Two months after the founding of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), the movement has claimed its first major victory after sticking to its months long single, non-negotiable demand: the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. And as news of Pradhan's resignation broke, celebrations erupted at Jantar Mantar, where many protesters say the movement should continue.
The protesters saw his resignation as proof that sustained pressure can force accountability.
The founder of the party, Abhijeet Dipke, addressed the gathering, urging supporters not to make him the hero of the movement. "Do not make the mistake again of making one man bigger than the country and the Constitution," he said, arguing that the Narendra Modi-led government has damaged the country.
Shradda Tamta, a student at the protest site, said the agitation should not stop and that the government must be held accountable on a range of issues, from reforming the education system to rolling back the ethanol-blended fuel policy and more. "Our fight is not against any political party or in favour of any political party," Tamta said. "We are only demanding our rights. If something is supposed to be done, why doesn't the government do it on its own? Why do we have to come out on the streets to get it done?"
Political parties have also stepped in to amplify the opposition's criticism of the BJP government following Pradhan's resignation. Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav and other opposition leaders congratulated the students, saying they had forced the government to bow before the constitutional rights of the people.
"This protest is a double-edged sword for the BJP," political analyst Aditya Rathi said. "The protests are increasingly channeling public anger against the government's policies. If they continue to gather momentum, the BJP-led government will remain on the back foot, whether it accepts the protesters' demands or chooses to confront them."
What it means for the opposition
Until now, the BJP had given the opposition little opportunity to build a sustained political narrative around ministerial accountability. Pradhan's resignation, however, has created a new political opening for the Congress.
A Congress leader said, "Now we can say with all seriousness that the BJP does not act against its erring ministers unless people are forced to protest for months. If this is the only way ministers are held accountable, it shows the government has little concern for people's grievances."
Congress leaders believe Pradhan's resignation has punctured the perception that the BJP is politically invulnerable.
