The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which rose to prominence by demanding accountability over examination failures, is now facing criticism over allegations that its activism has been selective. While the student-led organisation spearheaded a nationwide campaign over the NEET-UG paper leak that eventually led to the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, it has remained largely silent on examination-related controversies in Punjab and the ongoing Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) irregularities case.
The contrast has prompted political criticism and sparked questions about whether the party has applied its campaign for examination reforms consistently.
BJP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal has accused the CJP of acting as the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) "B team", alleging that it has ignored accusations against the AAP government in Punjab while aggressively targeting the Centre. The organisation, founded by activist Abhijeet Dipke, has previously rejected such allegations, but on the Punjab and Jharkhand issues, it has only said that it is "planning its response".
The scrutiny comes after CJP attracted widespread attention following its launch in May 2026. What began as online satire inspired by a courtroom remark by the Chief Justice of India evolved into a nationwide student movement focused on the NEET paper leak and broader examination-related concerns. Leaders including Abhijeet Dipke, Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das became prominent faces of the campaign as students from across the country gathered for weeks-long protests at New Delhi's Jantar Mantar.
However, that swift mobilisation has not been replicated in response to the examination controversies unfolding in Punjab and Jharkhand.
Punjab controversies draw criticism over CJP's silence
In Punjab, where the AAP government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has been in power for more than four years, opposition leaders have highlighted several alleged paper leak and cheating incidents.
Swati Maliwal recently claimed there had been six major paper leak cases over the past five years and referred to large-scale cheating detected during a pharmacy officers' examination held on July 19. She accused AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal of remaining silent and alleged that the CJP was created by Kejriwal's associates and promoted through coordinated social media campaigns.
The Punjab government has rejected the allegations of paper leaks, stating that the pharmacy examination involved a cheating racket using electronic devices rather than a leaked question paper. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has maintained that no recruitment examination paper has been leaked during the AAP government's tenure. Although the matter remains disputed, the allegations have been in the public domain for several weeks.
With Punjab Assembly elections scheduled for early 2027, examination-related issues have become politically significant. Opposition parties have linked the allegations to questions of governance and recruitment transparency, while the AAP seeks a second consecutive term in office.
Against this backdrop, the CJP's decision to study the issue rather than launch protests similar to those seen during the NEET controversy has drawn attention.
Jharkhand probe also sees limited response
In Jharkhand, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has arrested at least eight people, including a former deputy examination controller of the JPSC and employees of the private agency involved in conducting the examinations, over alleged irregularities.
Investigators have carried out raids, seized digital evidence and continued their probe, while examination schedules and results have been affected.
Despite the arrests and the ongoing investigation, the CJP has not organised protests, demanded resignations or launched a sustained public campaign similar to its NEET movement.
According to the report, party leaders did not respond to calls or messages seeking their comments on the issue.
Questions over consistency
Observers have pointed to the contrast between the CJP's rapid response to the NEET controversy and its slower reaction to the Punjab and Jharkhand cases.
During the NEET protests, founder Abhijeet Dipke returned from Boston, the organisation formally appointed spokespersons, mobilised students from multiple states and maintained pressure on the government for more than a month.
In comparison, its response to the more recent controversies has been limited. Apart from a video released after the resignation of the Union Education Minister, the organisation has not mounted a similar campaign. Public faces of the movement, including Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das, have also not made detailed public statements on the Punjab or Jharkhand issues, and repeated attempts to contact them reportedly went unanswered.
The report states that it will be updated if the CJP responds to India Today Digital's queries.
Debate over selective activism
The differing responses have led to questions about whether the CJP is applying its stated principles consistently.
The organisation has described itself as a student-led platform seeking accountability for failures in public examinations regardless of which party is in power. However, critics argue that its limited response to allegations involving the AAP government in Punjab and the ongoing JPSC investigation in Jharkhand has created the perception of selective activism.
Swati Maliwal's allegation that the CJP functions as an extension of the AAP remains disputed, but critics argue that the absence of comparable public campaigns in these cases has fuelled the debate.
The report concludes that while the CJP succeeded in bringing examination integrity into the national spotlight and contributed to the resignation of a Union Cabinet minister, questions over consistency are likely to persist until the organisation clearly explains its position on the Punjab allegations and the JPSC investigation, as well as the delay in responding with the same intensity it displayed during the NEET protests.
