Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) founder Abhijit Dipke on Thursday, 6 August announced a nationwide outreach campaign titled 'Kya Bolti Public?', set to begin this September, aimed at channelling the daily grievances of students, youth, and ordinary citizens directly to the administration. The announcement came from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar following the conclusion of the party's two-day national core committee meeting.

What Triggered the Campaign

The campaign follows national attention drawn by protests at Jantar Mantar, Delhi over alleged irregularities in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) paper leak. Dipke noted that unemployed youth joined those demonstrations in large numbers, underscoring what he described as a deepening crisis of both educational integrity and joblessness in the country.

The CJP's two-day national core committee meeting served as the platform for finalising the party's political and social roadmap, with the campaign emerging as its centrepiece.

The Education Cost Crisis

At the heart of the 'Kya Bolti Public?' initiative is the issue of rising school and college fees. Dipke alleged that quality education has become unaffordable for middle-class and working-class families.

'Reforming the education sector will be the primary and most crucial focus of our campaign. Today, education in the country has turned into a highly lucrative business. Annual fees for first-grade admissions range from ₹1 to ₹2 lakh, with extortionate donation costs charged separately. How can families with limited monthly incomes afford such heavy expenses for their children's schooling?' Dipke said.

He further highlighted that parents are increasingly forced to take out expensive bank loans to fund higher education, pushing numerous families into severe debt. He also called for curbing what he described as financial exploitation by coaching institutes operating in the name of higher education.

Unemployment as a Core Issue

Alongside the education crisis, Dipke identified unemployment as a major political and social challenge. He said the NEET protests at Jantar Mantar were a visible expression of broader public anger, with unemployed youth swelling the demonstrations. The campaign intends to directly engage students, parents, and citizens across Maharashtra and the rest of India to build public pressure on the government.

CJP's Ideological Stance and Role

Dipke stated that the CJP's ideology is rooted in the principles of B.R. Ambedkar, Mahatma Gandhi, and India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. 'We are fighting for constitutional values to fulfil the vision they held for India. For us, the success of a movement is not merely securing someone's resignation; true success lies in completely eliminating the fear of the government from the minds of ordinary citizens,' he remarked.

Notably, the CJP has decided not to contest elections, choosing instead to function as an active pressure group focused on administrative reform and the protection of citizens' rights. Dipke also urged the press to play an independent role in holding power accountable, arguing that systemic change requires a media that firmly questions those in authority.

What Comes Next

Through the campaign, the CJP plans to tour the country, engaging in direct dialogue with citizens and generating broad public opinion. Dipke said the party will continue uniting all sections of society that supported its recent campaigns, with a focus on pressuring the government to act against commercialised education practices and administrative delays. The campaign's formal rollout is expected in September 2025.