CJP Sit-In Enters Day Two in Defiance of Police

Synopsis

The second sit-in at Jantar Mantar by the Cockroach Janta Party continued into its second day on June 22, following the Delhi Police's announcement that the protest was in breach of the terms of permission it had granted to the party for the June 21 demonstration. Founder Abhijeet Dipke stood up to demand the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Activist Sonam Wangchuk set a June 27 deadline for the government to respond, saying he could go on a hunger strike indefinitely.

Overnight: The Protest That Would Not Disperse

The hours of operation for Saturday are 11:00 am to 5:00 pm (permitted hours). The CJP did not.

On Saturday night the Delhi Police had told Dipke and protesters to leave Jantar Mantar as the protest had been allowed after permission only between 10 am and 5 pm, and that it would be a violation of the conditions of the permission. Police warned that legal action would be taken

Dipke's reply was quite definitive. He urged the people to join the agitation on Sunday as it would not succeed otherwise, and urged NEET re-exam aspirants to reach Jantar Mantar after handing over their papers.

The sit-in continued into the night, during which the protesters claimed that the light in the area was turned off and the water, food, and restroom facilities were blocked. Thereafter, water was restored and eventually lighting was turned on.

Dipke, who was surrounded by darkness, said: "If anything does occur on me, in this darkness, then the people who switched off the lights will bear the responsibility.

Police Cordon and Entry Blockade

The stand-off was set by Sunday morning. The Delhi Police denied entry into Jantar Mantar, and over 200 police officers of Delhi Police and Rapid Action Force (R.A.F) were deployed at the site.

Dipke asked for water to be given to the public toilets at the protest camp, saying there was none since Saturday night. He also asked the police not to obstruct people entering Jantar Mantar saying, "We are not doing anything wrong, we are just seeking justice for the students who are committing suicide.

The official social media page of the CJP put the spotlight on “Delhi Police is trying to declare a peaceful protest illegal”. Since when is peace illegal?"

Wangchuk Raises the Stakes

Ladakh climate activist Sonam Wangchuk was the most impactful voice on Saturday before the overnight stand-off, who made the most significant announcement at the protest.

Wangchuk said he would go on an indefinite hunger strike from June 27 if the government did not accept responsibility for the alleged irregularities in the education system and take remedial measures, such as the NEET paper leak.

His intervention put the movement on the national agenda and brought on the board a known national activist known for his long fasts in protest to the demands of statehood for Ladakh.

There is no change to the demands

The CJP has been campaigning against alleged irregularities in various national examinations such as NEET, Common University Entrance Test (CUET), CBSE affiliated exams, and the recruitment process of the Staff Selection Board.

Dipke repeated that the protests would proceed peacefully and a dialogue with the central government was still open provided that accountability was to be addressed and the education minister resigned. He has also called for compensation of ₹1 crore for the families of those students who died by suicide after the cancellation of the NEET.

The collection of young people has garnered over 22 million Instagram followers since it was sparked by a joke by Chief Justice Surya Kant that unemployment is like a cockroach, a sentiment that was picked up by the movement and carried over to the two nights in succession at one of the most symbolically charged protest sites in India.

As the government refuses to intervene, the police are in the process of tightening the cordon and a hunger strike is imminent, it seems the showdown at Jantar Mantar is not likely to be resolved before the June 27 deadline set by Wangchuk, which could determine how far this generation's anger goes.