Protesters rest on the floor during a protest by Cockroach Janata Party seeking Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation over the NEET (UG) 2026 paper leak, in New Delhi. (ANI Photo)By around 3:30 pm on Sunday — a day after the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) held a protest at Jantar Mantar — people at the site, many of them having been at the site since Saturday morning and having camped overnight, had become tired. The harsh summer sun and lack of shade saw many restless, dispersing.Then an A R Rahman’s rendition of ‘Vande Mataram’ acted as magic. The crowd started to gather near the stage. As tracks like ‘Hindustani’ and ‘Chak De India’ played on speakers next, the crowd shook all pain off. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke urged protesters to stay at Jantar Mantar till Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned and on Sunday, they seemed ready for the long haul.The CJP received an approval from the police for a protest only till 5 pm on Saturday. “There has been no arrest, no case, nor detention today. Some people, who were creating ruckus, were isolated,” said a senior police officer on Sunday. “They were allowed to hold a protest only till 5 pm yesterday. But protesters have still not left the venue,” he added.Alauddin Ansari (21), while getting ready to spend the night at the site, said: “Last night, I wanted to stay, but I went outside to get water and they did not allow me to come inside again. So today, I am not going to step outside at all.” A student of Himachal Pradesh’s Shoolini University, Ansari works at Amazon in Noida.“I had taken the UGC-NET exam in 2024, and it had gone well. When news emerged that there was a paper leak, I was heartbroken,” said 27-year old Prashant Sagar, who has come all the way from Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras. He was at the site on Saturday night. “The ground was simmering hot till around midnight. Police were not allowing food and water at the protest site initially. Even the water connection inside the toilet was cut. But after repeated requests, they allowed food and water inside around 11 pm,” Sagar said.Also Read | CJP matters because it is taking up the work parties have stopped doing“It is important that we come here, even if no one resigns. The pictures and videos of the protest will create a sense of fear among the authorities,” said Sachin Sangwan (27), who is also disappointed that not many showed up even on a Sunday. “People should have come here to back the youth.”Devansh Mittal is a Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in the New Delhi City bureau. He reports on urban policy, civic governance, and infrastructure in the National Capital Region, with a growing focus on housing, land policy, transport, and the disruption economy and its social implications. Professional Background Education: He studied Political Science at Ashoka University. Core Beats: His reporting focuses on policy and governance in the National Capital Region, one of the largest urban agglomerations in the world. He covers housing and land policy, municipal governance, urban transport, and the interface between infrastructure, regulation, and everyday life in the city. Recent Notable Work His recent reporting includes in-depth examinations of urban policy and its on-ground consequences: An investigation into subvention-linked home loans that documented how homebuyers were drawn into under-construction projects through a “builder–bank” nexus, often leaving them financially exposed when delivery stalled. A detailed report on why Delhi’s land-pooling policy has remained stalled since 2007, tracing how fragmented land ownership, policy design flaws, and mistrust among stakeholders have kept one of the capital’s flagship urban reforms in limbo. A reported piece examining the collapse of an electric mobility startup and what it meant for women drivers dependent on the platform for livelihoods. Reporting Approach Devansh’s work combines on-ground reporting with analysis of government data, court records, and academic research. He regularly reports from neighbourhoods, government offices, and courtrooms to explain how decisions on housing, transport, and the disruption economy shape everyday life in the city. Contact X (Twitter): @devanshmittal_ Email: devansh.mittal@expressindia.com ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on InstagramTags:Cockroach Janata Party