CJP sets tone before Centre meet: demands remain same — minister must go

What happened

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Friday morning said its demands remain unchanged ahead of a scheduled 12:30 PM meeting with central government representatives in Delhi. The group's core demand: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan must resign over the alleged mismanagement of competitive examinations, including the NEET-UG paper leak.

CJP chief Abhijeet Dipke told The Indian Express that the protest at Jantar Mantar will continue until Pradhan steps down. The meeting comes a day after activist Sonam Wangchuk ended his 26-day hunger strike on July 24 at Gurugram's Medanta Hospital in the presence of Union Ministers Jitendra Singh and J.P. Nadda.

What we can verify

• Meeting scheduled: CJP representatives are set to meet central government officials at 12:30 PM on Friday, July 24, 2026. Source: Indian Express report filed 06:22 UTC.
• Demand unchanged: CJP's Abhijeet Dipke stated the group's position before the meeting: "demands remain same, minister must go." Source: Indian Express.
• Wangchuk ends fast: Sonam Wangchuk broke his 26-day hunger strike on July 24 at Medanta Hospital, Gurugram, with Union Ministers Jitendra Singh and J.P. Nadda present. Source: Indian Express and Scroll.in.
• Protest continues at Jantar Mantar: Dipke said CJP's sit-in at Jantar Mantar will persist until Pradhan resigns. Source: Indian Express and Scroll.in.
• Higher education secretary transferred: On July 23, the Centre transferred Higher Education Secretary Vineet Joshi; Naresh Pal Gangwar appointed as successor. Reported by Economic Times and Indian Express on July 24.

What remains unverified

• Exact attendees of the 12:30 PM meeting from the government side — not specified in available reports.
• Specific assurances Wangchuk referenced (parliamentary discussion, compensation for families, no cases against peaceful protesters) — per his social media post cited by Scroll.in; no official government statement seen.
• Number of protesters currently at Jantar Mantar — not independently counted.

Context

The CJP-led protest at Jantar Mantar entered its second week. Wangchuk began his hunger strike on June 28 demanding accountability for exam paper leaks and Pradhan's resignation. On July 23, the Delhi High Court permitted his transfer from Safdarjung Hospital to Medanta. Following ministerial visits and cross-party MP appeals, Wangchuk ended the fast on July 24. CJP says the broader agitation continues.