The Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) protest at Jantar Mantar received support from various Opposition leaders on Thursday, as activists observed a one-day solidarity hunger strike with Sonam Wangchuk and students demanding examination reforms and accountability for paper leaks.
A Samajwadi Party delegation led by MPs Dimple Yadav, Dharmendra Yadav, Mohibbullah Nadvi and Lakshmikant Nishad, along with SP State President Naresh Uttam and MLA Dr Ragini Sonkar, visited the protest site and extended support to the movement.
Dimple Yadav praised Sonam Wangchuk’s determination and the students continuing their hunger strike, saying the Samajwadi Party stands firmly with the youth. She called on students, young people and Opposition parties to join the July 20 Parliament March and assured support both on the ground and inside Parliament.
Dharmendra Yadav described repeated paper leaks as a national crisis affecting millions of students and pledged the party’s full support.
Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait also joined the protest, urging demonstrators to continue their movement peacefully. He said farmers stand with the youth, expressed confidence in the success of the campaign and backed the July 20 Parliament March.
“We are with the youth. We are closely watching. Continue this protest peacefully. This dictatorship will soon end. Do not worry. We are with your cause. Ladenge aur jeetenge. We will support the CJP in the July 20 march to Parliament,” he said.
Later, senior AAP leaders, including former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, MP Sanjay Singh and Delhi Unit President Saurabh Bharadwaj, extended solidarity to the protesters. Kejriwal said paper leaks have become a recurring problem in competitive examinations and stressed the need for accountability and systemic reforms.
“I have also given the example of IIT. Both my children have appeared for these exams. At no point was there a paper leak. But now, paper leaks have become an everyday occurrence,” he said.
The visiting leaders reiterated support for the movement’s key demands, including comprehensive examination reforms, accountability for repeated paper leaks and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.