Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founding president and funder Abhijeet Dipke on Wednesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to accept Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation, warning that the movement's demands could escalate if no action was taken.
Addressing protesters at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, Dipke said the issue would not remain limited to Pradhan's resignation if the minister continued in office.
Speaking at the protest site, Dipke said, "Modi ji, I once again request you to accept Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation. Otherwise, the issue will not remain limited to Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation alone; it will come for your resignation also."
#WATCH | Delhi: Founding President of Cockroach Janta Party, Abhijeet Dipke says, "Modi ji, I once again request you to accept Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation. Otherwise, the issue will not remain limited to Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation alone; it will come for your… pic.twitter.com/H3pTqvx3TR
— ANI (@ANI) July 23, 2026
Dipke said an "incompetent and failed" minister should not be considered more important than the country's students.
He stated, "An incompetent and failed minister cannot be more important than the crores of students in this country. If a failed and incompetent minister is being considered more important than these crores of students, then remember: no one in India will vote for you in the elections."
Dipke also criticised the government's handling of the issue, saying, "It took PM 34 days to take notice, tweet; it's shameful that government still protecting Dharmendra Pradhan."
He further alleged that if the same effort had been put into preventing question paper leaks as was spent on installing jammers and barricading the protest site, the lives of 22 students could have been saved.
The remarks came as the Centre reiterated that it was prepared to hold talks with the Cockroach Janta Party.
According to Union Minister JP Nadda, the discussions should take place at an official residence or office.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh also said the government had reached out to the organisation at least four times.
"Wherever you want we can discuss, either at Nadda Ji's house or office," Singh said.
The CJP, however, rejected the government's proposal and maintained that any dialogue would now take place only at Jantar Mantar or at a neutral venue such as the Constitution Club of India.
The organisation also claimed that there had been no response from the government following its meeting on July 20.
Responding to Jitendra Singh's remarks, CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka told protesters, "Minister Jitendra Singh has tweeted that they have reached out four times and that the CJP can talk anytime it wants. We asked them to come to Jantar Mantar. They refused. They asked us to come to JP Nadda's house."
In a post on X, social activist Sonam Wangchuk urged protesters to remain committed to peaceful demonstrations and not respond to provocation with violence.
DAY 26
— Sonam Wangchuk (@Wangchuk66) July 23, 2026
PEACE & ONLY PEACE IS MY WAY…
While at Jantar Mantar the protests remain peaceful I’m pained to learn that elsewhere some antisocial elements are taking advantage of the peaceful protests to provoke violence.
No matter what the other side does our response must only be…
He wrote, "DAY 26
PEACE & ONLY PEACE IS MY WAY…
While at Jantar Mantar the protests remain peaceful I’m pained to learn that elsewhere some antisocial elements are taking advantage of the peaceful protests to provoke violence.
No matter what the other side does our response must only be flowers.
Please keep this tradition at all costs."
