06 June,2026 09:29 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Uddhav Thackeray said it was wrong to deny justice to protesting youth or to describe them in a disrespectful manner. File Pic
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday said the Central government must listen to young people protesting at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi and should not underestimate them, reported the PTI.
The protest is being held over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations, including NEET, and demands the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
In a post shared on Facebook, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut shared Uddhav Thackeray's message, stating that students are the future of the country and are protesting in extreme heat conditions.
Thackeray said it was wrong to deny justice to protesting youth or to describe them in a disrespectful manner.
He also said the alleged NEET paper leak had damaged the futures of lakhs of students across the country.
"The government has to listen to the voice of youth and should not underestimate the protesters at Jantar Mantar," Thackeray said, according to the PTI.
His comments came as school and college students, along with competitive exam aspirants and parents, gathered in large numbers to protest at Jantar Mantar.
The protest was organised by supporters of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), a youth-led online movement that emerged following allegations of irregularities in various examinations and recruitment processes.
These include NEET, CUET, CBSE-related exams and SSC recruitment tests.
Meanwhile, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP SP) general secretary Rohit Pawar on Saturday expressed support for the agitation led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) against alleged irregularities in the NEET and CBSE examinations. reported the PTI.
The statement came as CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke participated in a demonstration at Jantar Mantar, which drew large numbers of young participants and was held under heavy security.
The demonstration witnessed the participation of scores of students and young people who gathered to raise concerns over alleged examination-related issues.
Supporters of the movement said that the planned demonstration at Jantar Mantar was aimed to highlight concerns regarding transparency, accountability and the future of students affected by examination controversies, according to the PTI.
In a statement, Rohit Pawar said the large turnout at the protest reflected growing dissatisfaction among young people with the Centre's policies and the handling of key examinations.
He claimed that alleged irregularities in the NEET and CBSE examinations had directly impacted students and contributed to widespread frustration among the youth, as per the PTI.
The NCP (SP) leader said he fully supported the movement's objective of protecting the interests of students and young people.
Rohit Pawar also called for greater accountability in the conduct of national examinations and urged authorities to address concerns raised by students.
Pawar further demanded the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged examination irregularities, according to the PTI.
He argued that those responsible for managing the education system should be held accountable if lapses are found in the conduct of major examinations.
The protest has become part of a wider debate surrounding examination processes and the concerns of students across the country.
Supporters of the movement say they will continue to raise issues affecting students and seek reforms aimed at ensuring fairness and transparency in the education system.
(with PTI inputs)
