‘Happy birthday, please…’ : Abhijeet Dipke's wish to Dharmendra Pradhan comes with a twist
New Delhi: Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke used Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's birthday to intensify his ongoing protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar. In a video shared online, Dipke wrote "Happy Birthday, Pradhan. Please resign" on a whiteboard while supporters sang the birthday song, turning the occasion into a political statement.
After writing the message, Dipke wished Pradhan a happy birthday before adding that the best gift he could give students would be to resign. He jokingly remarked that protesters could even send a resignation letter, requiring only the minister's signature.
The demonstration, which entered its seventh day on Friday, centres on demands for Pradhan's resignation over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations, including the NEET paper leak controversy. Dipke has remained at the protest site, insisting that the movement will continue until accountability is fixed.
Earlier during the protest, Dipke appeared before a Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) committee regarding the withholding of the CJP's X account. He questioned why authorities maintained confidentiality around the account while failing to prevent the alleged NEET paper leak. Referring to reported student suicides linked to the controversy, he argued that stronger safeguards could have prevented such tragedies.
Dipke also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that the government had failed to act against repeated examination paper leaks. He further claimed that no representative from the Centre had reached out to initiate discussions with the protesters, despite the group's repeated demand for talks following Pradhan's resignation.
The CJP founder alleged that protesters had been unfairly labelled as "terrorists" despite seeking justice for students. He maintained that the movement was not politically motivated but aimed at ensuring accountability in the education system.
Meanwhile, climate activist Sonam Wangchuk announced that he would begin an indefinite hunger strike at Jantar Mantar from June 28 if the government does not respond to demands related to the alleged NEET paper leak by June 27. Speaking from outside the United Nations office in Geneva, Wangchuk expressed support for the student-led movement and urged the Centre to address concerns over examination integrity and accountability.
Wangchuk has backed Dipke and the Cockroach Janta Party since the protests began and has previously joined demonstrations at Jantar Mantar, reinforcing calls for action over the alleged examination irregularities.