BENGALURU: Actor and activist Prakash Raj is set to participate in a protest organised by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) at Bengaluru’s Freedom Park on Sunday as part of a nationwide campaign demanding the resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged failures in the education sector.The protest comes amid allegations of multiple examination irregularities, including recent suicides of several NEET aspirants, question paper leaks, and what the organisation describes as the “collapse of the education system.”As part of its nationwide movement, the CJP will also hold a demonstration at Jaipur’s Shaheed Smarak on June 15.
Although the organisation is yet to receive official permission from local authorities to stage the protest, CJP national spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka said the group remains hopeful of obtaining clearance.According to Ranka, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke and social activist Sonam Wangchuk are expected to participate in the Jaipur protest. He said the demonstrations aim to highlight concerns over paper leaks, examination irregularities, and the deterioration of educational infrastructure across the country.The organisation has appealed to citizens to join the movement carrying copies of the Constitution and the national flag as symbols of their commitment to educational reforms and accountability.Nationwide Agitation PlannedEarlier this week, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke announced plans to expand the agitation to several cities, including Lucknow, Amritsar, Jaipur, and Bengaluru, if the Union Education Minister does not step down.The announcement came after a protest led by Dipke at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar last week. The organisation’s second major demonstration was scheduled to take place at Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) in Pune, for which it had obtained police permission.Speaking to reporters, Dipke blamed the Centre for issues such as the alleged NEET paper leak and irregularities in the CBSE re-evaluation process. He claimed that more than one crore students have been affected by what he termed the failure of the education ministry to ensure a fair and transparent examination system.The CJP has vowed to continue its nationwide campaign until its demands for accountability and reforms in the education sector are addressed.
