Cockroach Janta Party holds protest in Hyderabad, demands Dharmendra Pradhan's exit

HYDERABAD: The Cockroach Janta Party and other organisations staged a protest here on Sunday, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET paper leak and irregularities related to the CBSE’s on-screen marking system.

Protestors gathered in large numbers at Dharna Chowk here to voice their frustration against the NDA government at the Centre.

The protesters raised slogans like "we want justice" and 'resign Dharmendra Pradhan'.

Addressing the gathering, activist Sonam Wangchuk clarified that the agitation is not a bid for political power or to challenge any political outfit, but to raise public awareness and safeguard citizens' rights.

“This is not a movement to become an education minister or to form a party. This is a movement to correct the wrong that is happening in the country, especially with the youth. This is an awakening,” he said.

Calling for a functional democracy, he urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government to take accountability for the systemic lapses.

“And in the future, we should bring a functional democracy in which India is fear-free, in which India is hatred-free, in which everyone should be granted freedom without any questions,” he said.

Wangchuk noted that the agitation is not limited to just exams, but to strengthen its foundation for which a roadmap will be developed.

“Not just fixing the broken system, or bringing in a new, bright system. We will discuss this further. But today, the biggest problem that has arisen is that of exams, in which they are getting cancelled, in which they are getting leaked, in which everything is going wrong,” he asserted.

A senior police official said permission was granted to the party to hold the dharna until this afternoon.