CJP celebration videos spark row after NEET protest ends; ‘language of Gen Z', says spokesperson

New Delhi: The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has come under criticism after videos showing some of its members dancing and celebrating at a hotel in Delhi surfaced online shortly after the organisation called off its month-long protest over the NEET paper leak.

The youth-led outfit had ended its agitation at Jantar Mantar on July 25, claiming a major victory after the Centre agreed to several of its demands, including the resignation of then Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and discussions on broader examination reforms.

The videos have triggered a debate on social media, with critics questioning the celebrations after weeks of protests that saw clashes with police and injuries to several participants. Among those criticising the videos was BJP Rajya Sabha MP and senior advocate Mahesh Jethmalani, who also raised questions about the funding of the protest movement.

Responding to the criticism, CJP spokesperson Saurav Das defended the celebrations, describing them as an expression of "the language of Gen Z". In a post on X, he said younger generations engage with activism differently from previous generations.

"We can sit on the road for as long as it takes. We can protest while dancing. We can organise while sipping cold coffee. We can fight for change without looking the way previous generations think a movement should look," Das wrote.

He added that today's youth are "confident, creative, resilient and impossible to stereotype", remarking that criticism of the celebrations stemmed from a failure to understand how Gen Z communicates and mobilises. Congress leader P Chidambaram also posted on X in support of the CJP celebrations. "There is nothing wrong if young protesters break into a spontaneous dance after their long agitation resulted in the resignation of the Education Minister," he said.

The controversy comes days after the CJP ended its month-long agitation over the NEET paper leak and examination reforms following talks with Union ministers J P Nadda and Jitendra Singh. According to the organisation, the Centre agreed to consider several demands, including compensation for families of students who died by suicide during the examination crisis, withdrawal of cases against peaceful protesters and further consultations on education reforms.

The protests, which began at Jantar Mantar, grew into a nationwide student movement, drawing thousands of participants. The agitation also witnessed confrontations with police, particularly during the "Chalo Sansad" march. Throughout the campaign, the CJP frequently used memes, reels, trending audio, humour and other social media formats alongside conventional demonstrations, describing them as tools that resonate with Gen Z and broaden public participation in the movement.