The Pune Police are likely to grant permission for a protest planned by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) at the campus of Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) on Thursday, June 11, with officials indicating that there is currently no strong reason to deny approval for the gathering.
The youth-led organisation, which has been campaigning against examination irregularities and unemployment, has announced a "peaceful protest" at the university. The protest call was issued through social media posts by CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke and the party's official account.
Speaking to The Free Press Journal, Deputy Commissioner of Police Prashant Amrutkar said that a final decision regarding permission is yet to be taken. However, he indicated that there appears to be no major reason to reject the request for the demonstration.
"The decision has not been finalised yet, but there is no strong reason to refuse permission for the protest by the CJP. Most likely, permission will be granted after discussions with senior officials," Amrutkar said.
The campaign is being promoted on social media with the hashtag #EducationMinisterMustResign, with organisers claiming that the protest aims to highlight concerns over examination-related issues and the employment situation affecting students and young job seekers. The June 11 demonstration is expected to draw students and supporters from across Pune.
Birthed as an online campaign in May, the CJP has rapidly gained traction among young people, amassing over 22 million followers on Instagram. The organisation has been vocal about alleged irregularities in examinations and recruitment processes and has positioned itself as a youth-led movement seeking accountability.
As part of its campaign, the CJP had exhorted youths to participate in a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on June 6. In an apparent show of strength, protesters wearing cockroach masks carried posters demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Besides seeking Pradhan's resignation, the demonstrators also raised slogans urging the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to stop indulging in "Hindu-Muslim" politics and chanted "Bharat Mata ki Jai".
Meanwhile, Dipke said he would stage protests in various states and cities across the country if Pradhan does not resign by June 13 over the alleged irregularities in examinations and recruitment tests.
Asked about recent Gen Z protests in Nepal and Bangladesh, Dipke stressed that the CJP movement has remained peaceful and cannot be compared with demonstrations that took place in the neighbouring countries. He also asserted that the CJP is exclusively for Gen Z and will not be associated with any political party.
