CJP NEET Petition: 5.68 Lakh Demand Dharmendra Pradhan Resign

By May 23, 2026, more than 5.68 lakh people (568,000 signatures) had signed the Cockroach Janta Party petition demanding the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan, India's Union Education Minister. The petition, launched just one day earlier on May 22, had already generated a video that crossed 12 million views within one hour on Instagram. This is the story of the petition: what it demands, who filed it, and what happened next.

The NEET-UG 2026 Paper Leak: What Failed 22 Lakh Students

On May 3, 2026, approximately 22–23 lakh (2.2–2.3 million) students sat for the NEET-UG 2026 examination across India. Before the exam window closed, question papers were circulating on WhatsApp and Telegram groups — a leak that compromised the integrity of one of the country's most consequential entrance exams.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) cancelled the examination on May 12, 2026. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered a case, arrested five persons, and began investigating an insider angle involving NTA officials. The re-examination is now scheduled for June 21, 2026, conducted computer-based, with students permitted to change their exam city.

As of May 20, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan chaired a review meeting on re-exam security and ordered action against what he called "fake news networks." He did not resign. (India TV News — Pradhan reviews re-exam preparedness)

The Petition: What CJP Is Actually Demanding

On May 22, 2026, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke launched the petition titled "Sack the Education Minister." The demand is specific: Dharmendra Pradhan must resign immediately for the systemic governance failure that allowed NEET-UG 2026 question papers to leak before the exam. The petition also calls for a CBI-supervised re-examination process with transparent, leak-proof protocols for the June 21 retest.

Dipke framed the demand in terms of institutional accountability, not party politics:

"Today, we are starting a petition demanding the resignation of the education minister. It is time to make the system accountable."

— Abhijeet Dipke, CJP founder (The Federal)

"It was the fault of the system which jeopardised the future of more than 22 lakh students."

— Abhijeet Dipke (The Federal)

This is distinct from opposition party demands. Karnataka Minister Eshwar Khandre (from a BJP-opposed state government) also demanded Pradhan's resignation over the leak. (ANI) CJP's demand carries different weight: it arrives from a non-partisan citizen movement with more Instagram followers than either the BJP or the Congress — see CJP is not a political party — here's how it differs from the BJP.

How 12 Million Views in One Hour Became 5.68 Lakh Signatures

The petition video was posted on CJP's Instagram account on May 22, 2026. According to The Tribune, it crossed 12 million views within a single hour of posting. (The Tribune)

Dipke's opening line in the video set the tone for what followed:

"How are you, my cockroaches? Everyone is telling me that I've taken the internet by storm. But I think it's time to do some real work."

— Abhijeet Dipke (The Federal)

By May 23, 2026 — just 24 hours after launch — the petition had crossed 5.68 lakh signatures, according to Al Jazeera and Business Today. (Al Jazeera · Business Today)

The scale matters. CJP had 22 million-plus Instagram followers by this point — more than the BJP's 9.1 million and the Congress's 13.4 million. It also had over 1 million registered members. (Newslaundry) The petition reached students who had no connection to any political party but had an immediate, personal stake in NEET accountability. For CJP's campaign demanding Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation in full biographical and political context, read the companion post.

The Government's Response: Crackdown, Not Resignation

Dharmendra Pradhan did not resign. On May 20, 2026 — two days before the CJP petition launched — he chaired a meeting on NEET re-exam security and directed officials to act against "fake news networks." The framing positioned accountability demands as disinformation. (India TV News)

Within 24 hours of the petition going viral, the government moved against CJP's platforms. On May 21–23, 2026:

• CJP's X/Twitter account was withheld in India under Section 69A of the IT Act
• The website cockroachjantaparty.org was blocked for Indian users
• CJP's Instagram account was hacked and access was lost entirely

(Business Today — CJP founder alleges social media crackdown)

Dipke's response to the crackdown:

"You can hack and withhold the accounts but you cannot hack this movement."

— Abhijeet Dipke (Business Today)

For the full timeline of every platform action taken against CJP, including the Bengaluru protest and condemnations from IFF and Amnesty International India, read why CJP's platforms were blocked the day after the petition trended.

What the Petition Reveals: Accountability as a Non-Partisan Issue

The 5.68 lakh signatures did not come from a political constituency. They came from students, parents, and citizens who share a single grievance: a system that failed 22 lakh test-takers was not held responsible. The petition argues that a minister who presides over that failure — and then orders action against those demanding accountability — has disqualified himself from the office.

The argument is procedural, not ideological. It does not require the signatory to support any party, ideology, or CJP's broader manifesto. It requires only that they believe a minister should be accountable for a major failure within their ministry.

That is the argument that reached 5.68 lakh people in 24 hours.

What Happens Next: June 21 Re-Test and the Accountability Gap

The NEET-UG 2026 re-examination is scheduled for June 21, 2026. 22–23 lakh students will sit the exam again. No minister has resigned. No one in the government has accepted formal accountability for the leak. The CBI case continues.

CJP's position remains the same: accountability should be demanded before the re-test, not after. If the June 21 re-test fails again — or if the results are contested — the question of ministerial accountability will return. The petition is a record of who demanded it first, and what happened to those who did.