Delhi Police Use Force Against CJP Protesters Demanding Minister Resignation

Jantar Mantar Crackdown and Police Tactics

The scene at Jantar Mantar on Monday turned confrontational as security forces moved to block demonstrators from advancing toward Parliament. Police utilized both lathis and tear gas shells to clear the crowds at multiple locations. Despite the force used, viral footage captured one protester standing directly in front of security personnel, repeatedly challenging them to maaro sir, maaro sir (beat me, sir) while refusing to vacate his position.

While reports of the crackdown emerged, the Delhi Police issued a statement on X denying that any sporadic use of violence/detentions at Jantar Mantar occurred. The force characterized the handling of the protest as professional and requested the public to ignore rumors. However, this contradicts observations from the ground where barricades were erected and metro stations, including Janpath, Rajiv Chowk, and Central Secretariat, were closed, stranding commuters across the city.

Surveillance Claims and High Court Proceedings

The heavy security presence has sparked legal scrutiny. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appeared before the Delhi High Court to address a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by former JNUSU president Aishe Ghosh. The petition alleged that the government was conducting continuous, indiscriminate and intrusive surveillance at the protest site.

For more on this story, see CJP Delegation Meets JP Nadda to Present Demands Over National Exam Irregularities.

Mr. Mehta argued that the video recording of the site is standard practice for maintaining public order. At Jantar Mantar, some or the other protest is going on, [and] it is always recorded…. This is only for law and order and safety. There is no snooping. There is no surveillance, he submitted to the bench. The court has requested that the authorities clarify if formal guidelines for regulating protests have been established, as previously mandated by the Supreme Court.

The Rise of CJP and Wangchuk’s Hunger Strike

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), founded by Abhijeet Dipke, emerged in May as an online satirical movement against exam paper leaks, specifically targeting the medical entrance exam cancellation that affected nearly 2.28 million candidates. The movement has since escalated its political demands. Following the forcible removal of activist Sonam Wangchuk from the protest stage on Saturday, Dipke declared a shift in the party’s stance.

“Until now, we were demanding Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, but after this despicable act, we will now demand the resignation of Narendra Modi.”

Abhijeet Dipke, CJP founder

Wangchuk, who remains at Safdarjung Hospital, had been on a hunger strike for 21 days, consuming only salt and water and losing over 9kg. His wife, Gitanjali Angmo, noted that he is willing to end his fast if government representatives visit him and provide concrete assurances that the education system failures will be addressed in Parliament.

Opposition Delegation and Evolving Demands

While tensions remain high, there have been minor developments regarding other participants. Three activists from the All India Students’ Association (AISA)—Neha, Manish, and Aameen—ended their own 23-day hunger strike on Monday. This decision followed a visit from a delegation of opposition lawmakers and public figures, including Manoj Jha, Amra Ram, and Yogendra Yadav, who promised to raise the protesters’ concerns during the Monsoon Session of Parliament.

This follows our earlier report, Cockroach Janta Party Protesters March to Parliament Over Exam Leaks.

Despite these communications, the CJP leadership remains critical of the government’s pace.

As of Monday afternoon, the government has not officially engaged with the CJP leadership directly, and the party maintains that its protests will continue across multiple cities, including Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, until their core demands for accountability are met.

Sources: Thehindu, The Times of India.