Cockroach Janta Party Gets A Voice: 3 Spokespersons Named For June 6 Showdown

New Delhi: The online protest movement Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has announced three official spokespersons who will represent the organisation before the public and the media, marking its latest effort to formalise its structure ahead of a planned protest in the national capital later this week. The movement said investigative journalist Saurav Das will serve as its Chief Spokesperson, while political researcher, author and filmmaker Vijeta Dahiya and management consultant-turned-public policy commentator Ashutosh Ranka will also take on the role of spokespersons.In a statement, CJP said the three-member team would be responsible for communicating the movement's positions, engaging with the media and helping shape its public outreach strategy.

The organisation added that its effort to "change the political discourse of India" would be driven by a new generation of leaders.

CJP Expands Organisational Structure

The announcement comes as Cockroach Janta Party seeks to build momentum around its campaign on issues related to examinations, governance and public accountability. The movement has drawn increasing public attention in recent weeks through online campaigns and calls for protests. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke has announced plans to return to India on June 6 and hold a protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, demanding accountability over examination-related issues.

Sonam Wangchuk Backs Movement

The spokesperson announcement also comes amid signs of growing visibility for the movement. Education reform activist and innovator Sonam Wangchuk recently said he would join the group's planned June 6 protest in Delhi if there is no significant change in the situation before then. Wangchuk's support has given the movement additional prominence, particularly among students and education reform advocates.

Who Are The New Spokespersons?

According to the announcement:

• Saurav Das will serve as Chief Spokesperson.
• Vijeta Dahiya, a political researcher, author and filmmaker, will represent the movement as a spokesperson.
• Ashutosh Ranka, an alumnus of IIT Kanpur and former consultant with McKinsey, will also serve as a spokesperson.

Dipke Seeks Pradhan's Resignation

Dipke said that his immediate objective is to demand accountability and call for Pradhan's resignation, highlighting issues related to NEET, CBSE, and CUET examinations, which he claimed adversely affected millions of students."We will keep asking for the resignation, and we won't stop until he resigns," he said, arguing that the education minister should take "moral responsibility".While CJP's swift growth has sparked speculation regarding its political future, Dipke remarked that it is too early to consider transforming it into a registered political party. For the time being, he characterised CJP as a "political youth movement" focused on reshaping political discourse and centring the aspirations and concerns of young individuals in politics he stated.The movement, Dipke said, was born out of growing frustration among young Indians over unemployment, inflation and developments in the education sector."I wouldn't have imagined in my wildest dreams that something like this could happen," he said.According to Dipke, the support for a platform that started as satire reflects a deepening disillusionment with the current political landscape. "It's the failure of the political ecosystem to cater to the aspirations, needs, concerns, and hopes of the youth," he explained.