Hyderabad: The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) held a protest in Hyderabad today as part of its nationwide stir, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The Hyderabad protest was part of a nationwide campaign being held across multiple cities between June 11 and June 20, including Pune, Lucknow, Amritsar, Bangalore, Jaipur and Delhi.
The protests are part of the party’s take on the NEET (UG) question paper leak under the Ministry of Education, with participants demanding the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan.
LIVE updates
1:30 pm: Protest ends
1:25 pm: Speaking to Siasat.com, Ayesha, an Arabic teacher who graduated from school in 1996, said that school life was much easier in those days, and students did not have to worry about their future the way they do today. “Studying was not a burden; it was a part of life,” she said.
As a teacher, she added that it breaks her heart to see students struggling under immense pressure. “They study day and night, only to hear that someone, somewhere, chose not to work hard and instead took the easy route, thereby destroying the future of millions of others,” she said.
1:09 pm: Santok Singh, a backend developer working in Hyderabad’s Madhapur IT sector, said, “These are Modi’s three monkeys — those who do not want to see the truth, do not want to hear the truth, and do not want to speak the truth.”
12:20 pm: Speaking at the protest, a CBSE student questioned the government’s response to issues affecting students.
The student said that when the Women’s Reservation Bill faced hurdles, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that he fought for the women of the country, and asked what was being done for students and their struggles.
Another student, Polina Pillai, who has appeared for several competitive examinations, alleged that money had influenced the admission process in some cases.
11:53 am: Addressing the gathering, Professor K Nageshwar Rao said that the demand for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is based on the principle of moral responsibility for the examination paper leak controversies.
He recalled the example of Lal Bahadur Shastri, who resigned as Railway Minister following a major railway accident.
11:33 am: Speaking on development and environmental issues, CJP spokesperson Vijeta Dahiya said that progress should not come at the cost of evictions or displacement, stressing that every person has the right to live with dignity.
He remarked that covering cities with concrete should not be mistaken for beautification and questioned the logic of pursuing development while simultaneously cutting down trees. Emphasizing the need for sustainable growth, he said development must go hand in hand with environmental protection.
Referring to issues such as NEET paper leaks, Wangchuk said the country must focus on fixing systemic problems and ensuring transparency and accountability in institutions that shape the future of students.
Speaking about the impact of examination irregularities on students, he referred to the case of Akanksha Chaturvedi, who allegedly died by suicide after the NEET paper leak controversy. He said she was known as a cheerful and determined student. According to him, her father had taken a loan of Rs 3 lakh to support her education, and Akanksha had once assured him that after becoming a doctor, she would take care of all the family’s problems. He said she was confident after writing the NEET examination, but became deeply distressed following reports of the paper leak.
He also mentioned another student, Pradeep, whose father had taken loans to support his son’s dream of becoming a doctor. Dahiya said Pradeep, too, had been confident about his performance in the examination. Referring to the emotional toll on families, he said Pradeep’s father still holds on to his son’s chemistry book and breaks down in tears, calling out to him, even though he knows his son will never return.
Dahiya said many such students come from financially struggling families and invest years of hard work and hope into competitive examinations.
He spoke about Rohith Vemula, saying that he became a victim of casteism within the education system.
“We do not want a government run by uneducated people. If an incompetent person occupies a prominent position, whether in the government or the private sector, will it benefit society? This is becoming a web of lies, and who will destroy it? The cockroaches!”, he added
11:29 am: Addressing the gathering, Sonam Wangchuk said that the CJP is not a political platform and its primary objective is to awaken every Indian. He said the movement aims to encourage the youth of the country to move forward and contribute positively to society.
Stressing the importance of long-term solutions, Wangchuk said that reforms in the education sector are essential and that the first step should be ensuring a fair and transparent examination system.
He added that everyone, including the Prime Minister, must be held accountable. Calling for stronger foundations in education, he said the system must be cleaned up and strengthened. Wangchuk also highlighted the need for a cleaner environment, emphasizing the importance of clean air and clean water.
He stressed the importance of a functional democracy where people’s voices are heard and not suppressed. He said citizens should be able to express their views without fear. Wangchuk noted that some of his own friends were unable to attend peaceful protests because they were worried about possible consequences for themselves and their families.
Referring to the protests to protect KBR National Park, he said he was aware of the movement and expressed pride in the people of Hyderabad for raising their voice on environmental issues.
Continuing his address, Sonam Wangchuk said that a country must either allow its citizens the freedom to speak openly or openly declare itself a totalitarian state. He stressed that people should have the right to express their opinions without fear and called for a functional democracy where citizens’ voices are respected. Wangchuk said India needs to become a fearless and hatred-free nation, where differences are resolved through dialogue rather than division. Drawing a comparison with Singapore, he noted that the country had witnessed religious violence in the 1960s but later moved away from hatred and focused on social harmony and development. Referring to the NEET paper leak controversy, Wangchuk urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to seek the resignation of the Education Minister, saying accountability is necessary when issues affecting the future of students arise.
11:07 am: Slogans such as “Sonam Sir Tumko Laal Salaam” and “Dharmendra Pradhan Istifa Do” were raised after Sonam Wangchuk arrived at Dharna Chowk.
10:58 am: Prominent activist Sonam Wangchuk arrives to slogans of “Shiksha mantri kaisa ho, Sonam Wangchuk jaisa ho”
10:52 am: Potraits of Dr BR Ambedkar appear at Dharna Chowk protest
10:49 am: Evil PM Modi is protecting incapable Dharmendra Pradhan, along with many other anti nationals, Pradhan must resign: Akunuri Murali
10:41 am: Former IAS and ex Telangana Education Commission chief Akunuri Murali is in attendance at CJP protest
10:38 am: In a message for social harmony, “Hindu Muslim Sikh Isaayi, Charminar ke chaar sipaahi” slogans were raised
10:33 am: Some visuals from the protest site. Photos: Siasat.com/Veena Nair
10:31 am: “Government schools are in a poor condition. In many countries outside India, parents prefer government schools because the system provides quality education and facilities. Here, many families are forced to look elsewhere,” a participant at the protest said.
10:24 am: People at the protest were also raising concerns over the rising cost of school education in Telangana and the condition of government schools.
A female teacher participating in the demonstration said that poor infrastructure and inadequate facilities in government schools were forcing many parents to opt for expensive private institutions.
“I have every right to demand good education for my students. Government school students deserve better facilities and quality education,” she said.
10:23 am: Protesters chant “Dharmendra Pradhan istifa dho“, “Godi Media Hain Hain” slogans at Dharna Chowk protest
