Abhijeet Dipke urges PM Modi to address youth on education, jobs in Independence day speech

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Friday launched an online petition urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to use his Independence Day address to address India's youth on education, unemployment, and the rising cost of living. "This Independence Day, we want the Prime Minister to address India's youth," Dipke said on X, sharing the petition.

"We request the PM to explain what the government is doing for youth regarding education, unemployment, and the cost of living," he said, appealing to people to sign the petition. The CJP was at the helm of the recent 36-day agitation in Delhi over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination and wider concerns over the education system. The agitation, which began at Jantar Mantar and drew students and supporters from across the country, culminated in the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on July 25.

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The CJP subsequently called off the protest after the government agreed to its key demands, including consideration of its five-point exam reform charter and assurance that no case would be filed against protesters. The movement, which began as a social media campaign, snowballed into a nationwide movement, with Dipke emerging as its founder and one of its principal faces. The prolonged Jantar Mantar protest also saw activist Sonam Wangchuk joining the agitation with a hunger strike. The CJP has since sought to broaden its campaign beyond the NEET issue.

At its National Working Committee meeting in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar held during August 5-6, the outfit announced a "Kya Bolti Public" National Listening Tour and Education Reform Campaign, which is scheduled to begin on September 1. Under the campaign, CJP leaders plan to traverse the country and engage with young people to gather their views, which it says will form the basis of a citizen-driven Youth Reform Charter.

The proposed charter will focus on four areas -- holistic education reform, integration of education with employment, institutional accountability, and solidarity and alliances with political parties, student bodies, civil society groups, and social movements. The CJP has also announced a nationwide membership drive, inviting students, young professionals, and workers to join the outfit. The organisation has asserted that it intends to remain an independent public pressure group rather than contest elections.