Delhi remains on edge a day after the Cockroach Janta Party's (CJP) "Sansad Chalo" march to Parliament turned into one of Delhi's biggest street confrontations in the last few years. With Parliament's Monsoon Session underway, protesters, police, the government and the opposition are all now trading claims about what happened, and what happens next. Here is a complete breakdown of where things stand currently.
CJP Protest Current Status: Where Things Stand Right Now
Jantar Mantar site cleared, protest shifts to Kerala House: After Monday's clashes, Delhi Police dismantled the main stage at Jantar Mantar. CJP leaders, however, have continued a sit-in a short distance away near Kerala House, with a large crowd still gathered there.
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Wangchuk remains hospitalised: He was moved from Jantar Mantar to a government hospital on July 18 after 21 days without food, and continues to be treated at VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital along with a specialist team from AIIMS Delhi. On Monday, he said that he will continue his fast.
"I will continue my fast. Seeing the brutality with which peacefully protesting Youth are being dealt with, I have decided to continue my fast untill the youth leaders are allowed to meet the Parliamentarians at the Sansad Bhawan or l am allowed to meet them here at the Hospital. Hopefully, the government will fix the accountability of the Education Minister before then. I am touched and moved by how the youth have held on to peace despite provocation," he said.
Dipke ended his own fast to lead the march: Dipke had begun a parallel hunger strike after Wangchuk's hospitalisation but broke it on July 20 at the request of Riya Thapa's father, so he could personally lead the Parliament march. Yesterday night, Dipke, Wangchuk’s wife and other CJP representatives announced that the protest will continue till minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigns.
First CJP-government dialogue in a month: For the first time since the protest began, a CJP delegation held talks with BJP president and Union Minister JP Nadda on July 20, submitting a written memorandum. The CJP leaders submitted their demands though the government has made no firm commitments yet.
Security remains tight: Barricading, heavy police deployment and metro station closures around Central Delhi continue as Parliament's Monsoon Session proceeds, with authorities on alert for any fresh mobilisation.
Legal battle continues: The Delhi High Court has been hearing separate pleas filed by Wangchuk's wife, Gitanjali Angmo, related to his hospitalisation and alleged police surveillance during his treatment.
What Is Abhijeet Dipke Saying?
Dipke has been the most visible face of the protest on the ground. Ahead of the march, he had appealed for it to stay peaceful, stating that anyone causing disruption could not be considered a genuine supporter of the cause. However, after Wangchuk was shifted out of Jantar Mantar by police on July 18, Dipke alleged he himself was manhandled and briefly detained, and that Wangchuk had been forcibly removed.
He also announced a significant escalation: CJP would no longer limit its demand to Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation but would now also call for accountability from the Prime Minister's office. On the day of the march, conflicting reports briefly claimed Dipke had been detained again; CJP spokesperson Saurav Das later clarified this was untrue and that Dipke remained free, while a large crowd continued to hold ground outside Kerala House. CJP has maintained that its agitation will continue until its demands are met.
What Are Sonam Wangchuk And His Wife Saying?
Though hospitalised, Wangchuk has remained the movement's emotional anchor. Before he was shifted out, he had appealed to supporters through his wife to join the march in large numbers. His wife, Gitanjali Angmo, has been vocal in the days since, she has said the movement has captured national attention and accused the government of failing to respond adequately.
She has also indicated Wangchuk would be willing to end his fast if Members of Parliament commit to holding a dedicated debate on education issues in the House. Separately, she raised concerns after a hospital report showed a sharp drop in his potassium levels, alleging she was not being allowed to independently verify his blood test results. As of the latest health bulletin, doctors have described his condition as stable, with vital parameters within normal range, though his blood sugar remains on the lower side as he recovers from dehydration.
What Is Delhi Police Saying?
Delhi Police has pushed back on several allegations made by CJP. Officials maintained that Wangchuk was shifted to hospital strictly on medical advice and in line with a High Court order, not through force. They also rejected claims that Dipke was detained during the march, calling the reports circulating on social media false, and separately dismissed allegations that Gitanjali Angmo was assaulted by personnel during the crackdown, terming such claims baseless.
Police said the "Sansad Chalo" march itself was an unauthorised procession and that they had deployed hundreds of personnel, along with tear gas and barricades, to prevent protesters from breaching security near Parliament. According to police figures, well over 100 personnel were injured in the clashes, with the Delhi Police Commissioner personally visiting the hospital to meet injured staff. The force has appealed to protesters to remain peaceful, avoid unlawful activity, and not spread unverified information.
What Is The Government Saying?
The government's response has shifted from silence to cautious engagement. Union Minister and BJP president J.P. Nadda confirmed that a CJP delegation approached the government for talks for the first time since the protest began, describing the meeting as cordial and confirming he had received their written demands. However, he stopped short of committing to Pradhan's resignation, instead urging protesters to end their sit-in and allow normalcy to return. Union Home Minister Amit Shah was also reported to have held a separate meeting with Dharmendra Pradhan within Parliament premises as the situation unfolded. The Education Minister himself has not issued any statement indicating he intends to step down.
What Is The Opposition Saying?
Opposition leaders have used the crackdown to intensify their attack on the government. Rajya Sabha Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge described the police action against students as an assault on democratic values. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi asserted that peaceful protest is a fundamental right, while party general secretary KC Venugopal accused the Centre of being one of the most authoritarian governments in the country's history. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray went further, calling the government's handling of the protest a sign of dictatorship and drawing a contrast with how an earlier government had responded to the Anna Hazare movement with dialogue rather than force. Notably, several opposition parties, including the Congress, had initially kept some distance from formally endorsing CJP given its unconventional, satirical origins, but the scale of Monday's crackdown appears to have pushed them toward more open criticism of the government.
Who Else Has Joined The Protest?
The agitation has drawn support well beyond CJP's core base. Student organisations, including the All India Students' Association (AISA), have alleged that their members were injured during the police action, with one Delhi University office-bearer reportedly suffering a fracture. Protesters at the site have included students who travelled from outside Delhi, including from Bihar, as well as ex-servicemen who have mobilised in support of Wangchuk.
The unrest has also spread beyond the capital,Mumbai Police, anticipating solidarity demonstrations, has imposed prohibitory orders banning gatherings of five or more people in public places for over two weeks. Journalists, teachers and ordinary citizens have also been reported joining sit-ins at various points during the protest's nearly month-long run.
What Happens Next?
With Parliament's Monsoon Session in progress, the standoff is far from resolved. CJP has said its agitation will not end until Dharmendra Pradhan resigns, while the government has so far offered dialogue but no concrete commitment. Much may depend on Wangchuk's health and whether MPs agree to his wife's condition of a Parliament debate on education. For now, both sides remain locked in a tense wait-and-watch, with heavy security expected to continue around Central Delhi in the coming days.
What Is The CJP Protest All About?
The Cockroach Janta Party is a satirical political outfit founded on May 16, 2026, by political communications strategist Abhijeet Dipke, who previously worked with the Aam Aadmi Party. The name was a direct response to a remark made a day earlier by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, who had compared unemployed youth to "cockroaches" while making a public comment. What started as satire quickly snowballed into a full-blown protest movement after it merged with growing anger over alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG medical entrance exam, including the death by suicide of a NEET aspirant, Riya Thapa.
Climate activist and Magsaysay awardee Sonam Wangchuk lent his support to the movement and began an indefinite hunger strike at Delhi's Jantar Mantar in June, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET paper-leak allegations. The protest has since grown into a broader youth-led agitation over education, unemployment and accountability.
