Sonam Wangchuk hails Gen Z, says 'nation isn't built by resignation alone'; calls for sweeping education & governance reforms

Activist Sonam Wangchuk on Saturday described the movement as a "victory of democracy" and praised Gen Z for spearheading the nationwide protests, shortly after the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) announced the withdrawal of its agitation, saying the Centre had accepted its key demands.

His remarks came after the CJP said it was ending its protest at Jantar Mantar "in good faith" after the government agreed to its demands, including Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation, the withdrawal of FIRs against protesters and compensation for the families of NEET victims.



Earlier in the day, Pradhan submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he was stepping down in the larger interest of students to ensure that the country's youth do not become "trapped in a web of confusion".

Read more - CJP withdraws Jantar Mantar protest after Centre accepts key demands; JP Nadda says government will consider protesters' 5-point charter

Reacting to the developments, Wangchuk credited young people across the country, particularly members of the CJP, for leading the movement.

"This is the victory of democracy, and we should all cherish it. At the same time, I thank and congratulate the whole young generation, the Gen Z, particularly the members of CJP who started this whole discussion, and young people, old people, everyone from every corner of the nation who came out to speak for truth," Wangchuk said.

Read more - Gen Z showed what it means for India to be Vishwaguru: Gitanjali Angmo after Dharmendra Pradhan resigns

He also urged supporters to remain peaceful and humble despite what he described as the movement's success.

"I hope that we can take this path of peace that was so visible in this movement, and continue to be on that, and never digress from the path of peace. It is very important to have humility in victory. Therefore, I appeal to all the young people to rejoice and celebrate, but with utmost humility. Do nothing that hurts others. Say nothing that hurts others, be humble, and that will win the world for you," he said.

In a subsequent statement, Wangchuk welcomed the steps taken by both the government and Pradhan while stressing that the focus should now shift towards meaningful reforms.

"I welcome and respect the steps taken by the government and Dharmendra Pradhan, and congratulate all countrymen. This is a victory for democracy that we witnessed today. I congratulate and thank our CJP team who first raised this issue, as well as the volunteers who supported them, the students, youth, and elders from across the country who stood up for democracy. I respect all of them, and most importantly, I respect the way they maintained peace."

He said the country now needed to move beyond the resignation and work towards structural reforms.

"We need to work on reforms. A nation isn't built by resignation alone. There should be reform in education, and further work should be done on that. I fully hope that the generosity with which the government has taken this step will also be reflected in reform efforts, reforms not just in education, but in governance as well. I hope that from now on, the way the country is run will change. The country will be run with love and affection, not fear, and will be led on the path of truth, not injustice," Wangchuk said.

The Cockroach Janata Party, which began as a satirical social media account inspired by remarks made by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, went on to lead the nationwide movement alongside Wangchuk. The group organised demonstrations and sit-ins at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, demanding Pradhan's resignation and broader reforms in the country's education and examination system.

The controversy began after the NEET-UG paper leak surfaced in May, prompting nationwide protests over examination irregularities. The re-examination was subsequently held on June 21.

Following three rounds of talks with a government delegation, the CJP announced that it was withdrawing its agitation "in good faith", saying the Centre had agreed to its demands.

The party also said it would continue discussions with the government on its proposed five-point charter for broader education and examination reforms.

Inputs from agencies