Aam Aadmi Party leader Atishi and other party members joined the Cockroach Janta Party protest at Jantar Mantar on its 24th day.
Activist Sonam Wangchuk's health has deteriorated significantly on the 16th day of his hunger strike with his weight dropping by 8.2 kg.
Opposition leaders including K K Shailaja and Pushpendra Saroj demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) reached its 24th day of agitation at Jantar Mantar on Monday, July 13, 2026, over discrepancies in national examinations. Several Aam Aadmi Party leaders joined the demonstration to show their support. The visiting delegation included Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly Atishi, MLA Kuldeep Kumar and former Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi.
In a post on X, Atishi said, "Met @Wangchuk66 at Jantar Mantar as his fast enters the 16th day. Even though his health is deteriorating, his spirit remains strong. He is committed to fighting for the youth of this country. Power to you Sonam and the young cockroaches."
Wangchuk faced worsening physical conditions on Monday as his hunger strike entered its 16th day. Medical reports reportedly showed his blood glucose level dropped to 67 while his blood pressure fell to 107/70 while the educator and climate activist has reportedly lost 8.2 kg since starting his fast.
Opposition Demands Accountability
Support for the agitation grew on Sunday with the arrival of Samajwadi Party MP Pushpendra Saroj and former Kerala health minister K K Shailaja. Addressing the gathering, Shailaja said, "We are all here to express our solidarity with the protest conducted by the CJP. It is on an important issue. We want accountability in examinations. We want a fair entrance examination system in our country."
The recurring leaks of question papers could not happen without the awareness of the Union Education Ministry, Shailaja alleged. She backed the demonstrators in demanding that Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan step down.
Protest Roots and Escalation
The group launched its sit-in at Jantar Mantar on June 20 with the objective of Pradhan’s resignation following widespread discrepancies in national competitive tests, especially the leaked NEET-UG question papers. Other opposition groups have mirrored this demand, pointing to systemic failures in how the National Testing Agency (NTA) administers these crucial exams.
A march to Parliament is scheduled for July 20 when the monsoon session is scheduled to begin. In a related development, a Delhi court extended the judicial custody of 13 people accused in the NEET-UG paper leak case until July 24.
Ministry Rejection and Silence
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had earlier rejected the demonstrations and calls for his step-down during an NDTV interview on June 23, 2026. He branded the CJP as the "B-team of terrorists" (or "B team of disruptive elements").
The minister described the testing procedures as a success. He accused rival political groups of exploiting the situation to generate "anarchy". Pradhan added that those "rejected in the democracy have come in disguise and are now after the system" to fracture the nation, stating that authorities had already recognized the demonstrators.
As of July 13, 2026, the Union Education Ministry has not initiated any formal dialogue with the protesters.
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