New Delhi: Videos of the Cockroach Janta Party members dancing and celebrating the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan have been under sharp criticism from party supporters and critics alike. Supporters feel betrayed by the CJP members partying when a large number of protesters have been arrested by police in Bihar, West Bengal, Assam, and other places. While critics are using the visuals to discredit the movement, Saurav Das, the party’s chief spokesperson, has called the criticism the language of Gen Z.
“We can sit on the road for as long as it takes. We can protest while dancing. We can organise while sipping cold coffee,” Das wrote on X on Monday. “That’s just how this generation is. Confident, creative, resilient, and IMPOSSIBLE to stereotype.”
He added that the government and certain media anchors “simply do not understand the language of Gen Z and younger generations”, and that “the uncles and aunties can keep complaining. They’ll just have to deal with us!”
The controversy
The controversy began shortly after the CJP called off its sit-in protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned on 25 July amid the agitation over the NEET paper leak and broader examination irregularities. The CJP then announced it was withdrawing the protest after the Centre accepted key remaining demands, including compensation for families of students who died by suicide and the withdrawal of FIRs against protesters.
Viral clips circulating on social media soon appeared of a “resignation party” or “victory party” inside what appeared to be a hotel banquet hall. The videos feature CJP leaders including spokespersons Das and Ashutosh Ranka dancing to Bollywood tracks.
Criticism
Critics, including Senior Supreme Court advocate Mahesh Jethmalani, condemned the optics.
“The CJP leadership throwing a victory party at a hotel! After Delhi witnessed days of violence, these so-called youth activists switched on the music and began dancing,” he wrote in a post on X.
“Who funded the travel, food, accommodation, equipment and logistics throughout this agitation?” he asked, raising questions about the protest itself.
Other voices accused the leadership of insensitivity given the suicides of students that had partly fuelled the movement, and of abandoning the rank-and-file protesters now facing arrests in several states.
“While 100s of students are still languishing in jails, while thousands are facing harassment at the hands of authorities post protests, while many still have FIRs in their names, while Junaid who fed them & his family is being harrassed, these thugs are enjoying lavish parties,” read a widely shared post on X.
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Response
Parallel to the party-video debate, Das issued a separate statement expressing deep concern over reports of students and other protesters being targeted, detained or arrested.
“We are deeply concerned by multiple reports reaching us of students and other protestors being targeted, detained, or arrested by various state agencies, particularly in Assam, West Bengal, and Bihar,” he wrote in the statement on X.
He assured that the CJP’s legal team is working to secure the release of the protesters.
“We wish to assure every protestor that our legal team is already coordinating with brilliant lawyers in the concerned states to secure the release of those detained and to extend all possible legal assistance,” he wrote.
He also reminded the government of its promises, and demanded for them to be delivered.
“The Government of India is also reminded of its commitment to furnish us the written guarantee in this regard by tomorrow, Tuesday, 28 July 2026.”
(Edited by Aamaan Alam Khan)
Stupid students are going to get a wake up call. I was politically stupid when I was in college and now I can be the one to call these students who supported it as stupid and dumb.
No one should be removed from the jail. I will even go a bit further People who threw stones should be given the capital punishment. You need to create a deterrent against these “students”