New Delhi: The movement launched by the ‘Cockroach Janata Party’ (CJP) from Delhi’s Jantar Mantar has reached an interesting juncture, with new twists emerging daily. Two spokespersons for the Cockroach Party, Saurabh Das and Ashutosh Ranka, held a meeting with two representatives of the central government. While the meeting was positive regarding two demands, the matter remains deadlocked over the third.
The third demand concerns the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan; the government has not yet clarified its stance on this, having sought time until tomorrow (Saturday) afternoon to respond. Following the meeting, the Cockroach Janata Party made it clear that the protest would not end without Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation. The government must either secure his resignation or dismiss him; otherwise, the CJP’s movement will continue.
CJP’s Three Demands
The central government invited the CJP for a meeting on Friday, which was held at the ‘Neutral Samvidhan Conclave’ premises. Union Ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh represented the government, while spokespersons Saurabh Das and Ashutosh Ranka represented the CJP. The meeting lasted approximately 10 minutes, during which the students presented three demands.
The first demand was for the government to withdraw the cases registered against students during the protest. The second was that the families of students who committed suicide should receive ₹1 crore each in compensation. The third demand was for the immediate resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan. The government appeared positive regarding the demands for compensation and the withdrawal of cases, but the situation regarding Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation remains unclear.
Claims Made by CJP Spokespersons
Cockroach Janata Party spokespersons Saurabh Das and Ashutosh Ranka reiterated that the government must either obtain Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation or dismiss him from the ministry. They further claimed that the government would decide on the demand for his resignation by Saturday afternoon.
What Did JP Nadda Say?
After speaking with the CJP delegation, Union Health Minister JP Nadda stated that the government is willing to accept two of the students’ demands. CJP spokespersons stated that the sit-ins would not end unless Dharmendra Pradhan resigns. This movement has spread across the entire country and could gain further momentum.
There appears to be no immediate prospect of the movement ending following the breakdown of talks. After social activist Sonam Wangchuk, the face of the movement,t ended his fast last night, hopes had been raised that a middle ground might be found in the negotiations with the CJP.
