In Photos: Sonam Wangchuk, Left Students Go on Hunger Strike at CJP's Jantar Mantar Protest
New Delhi: The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)'s protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi has entered its 11th day. Since June 28, environmental activist Sonam Wangchuk, six students from the All India Students' Association (AISA) and several students from other organisations have been on an indefinite hunger strike at the protest site.
Inventor-activist Sonam Wangchuk rests during the second day of his fast at Jantar Mantar demanding Pradhan's resignation.
Student activists rest during their indefinite fast at Jantar Mantar demanding Pradhan's resignation.
Demonstrators sit on the ground at Jantar Mantar, where the CJP is demanding Pradhan's resignation.
On June 29, Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary M.A. Baby and senior party leader Brinda Karat visited the protest site and extended their support to the protest. Later in the evening, CPI general secretary D. Raja also visited the site to express his solidarity.
Brinda Karat and M.A. Baby with Wangchuk and CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke (far left). Photo: X/@cpimspeak.
Despite the intense summer heat in Delhi, protesters have continued to join the protest. People from different parts of the country, including Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Maharashtra have joined the CJP at Jantar Mantar. The protesters include college students, youth and senior citizens.
Posters made by the Krantikari Yuva Sangathan make a case for Pradhan's resignation – and lampoon Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
People sit at the protest site.
Men hold up a drawing and a poster in Kannada at the protest site.
Posters made by the Krantikari Yuva Sangathan are splayed out at Jantar Mantar.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke said the protest would continue until Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigns.
While the protest has received significant support on social media, it has seen limited coverage in the mainstream media. However, independent media organisations, freelance journalists and social media creators have been reporting from the protest site continuously.
Pradhan has called the CJP the ‘B-team of terrorists’.
Women, young and old, at the protest site.
A scene at the protest site.
A scene at the protest site.
This poster reads: ‘Indefinite mass hunger strike’.
A man holds up a poster depicting a cockroach from the cartoon show Oggy and the Cockroaches at the protest site.
All photos, unless otherwise indicated, by Atul Ashok Howale.
This article went live on June thirtieth, two thousand twenty six, at fifty-nine minutes past eleven at night.The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.
