A symbolic birthday message for Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan turned into a sharp political protest on Friday as Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), renewed his demand for the minister's resignation over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations, particularly the NEET-UG controversy. The demonstration took place at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, where Dipke and his supporters have been staging an ongoing protest for the past week.
Marking Pradhan's birthday on June 26, Dipke wrote on a whiteboard, "Happy Birthday, Dharmendra Pradhan. Please resign," while supporters around him sang the birthday song. He then addressed the minister directly, saying that the CJP's birthday gift would be a resignation letter. "You only have to put your thumb impression on it," he remarked in a video that quickly spread across social media platforms. The symbolic gesture drew significant public attention and became one of the most discussed moments of the ongoing protest.
The protest, which entered its seventh day on Friday, centres on allegations of irregularities in this year's NEET examination and broader concerns about transparency in India's competitive examination system. Dipke has repeatedly demanded accountability from the Ministry of Education and insisted that Pradhan step down, arguing that reforms are necessary to restore public confidence in the examination process. According to the CJP, the sit-in at Jantar Mantar will continue until their demand for the Education Minister's resignation is addressed.
Earlier during the protest, Dipke had also criticised the government's handling of the alleged withholding of the CJP's social media account, questioning why confidentiality could not be maintained in the case of the NEET examination if authorities were able to cite confidentiality in other matters. He has also linked the examination controversy to the mental distress faced by students and has called for sweeping reforms in the country's education system.
The protest gained additional attention after climate activist Sonam Wangchuk announced that he would begin an indefinite hunger strike if the government failed to respond to the demands raised over the alleged NEET irregularities. His announcement added further momentum to the movement and increased pressure on the authorities.
As of Friday evening, there was no official response from Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan or the Ministry of Education regarding Dipke's birthday message or the renewed resignation demand. The protest, however, continued at Jantar Mantar, with demonstrators maintaining their call for accountability and reforms in India's examination system.
