BJP slams CJP over shift from NEET paper leak to protests against Election Commission

The Bharatiya Janata Party has hit out at the Cockroach Janta Party, accusing the newly formed group of abandoning student grievances over the NEET paper leak to pursue an political campaign against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Speaking at a press conference at the BJP headquarters on Sunday, Rajya Sabha MP and party spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi questioned how a youth movement formed just months ago had pivoted so rapidly into electoral agitation, taking a jibe that one would not see such a fast mutation even in radioactive decay.

The sharp criticism comes as top CJP leaders—including Abhijeet Dipke, Ashutosh Ranka, and Saurav Das—vowed to expand nationwide demonstrations demanding the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The trio were recently set free by a court following their detention, on the condition that they do not breach the peace for a year. The CJP leaders have maintained that their detention was unlawful.

What the BJP said about CJP's shift

Trivedi acknowledged that while everyone holds a right to protest, public acceptance of such movements remains a different matter. He argued that the genuine political sentiments of students were demonstrated through recent campus election results rather than street agitations.

To support his point, Trivedi pointed to victories by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad in student union elections at Delhi University and Panjab University, claiming these outcomes reflected the actual ground reality among youth.

His comments followed statements made a day earlier by senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad, who alleged that the CJP was engaging in shadow-boxing on behalf of the Aam Aadmi Party.

Background to the CJP protests

The CJP initially gained prominent visibility during June and July when it led protests at Jantar Mantar over the NEET examination paper leak. That movement culminated in the resignation of former Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

However, the group has since redirected its focus toward electoral administration and the Special Intensive Revision process. CJP leaders insist their agitation will continue until Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar steps down.