Cockroach Janata Party protest: Uddhav Thackeray voices support for student stir at Jantar Mantar

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray has urged the Centre to heed the voices of protesting youth at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, who are demanding Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation over exam-related lapses, including the NEET paper leak.

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday said the Centre must listen to the youth who are protesting at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi seeking the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over exam-related lapses and should not underestimate them.

In a post on Facebook, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut put out Thackeray’s message which said youth are the future of the country and they are protesting in scorching heat. It is improper to deny them justice and address them as “cockroach”.

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The NEET paper leak has destroyed lives of lakhs of youth and they are protesting, the former Maharashtra chief minister said.

“The government has to listen the voice of youth and should not underestimate the cockroach. The is the signal given by the protestors at Jantar Mantar,” Thackeray said.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) chief’s MLA son Aaditya Thackeray said the youth stepping out seeking Pradhan’s resignation for the mess he has created in NEET and CBSE is a big move forward in citizens speaking up against the country’s “vindictive and anti-democratic” regime.

“Kudos to all those who stepped out today, despite all efforts by the regime to distract, divert, defame and hold you back,” he said in a post on X.

School students, college-goers, competitive exam aspirants and parents were among those who gathered at Jantar Mantar in the national capital on Saturday for a protest organised by the supporters of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP).

The CJP emerged as a youth-led online movement following allegations of irregularities in several examinations and recruitment tests, including NEET, CUET, CBSE-linked examinations and SSC recruitment processes.