New Delhi : Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Wednesday refused to grant an urgent hearing to a petition seeking the Supreme Court’s intervention over the police crackdown on student protesters during the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) agitation at Jantar Mantar. The plea was mentioned before a bench headed by the Chief Justice, with the petitioner’s counsel urging the court to take suo motu cognisance of the alleged police action.
The counsel argued that the protesters were demonstrating over issues of public importance, including the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak, the conduct of the examination and the need for reforms in the National Testing Agency (NTA). When the lawyer referred to videos purportedly showing police brutality against protesters, the Chief Justice remarked, “We don’t have time. We don’t want to watch videos.” The Cockroach Janta Party, which has been leading protests over the alleged NEET paper leak and examination reforms, derives its name from remarks made earlier this year by Chief Justice Surya Kant.
His comments describing unemployed youth entering journalism and activism as “cockroaches” had sparked widespread criticism. Soon after the controversy, the satirical platform known as the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) was formed. Within two months, it gained millions of followers on social media and grew into a movement capable of mobilising large crowds across the country.
CJP supporters and students have been protesting at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak. Education reform activist Sonam Wangchuk joined the protest on June 28 and began an indefinite hunger strike in support of the demonstrators’ demands. On July 18, police removed Wangchuk from the protest site and shifted him to Safdarjung Hospital.
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