How to keep leaks away? CJP launches diaper drive as NEET protest enters Day 4

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) escalated its ongoing sit-in protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar on Tuesday (June 23), entering its fourth consecutive day of demonstrations demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak. The party announced a "diaper donation drive", a symbolic protest aimed at the minister, while its founder, Abhijeet Dipke alleged that Delhi police had attempted to reduce the designated protest area overnight.

Diaper drive gains attention

Through a post on X, the CJP appealed to supporters to bring diapers to the protest site, write their demand for Pradhan's resignation on them, and participate in a campaign titled Diaper A Day Keeps Leaks Away, scheduled for June 23 evening. "Bring a diaper, write your demand for his resignation on it, and we'll make sure it reaches the education minister," the party said.

Also Read: Cockroach Janta Party linked to AAP? Founder Abhijeet Dipke’s past ties raise questions

Police bid to squeeze protest area

Late on June 22 night, Dipke alleged that Delhi police moved barricades in an attempt to reduce the area available to protesters. "They tried to squeeze the protest site into a smaller area," he claimed. There was no immediate response from the Delhi police to the allegations.

It was not the first time Dipke had raised concerns about police conduct at the site. Earlier, he had alleged that police were preventing students from joining the protest by asking for their Aadhaar cards — a claim the force flatly denied, saying it was "factually incorrect" and that no Aadhaar checks had been conducted.

Protest swells on working day

The protest, which began on June 20 afternoon, continued without interruption through Sunday and Monday. Dipke said that despite the working day, the protest site remained crowded, and asserted that the demonstration would carry on through the night.

"Day 3 at Jantar Mantar! Despite it being Monday, Jantar Mantar is full. The protest will continue tonight as well. We are not going to leave until Dharmendra Pradhan resigns," he said in a post on X, sharing photographs from the venue. He also invited UPSC and SSC aspirants to come to Jantar Mantar on Tuesday and share their grievances.

Questions over accountability grow

Candles were lit at the venue in memory of students who allegedly died by suicide following the paper-leak controversy. Addressing protesters, Dipke questioned what he described as unequal accountability in the education system. He cited the case of students who were barred from taking the NEET re-test after arriving a few minutes late to examination centres, contrasting this with what he called the government's failure to act against those allegedly responsible for the paper leak.

"You cannot tolerate four minutes of delay, but how can we tolerate the continuation of the education minister after the deaths of students?" he asked. Dipke said Pradhan's resignation is the "bare minimum" and that accountability is "entirely missing" from the education system.

Also Read: Exclusive | Abhijeet Dipke: 'Ready for arrest; will stay here, won't return to US'

Students recount ordeal of re-test

Several NEET aspirants who appeared for the re-test on June 21 also joined the protest and shared their experiences. A student from Bihar said, "Mentally, I am not in a good space as we had to prepare for and give the exam again. After the exam, you tend to relax, but the paper got leaked, leading to cancellation of the NEET."

Dipke also appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to meet NEET aspirants at Jantar Mantar directly. He rejected allegations that the protest was an attempt to provoke young people, saying raising students' concerns cannot be considered provocation.

Voices from Jantar Mantar

Several stories have emerged from the protest site. Three friends from Uttarakhand travelled to Delhi without informing their parents. "We told our parents that we were going to Delhi for an interview. We stood for hours in the general compartment of a train to reach here," said 24-year-old Manpreet Singh.

Among the most striking figures at the protest was 35-year-old Babita Anjali from Odisha, who is battling liver cancer. She attended the demonstration with her 13-year-old son and medical equipment. "I am a mother and I cannot begin to imagine the pain that the parents of the students who died by suicide must have gone through. I have come here for my own child. Every student in this country is like my own child," she said.

Left groups, free library at site

The protest has drawn participation from students, aspirants, and members of Left student organisations, including the Students' Federation of India (SFI), All India Students' Association (AISA), All India Students' Federation (AISF), and Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS). The AISF set up a free library at the protest site as part of its Fight for Education with Education initiative. The library, built with nearly 100 books contributed by students, supporters, and parents from their personal collections, has become a distinctive feature of the venue, with protesters browsing titles spanning history, law, anthropology, biographies, and civil rights. "It shows how different this protest is from other protests," said AISF member Devang Aniket.