Activist Sonam Wangchuk has appealed for restraint after videos showing members of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) celebrating the resignation of former
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan went viral on social media.
Addressing the controversy, Wangchuk said success should be matched with humility and urged supporters to celebrate responsibly.
Sonam Wangchuk responds to CJP party row
“Victory must be accompanied by humility,” Wangchuk said, adding that celebrations should take place “with dignity, restraint, and responsibility”.
The activist also stressed that showing respect and humility after achieving a goal is just as important as the victory itself.
Resignation party videos spark controversy
The videos, which showed CJP members dancing after ending their 37-day protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, triggered criticism online. Several social media users questioned whether the celebrations were appropriate, given that the movement had highlighted the deaths of students by suicide following the alleged NEET-UG paper leak.
Others also claimed that many protesters were still facing legal action in different states while senior members of the movement were celebrating.
Wangchuk had emerged as one of the key faces of the student-led protest and remained on an indefinite hunger strike until July 23, when he ended his 26-day fast after receiving assurances from the government regarding protesters and affected families.
CJP defends party videos
Responding to the backlash, CJP spokesperson Saurav Das defended the videos, describing them as an expression of the younger generation.
“We can sit on the road for as long as it takes. We can protest while dancing. We can organise while sipping cold coffee,” Das wrote on X.
He added, “That’s just how this generation is. Confident, creative, resilient, and IMPOSSIBLE to stereotype.”
Das also said, “The uncles and aunties can keep complaining. They’ll just have to deal with us!”
Senior Supreme Court advocate Mahesh Jethmalani criticised the gathering, alleging that CJP leaders had organised a celebration at a five-star hotel and questioned how the movement had been funded.
Rejecting the allegation, Das said, “One thing I want to make clear, whenever such visuals come, people tend to exaggerate a lot. It wasn’t a five-star hotel. It was two-star or maybe three max.”
According to Das, the event was held in a basement hall to thank around 150 to 200 volunteers, many of whom had travelled from different states and spent 37 days supporting the protest.
He added that the programme was more than a celebration.
“We were sitting on the floor, we were hearing out their experience, taking feedback from them,” he said.
Das maintained that the gathering did not affect ongoing discussions with the government, saying, “Just because, for example, I’m not on the stage doesn’t mean that I’m not working. Same logic applies here as well.” He also defended the timing of the event, stating that the volunteers deserved recognition before returning home.
