Image source, EPA/Shutterstock
Published
Reading time: 4 minutes
Abhijit Deepke, founder of the Cakrol Janata Party (CJP), led a demonstration with his supporters at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on Saturday.
Most of the protestors were young people demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Renowned environmentalist and educator Sonam Wangchuk, who was released after serving six months in jail earlier this year, also participated in the protest.
Founder Deepke had just arrived in Delhi from the United States on Saturday.
This youth-led protest has drawn significant attention across various global media outlets.
Some have described it as the ‘Gen-Z’ movement.
‘India’s Youth Are Fed Up’
Image source, Reuters
U.S. media network CNN included the CJP movement and reported, “India’s youth are exhausted. Long-standing dishonesty, unemployment, and lack of opportunities have deepened public disillusionment, which is now openly expressed both online and on the streets.”
According to CNN, this demand for accountability has reached a point where many can no longer ignore it.
The rise of the Cakrol Janata Party followed a backlash against Chief Justice Surya Kant’s characterization of unemployed youth as ‘cakrols,’ which sparked widespread discontent.
Later, the Chief Justice clarified that his comments targeted those entering professions with fake degrees.
France 24 reported, “Supporters of India’s Gen-Z ‘Cakrol’ party held their first demonstration in Delhi.”
“Participants carried slogans such as ‘The Cakrols are coming, Dharmendra Pradhan must go’ and held posters alleging they are waiting for question papers in exams that are never publicly released.”
China’s South China Morning Post also prioritized this protest in its coverage.
Quoting the Associated Press, the article discussed potential challenges facing the CJP.
It stated, “Another major challenge for the CJP is how to confront the opposition that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has already faced.”
‘Gen-Z Movement Hits Delhi’
Image source, EPA/Shutterstock
Qatar-based media outlet Al Jazeera reported, “The Gen-Z movement has reached India’s capital.”
Al Jazeera added, “India’s Gen-Z ‘Cakrol Campaign’ held its first demonstration in the capital calling for the education minister’s resignation. More than half of the country’s 1.4 billion population is under 25 years old and has long carried a sense of frustration.”
“Exam paper leaks and dishonesty in the largest school board (CBSE) have further intensified this anger,” the report noted.
Al Jazeera further wrote, “Massive dissatisfaction erupted last month after India’s Chief Justice compared youth to ‘cakrols’. In response, recent Boston University graduate Abhijit Deepke tweeted on social media platform X, ‘What if all the cakrols come together?’”
According to the report, the unique name of the Cakrol Janata Party was devised to highlight its rise and to sarcastically target Prime Minister Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Deepke’s witty remark has garnered over 22 million followers on Instagram, doubling the BJP’s follower count.
Al Arabiya also noted the presence of skeptics regarding the movement.
“Skeptics say, ‘Being popular online does not necessarily mean the movement has received equivalent support on the ground. Its popularity might soon wane,’” the website remarked.
High Profile Discussion but Limited Participation?
Image source, EPA/Shutterstock
The German publication Der Tagesspiegel published a photo gallery of the event.
According to analysts cited in the report, despite recent electoral victories in key states, the growing popularity of the Cakrol Party is impacting Prime Minister Modi’s image.
Meanwhile, fuel and gas price hikes linked to tensions with Iran have further exacerbated public dissatisfaction.
Britain’s The Sunday Guardian noted that despite substantial online following, only about 2,000 people physically participated in CJP’s first major demonstration at Jantar Mantar.
“This highlights the gap between online popularity and actual ground support,” the publication remarked. “Within just four days, the CJP amassed a huge online following, overtaking the BJP on social media, but turnout at the protest was below expectations.”
After Saturday’s demonstration, the CJP warned that if the Education Minister does not resign within seven days, another protest will be organized.
Founder Abhijit Deepke wrote on social media platform X after the protest, “Today’s demonstration was just a trailer.”
