'We will not go like this': CJP's Abhijeet Dipke has 2 more demands after Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation

Shortly after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan sent his resignation letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founding president Abhijeet Dipke said that the outfit's agitation is far from over, listing two fresh demands before the government.

"There's no need to be afraid. This is democracy. He has resigned, but we have two more demands. We won't go like this," Dipke said, addressing supporters gathered near the protest site.

Also read: Dharmendra Pradhan resigns: Education Minister sends resignation letter to PM Modi amid CJP protests due to NEET paper leak


Dipke stated that Pradhan's resignation had come through, but said it was not enough to end the standoff.

"Dharmendra Pradhan has resigned. But the families of the children who committed suicide should receive compensation of one crore rupees. They should get it. One crore rupees compensation to all those families," he said.


He also demanded action against police personnel he accused of using force during the protests. "And second, these police goons who acted on the 20th. Action must be taken against the police officers for that," Dipke said.

The CJP chief closed his remarks with a warning aimed squarely at the Centre. "Remember, do not mess with cockroaches," he said.

Also read: 'Long live student power': CJP celebrates Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation

Reiterating the party's resolve, Dipke added, "We have two more demands, we will not go like that. We are cockroaches, once it enters it does not leave."

Asked about the possibility of a fresh round of talks with the government, CJP chief spokesperson Saurav Das said the party was awaiting a formal call from officials. "When they call us, then we will go. They will tell us the exact time," Das said.

Why Pradhan stepped down

Pradhan's exit on Saturday came after days of intense political and public pressure over allegations of irregularities in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), the country's main medical entrance exam.

In his letter to the Prime Minister, shared on social media, Pradhan described the recent turn of events as painful for him personally, but insisted the matter went beyond his own standing in office. He framed his decision as an attempt to shield young people from what he called a spiral of confusion, cautioning that the unrest building around the protest sites — including Jantar Mantar — could be exploited by elements hostile to the country, and that no student should be caught up in legal trouble as a result.

He struck a note of confidence in India's democratic institutions and spoke warmly of the country's youth, calling them both the nation's future and the ones who will build a stronger India going forward. Pradhan also used the letter to thank Modi for his backing during his tenure, along with colleagues and ministry staff, and said he intended to keep working on behalf of Odisha and India's students in whatever role came next.

Inside CJP's campaign

Pradhan's resignation capped weeks of organising by the CJP, the outfit founded by Abhijeet Dipke that had turned his exit into one of its core demands. The party's campaign began building in early June and reached a turning point on July 20, when large numbers of students and young professionals converged on Jantar Mantar in Delhi for what was billed as a march toward Parliament — among the bigger youth mobilisations the capital has seen in some time.

From there, the movement spread beyond Delhi, with sympathy protests and marches surfacing in cities such as Mumbai. Along the way, there were clashes with police, several detentions, and repeated calls from CJP leaders urging protesters to keep demonstrations peaceful.

At the heart of the unrest were accusations that NEET had been compromised by a paper leak and other irregularities, which triggered widespread anger among students and their families and led to investigations by federal agencies as well as court scrutiny. Responding to the outcry, Modi said on July 21 — in remarks relayed by Kiren Rijiju after an NDA parliamentary party meeting — that anyone found to have undermined the integrity of public exams would face the harshest possible consequences, and pledged full accountability.

The protests also became a rallying point for wider student grievances beyond NEET itself. The movement picked up further momentum when education-reform campaigner Sonam Wangchuk joined in, going on an open-ended hunger strike in support of the push for Pradhan's resignation. His worsening health and eventual hospitalisation, along with CJP appeals for him to call off the fast, kept the protests in the national spotlight even as organisers insisted they would press on until every demand was met.

Opposition parties offered the movement varying degrees of backing as it grew, while the government maintained throughout that its investigation into the NEET allegations was moving forward and that any wrongdoing would be pursued through the law.