The Socialist Party (India) welcomes the Cockroach Janta Party’s mobilisation of young people on the urgent issue of entrance and recruitment examination reform in India. It supports the CJP’s demands for strict action against those responsible for the paper leaks, erroneous evaluation, and the mismanagement of recent exams such as NEET, the CBSE boards, and CUET, and for the resignation of the Education Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan.
While triggered by Justice Surya Kant’s insensitive and unacceptable remarks, this movement is ultimately an expression of the long-standing discontent and despair of India’s youth, whose hopes and aspirations have been repeatedly dashed by a broken education system, rising unemployment, and increasing cost of living. Also, young people are growing increasingly disillusioned with Hindutva politics, recognising that it relies on stoking division and hate, even as the country’s actual problems are barely acknowledged, let alone addressed.
In recent years, the voices of numerous dissidents have been crushed by the government and its supporters through social media bans, harassment and assault, imprisonment on false charges, and deportation. This makes the courage of the CJP protestors remarkable. The fearless leadership of Abhijeet Dipke, who promptly travelled from the USA to India to take on the responsibility of the movement he sparked through a simple social media post, is admirable. The emphasis laid by the protestors on non-violent means, and the foregrounding of the ideals of the constitution and the ideas of Dr Ambedkar, are also praiseworthy.
The SP(I) hopes that the gains made so far will be consolidated so that a full-fledged political movement representing the interests of all of India’s young people, even the most marginalised, can emerge. If the present government, the BJP, and Hindutva ideology are to be defeated, a strong opposing political force is necessary. This will require that the CJP not only articulate a clearer, more comprehensive political position and grow its numerical and organisational strength, but that it align with other like-minded groups and movements that are fighting to uphold India’s democratic ideals. It must strive to establish a common ground on which an extensive anti-BJP struggle can be waged, with the 2029 general elections in its sights.
Mir Shahid Saleem (Ph: 9622002001)
Vice-President and Spokesperson
Socialist Party (India)
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