The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which recently ended its month-long protest after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned, has come under criticism following allegations that it abandoned volunteers and protesters at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar after declaring victory.
The controversy erupted after political commentator and YouTuber Meghnad S accused the party’s leadership of leaving dozens of volunteers without food, shelter or travel arrangements while senior leaders attended what was described in viral videos as a “Resignation Party.”
Viral video triggers backlash
The criticism began after videos circulated on social media showing CJP spokesperson Saurav Das dancing with a group of children at an indoor gathering. The videos carried the caption “Resignation Party.”
Other videos from the same event showed CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke interacting with attendees. Dipke, who claimed to have caught typhoid, was also seen dancing in the videos. The visuals quickly drew criticism, with several social media users questioning the timing of the celebration while protesters were reportedly still stranded in the national capital.
As Junaid and others are crying, running, hiding and trying to escape law – Video of Senior cockroaches including Ashutosh Ranka, Saurav Das, and Arpit Sharma enjoying lavish private party viral on social media. pic.twitter.com/MD4IGClMh7
— Megh Updates 🚨™ (@MeghUpdates) July 26, 2026
Meghnad alleges protesters were abandoned
Reacting to the videos, Meghnad S alleged that volunteers who had spent over a month organising and sustaining the protest were left to fend for themselves after the CJP leadership departed from Jantar Mantar.
In a social media post, he claimed that he and others had spent two days arranging travel for stranded protesters using their own money.
“I’m seeing this at 4 am in the morning. Me and a few others have spent the last two days sending abandoned and starving CJP volunteers and protestors home with our own money. I wasn’t going to say anything, but I saw this video, and I’m pissed off,” he wrote.
According to Meghnad, once senior CJP leaders left the protest site, Delhi Police entered Jantar Mantar, removed protesters’ belongings and the remaining demonstrators were asked to vacate the area.
“Your volunteers were with you for the last month, selflessly working to make this protest possible. When you CJP leaders got up and left, police came in, took their stuff, and they were thrown out of Jantar Mantar,” he alleged.
In his strongest criticism, Meghnad claimed that more than 70 students and protesters were left without food while the leadership attended the gathering.
“While you are partying, 70-plus protestors and students were left starving in Delhi because you decided not to care. Congratulations CJP, you have become just another political party after all,” he wrote.
Activist arranges travel and accommodation
Hours after making the allegations, Meghnad shared details on social media to assist stranded protesters.
He asked those requiring Tatkal railway tickets to contact two Instagram handles through direct messages before 10 am for assistance with bookings. He also directed protesters in need of accommodation to the Indian Youth Congress office at Windsor Place, adjacent to the Press Club in New Delhi.
He further appealed to anyone requiring additional help to contact volunteers coordinating the relief efforts.
Questions raised over Junaid’s treatment
The controversy also extended to the treatment of Junaid, a volunteer who reportedly arranged food for protesters throughout the month-long agitation.
In an interview with the Live Hindustan YouTube channel, Junaid claimed that CJP leaders did not even shake hands with him before leaving after the protest concluded. His remarks prompted further criticism on social media, with users questioning the leadership’s treatment of volunteers who had supported the agitation from the beginning.
Disrespected NEET students who died
The protest began with claims that it sought to raise concerns over alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG examination and demand accountability from the government. However, the agitation soon evolved into a political spectacle, with leaders from the Samajwadi Party (SP), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Left parties and several other political outfits joining the movement.
Throughout the protest, organisers repeatedly invoked the plight of NEET aspirants and displayed photographs of students who had died by suicide, presenting them as symbols of the movement. However, later videos from the protest site showed the same photographs allegedly being discarded after the agitation ended, prompting criticism on social media over what many described as a disrespectful treatment of the students whose images had been used during the campaign.
CJP rejects allegations
Responding to the criticism, CJP spokesperson Saurav Das rejected the allegations and maintained that the gathering shown in the videos was not a celebration but an event organised to thank volunteers.
“I think people are exaggerating a lot. One thing I want to clarify is that it was not a five-star hotel. At best, it was a two- or three-star venue. It was a basement hall where we wanted to meet our hardworking volunteers, around 150 to 200 of them. More than half were from other states and wanted to return home after spending 37 days on the road,” Das said.
He said the volunteers were first honoured and thanked before any dancing took place.
“We wanted to honour and thank them. Unfortunately, the visuals of us dancing came out. But what preceded that was a heart-to-heart interaction with each one of those volunteers. We were sitting on the floor and speaking to them individually. All of that happened, and it was very necessary to do so,” he added.
Das also rejected suggestions that the party leadership had ignored the situation outside the venue.
“It was not as if everyone had gathered there and nobody was taking care of the other issues we were facing. If I’m not on the stage, that doesn’t mean I’m not working. The same logic applies here,” he said.
Background of the protest
The CJP launched its nationwide campaign over the NEET-UG paper leak with the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan as its principal demand.
The movement initially gained traction through social media campaigns and memes before evolving into a month-long sit-in at Jantar Mantar. Activist Sonam Wangchuk later joined the campaign with a hunger strike, while protests spread to several states. A march towards Parliament also witnessed police action before the agitation concluded following Pradhan’s resignation.
While the party claimed the minister’s resignation as a major political victory, the focus has now shifted to allegations regarding the treatment of volunteers during the final phase of the movement. The controversy has raised fresh questions over the leadership’s handling of supporters and the management of the protest after its declared success.
Protest turned violent on July 20
The movement reached its peak on July 20 when thousands of protesters attempted to march towards Parliament during the Monsoon Session despite prohibitory orders imposed in the high-security zone. According to Delhi Police, protesters allegedly attempted to break multiple barricades and enter restricted areas surrounding Parliament. Police maintained that the use of force became necessary to prevent a breach of Parliament security. The confrontation resulted in injuries to police personnel. Authorities also reported significant damage to public property, including Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses, police vehicles, barricades and other government infrastructure. Following the violence, multiple FIRs were registered, and investigations remain underway.
The political landscape changed significantly when Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced his resignation. In his statement, Pradhan said he did not want the continuing unrest to become an opportunity for what he described as “anti-national forces” seeking to exploit the situation. Government sources stated that discussions covered several issues, including compensation for families of students affected by examination-related controversies, education reforms, and legal matters concerning protesters.
The latest controversy revolves around the optics of senior protest leaders allegedly celebrating at a private luxury venue shortly after the agitation concluded. The viral footage has therefore shifted attention away from the original education-related issues and towards questions concerning leadership, accountability and the conduct of organisers after the protest.
