New Delhi: Avijeet Chaudhary, a student leader and government job aspirant based in Delhi’s Mukherjee Nagar was having a normal day until he was called to the local police station. “Are you planning to go to the cockroach protest tomorrow? How many of you are planning to go?” he claims he was asked.
“Not just me, every student leader is getting this kind of treatment from the police. They specifically asked us not to go to the protest. They said if we go in groups they will detain us,” Chaudhary told ThePrint. “The special branch officers were present and asked us our personal information, where we live, even called the landlords,” he alleged.
This comes at a time when all eyes are on Jantar Mantar, where the Cockroach Janta Party is set to mark its debut with a protest Saturday morning, their main demand being Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation over the NEET paper leak. The party’s founder, US-based Abhijeet Dipke, who will be landing in India Saturday morning, has urged fellow “cockroaches” to join him at the protest site.
Contacted by ThePrint, senior police officers from north, northwest, and south-west districts of the national capital staunchly denied claims of any student being detained or restricted from going to Jantar Mantar for the protest.
The Delhi Police has, however, prepared to deploy personnel in sensitive areas. An officer on condition of anonymity said decisions regarding security deployment and other preventive measures would depend on how the ground conditions evolve. As of now, he said, multiple teams are on standby and riot control vehicles, detention vans remain stationed at the proposed protest site. Security has been beefed up in the city.
“Delhi Police called me and asked if I am going to the protest in Jantar Mantar on 6 June and said if I go, there will be grave repercussions. They can file FIR, use different legal proceedings can take place against me,” claimed AISA student leader Anjali in a viral video.
Another senior police officer told ThePrint that till Friday afternoon, no request for permission for the protest had been received. He added that if such a request is made, they will examine it and take a decision based on guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court for peaceful protests.
Students keen to attend the protest however are visibly worked up.
“Nothing has happened as of now. Why are they so scared of the youth? It’s our right to protest. How can they stop us like this? We will go tomorrow. If not in groups then in one by one,” said Mohit Chauhan, a Delhi university student.
“We did not ask any student for their information, nor have we told them to not attend the protest. Any and all students are allowed to go for it,” said an officer from the north district, who oversees security around Delhi University’s North Campus area.
A senior police officer from the south-west district also called the students’ claims “incorrect”.
As did a northwest district officer who oversees security around the Mukherjee Nagar area which is a student hub. “We have not sought information from any student,” he told ThePrint.
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The Cockroach Janta Party
On Friday, Dipke posted on X that he was on his way to India. “Leaving my fate in the hands of the Constitution. #JaiBhim,” he wrote.
On my way to India…
Leaving my fate in the hands of the Constitution. #JaiBhim
— Abhijeet Dipke (@abhijeet_dipke) June 5, 2026
The Cockroach Janta Party’s X handle also posted: “6 June, 9 am: Milte hain kal fellow cockroaches. Dharmendra Pradhan ka isteefa le kar rahenge! Time to turn this tiny joke into a revolution. Get ready to swarm the streets of Delhi with peaceful and loving dissent. But remember what to do and what NOT to do. All eyes are on us!”
6 June, 9 am – Milte hain kal fellow cockroaches 🪳
Dharmendra Pradhan ka isteefa le kar rahenge!
Time to turn this tiny joke into a revolution
Get ready to swarm the streets of Delhi with peaceful and loving dissent.
But remember what to do and what NOT to do. All eyes are… pic.twitter.com/XjmVmRaX1s
— Cockroach is Back (@Cockroachisback) June 5, 2026
The party, which began as a parody, has told its supporters to gather at Parliament Street Police Station. They have been told to carry the national flag, and a book. Their aim is to “reform the Indian education system”. They have also been told to record everything, and to go live.
Earlier this week, climate activist Sonam Wangchuk posted on X that he will be joining the stir. Actors Prakash Raj and Atul Kulkarni also plan to show up, while many others have shown their support for the demonstration.
The Cockroach Janta Party was born from a remark made by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant. “There are youngsters like cockroaches, who don’t get any employment or have any place in the profession. Some of them become media, some of them become social media, RTI activists and other activists and they start attacking everyone,” he had said while pulling up a lawyer for “pursuing” a senior advocate designation.
On its website, the party defines itself as the “voice of the burnt-out youth, a political party for the people the system forgot to count”.
Dipke is expected to reach Delhi’s IGI airport Saturday morning. The party has urged its supporters to not gather at the airport.
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)
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