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'Cockroach' party vows continued protest, parliament march called off

Webdunia | July 21, 2026 7:39 PM CST

Reports on Tuesday cited India's Cockroach Janta founder Abhijeet Dipke as saying that the youth-led movement will not carry out a march to the parliament again because "the police will hurt the youth again".

The CJP has however vowed to continue its sit-in protest until its demand for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is met.

"We had to call off the protest yesterday because we did not want more youth to be injured," news agency Reuters quoted CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke as telling a press conference.

"We will not march again because the police will hurt the youth again," he said.

There was no immediate statement from the CJP on the march on its official channels.

The reported decision to not march comes a day after some 180 people were reportedly injured as thousands of CJP supporters, attempting to get to the Indian parliament, clashed with the police.

According to Delhi Police figures, 118 police personnel and 60 protesters were injured in the confrontation that also saw authorities using batons and tear gas on the youth protesters.

The CJP alleges that the police "brutally" beat up the protesters while the Delhi police has criticized "unruly, aggressive and violent behavior" by a "violent mob".

Protesters return to protest site, Jantar Mantar

Following the confrontation on Monday, CJP protesters made their way back to their Jantar Mantar protest site, where they had been holding a sit-in demonstration for the past month, to find it dismantled by the police.

On Tuesday morning, Dipke's message to supporters and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government was: "We won't back off".

CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka declared: "We won't stop. Pradhan has to be sacked."

As of this morning, at least 150-200 protesters have gathered at the protest site poised to protest amid a light drizzle.

"Jantar Mantar Is Again Packed! The more you suppress us, the more we will rise!!" CJP wrote on X.

Security around the protest site and the rest of central Delhi continues to remain tight. ALSO READ: Vir Das Slams Artists' Silence Over Student Protest, Takes Dig at Dhurandhar

'Cockroaches' leader Dipke apologizes to injured protesters

Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke on Tuesday visited a hospital in New Delhi to meet supporters who were injured during the attempted march to parliament.

In a message on X, he apologized to CJP supporters who he said were "brutally" beaten up by police personnel.

"I apologise to all our supporters, especially the girls who were brutally beaten by male police officers," Dipke wrote.

"We could have done better. I could have done better to protect you from the inhumane actions of the Delhi Police," he added.

The CJP head also claimed that a girl was in a critical condition after being injured in a police baton-charge that ensued on Monday as a protest march of thousands tried to push its way through security barricades.

There is no statement from the authorities on Dipke's claim.

Meanwhile, the CJP shared a form on social media asking people who had been detained and facing legal charges over the march to reach out.

"We will provide the necessary legal help," the movement said.

According to a police statement, 70 protesters were detained on Monday and a legal action was being initiated against them.

Ahead of the march on Monday, authorities had imposed a ban, barring the assembly of five or more people, except at the designated protest site of Jantar Mantar. The police had warned of legal action against violators of the order.

On Tuesday, CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka called on the Delhi police to release the detainees.

"Delhi police needs to clearly tell how many people are still under detention from yesterday's protest," he said.

How has the Modi government reacted to the 'cockroach' protest?

On Monday, Cockroach Janta Party spokespersons Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka met federal Health Minister J P Nadda to formally hand over a written document listing the movement's demands.

Ranka said that the minister had asked for time to discuss the demands with the government.

Nadda on Monday described the talks as having taken place in a "cordial atmosphere" as he urged demonstrators to call off their sit-in protest.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi continues to maintain a silence on the protest.

There has also been no statement on the protest march from Modi's Education Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, whose resignation the youth protesters are demanding over recurrent examination paper leaks and irregularities in the country's education system.

Pradhan was seen in the Indian Parliament on Monday as the public ire against him poured into the streets leading the house.