dipke wrote.

Last Saturday, the CJP gave the government an ultimatum: Either Pradhan resigns or Prime Minister Narendra Modi removes him.

“If no action is taken within seven days, this movement will spread across the country,” CJP said in a statement.

Hello! This is Shakeel from DW’s New Delhi studio, bringing you the top news from across the country.

First things first, the weather has cooled off a little in Delhi this Thursday, with rain expected in the evening. That sound you’re hearing is the collective sigh of relief from Delhiites after the past few days of heatwave-like temperatures.

Meanwhile, the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) is protesting in Pune, after promising not to relent until Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigns.

India on Wednesday condemned the attack on the commercial vessel Settebello off the coast of Oman, which left three Indian sailors missing. The US military said it fired on the vessel as it attempted to breach a naval blockade carrying a shipment of Iranian oil.

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