Rajasthan teachers and government employees have invited Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke to join their campaign seeking the removal of state Education Minister Madan Dilawar, days after a youth-led agitation in Delhi preceded Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation from the Union Cabinet.
The Rajasthan Shikshak Sangh has approached Dipke and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, calculating that their participation could give greater visibility to complaints over Dilawar’s conduct and the functioning of the state education department.
Ranjeet Meena, the teachers’ association’s state president, praised Dipke’s role in organising the Jantar Mantar campaign over alleged examination failures and paper leaks. His invitation accused Dilawar of displaying a harsh and authoritarian attitude towards teachers and argued that his removal was necessary to improve the education system.
The overture marks a rapid expansion of Dipke’s profile beyond the national capital. The CJP founder emerged as a prominent face of the 37-day Jantar Mantar mobilisation, which brought together students, job aspirants, teachers and civil society campaigners demanding accountability for alleged irregularities in competitive examinations.
Pradhan resigned as Union education minister on July 25 following sustained demonstrations centred on the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak controversy and wider concerns over examination governance. Pralhad Joshi was subsequently given charge of the ministry.
The CJP withdrew its Jantar Mantar protest after discussions with the Centre. Union ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh assured campaigners that cases registered against protesters would be reviewed and that compensation for families of examination candidates who died by suicide would be considered. The government also agreed to examine a five-point charter proposing changes to the examination system, with another round of talks expected after four weeks.
Dipke, who was being treated for typhoid after the Delhi agitation, has not publicly confirmed whether he will accept the Rajasthan invitation. He said after the Jantar Mantar campaign that the movement’s work was only beginning and that the organisation intended to maintain its public campaign beyond the resignation of one minister.
Pressure on Dilawar intensified after the Akhil Rajasthan Rajya Karmachari Sanyukt Mahasangh held a demonstration in Jaipur and submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma. The employees’ federation accused the minister of making objectionable comments about women teachers, behaving discourteously with education staff and failing to resolve longstanding administrative demands.
Association leaders have also objected to alleged inspections of women employees’ mobile phones, statements concerning teachers’ clothing and proposals to alter textbooks and uniforms during an academic session. They said such interventions had created uncertainty among schools while core problems involving transfers, vacancies and educational standards remained unresolved.
Rajendra Rana, state president of the employees’ federation, said more than 500,000 teachers were affected by what the organisation described as the minister’s confrontational approach. Grade III teachers have been seeking transfers, while employee groups say there is no effective forum within the department for resolving grievances.
Dilawar declined to comment when approached for a response to the allegations. The minister has faced political criticism on several occasions over statements concerning teachers, school curricula and public behaviour, though the government has not indicated that a Cabinet change is under consideration.
Dipke has already encountered Rajasthan’s volatile protest environment. He was assaulted while taking part in a Jaipur demonstration over alleged paper leaks and unemployment on June 15. Videos showed at least two people striking him while supporters carried him on their shoulders at Shaheed Smarak. Police detained two youths following the incident.
That episode did not prevent Rajasthan-based campaigners from viewing Dipke as a potentially influential ally. His organisation, initially known largely as a satirical digital platform, developed into a wider youth movement by combining online mobilisation with physical demonstrations over examinations, employment and government accountability.
