By Agniva Ray

COCKROACH JANTA PARTY FOUNDER AND NATIONAL CONVENER ABHIJEET DIPKE, on Monday, August 10, 2026, announced the plans for a nationwide campaign to improve the condition of government schools in villages across India. The campaign will be launched on August 15, 2026, marking the 80th Independence Day, with a request to the parents and other village leaders to work collectively in addressing the deplorable conditions of the rural educational infrastructure. In a video message posted on X (formerly Twitter), Dipke urges the parents and the village heads (Sarpanch) to conduct social audits of the rural educational institutions in their localities, which would begin this cycle of transformation at the base level.

Abhijeet Dipke also stated that he would begin this initiative from his own village Hingoli,  in Maharashtra by approaching the local village head, requesting him to take part in this initiative to improve the quality of the government schools there. 

CJP Continues Momentum After Jantar Mantar Success

With the protests at Jantar Mantar officially ending on July 25, 2026, after the resignation of former education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, speculations had fueled in regarding the future of CJP. Opinions from either side of the fence—supporters of CJP and its critics—flooded across the country. Some were hopeful, particularly out of the forces set in motion by this movement, as questions regarding the education system began to be raised at multiple clusters across the country. While some maintained their sustained criticism, which increased with the inception of the students’ protest in Jharkhand, alleging CJP’s non-involvement in Jharkhand as a sign of potential political biases.

While one can point out the lack of physical presence, the leaders and spokesperson of the CJP eventually showcased their full support to the ongoing movement in Jharkhand. In a video posted on X by Devendra Nath Mahto—the leader of the Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JLKM) who has been fasting since August 2, 2026—Dipke is seen having a conversation with the injured Devendra Mahto, who had been allegedly beaten by the police forces during the assembly march yesterday, while his indefinite fast is still in session.

See Also: “Why Reactive and Not Proactive”: Netizens Call Out the Hypocrisy of CJP Leaders After Their Absence from the Jharkhand Protest

Alongside the protests in Jharkhand, videos have become widely popular in various social media platforms showcasing school children protesting against their basic demands at school across the country.

In this scenario, the CJP formed and announced its national team, who would lead the organizations’ movement in various parts of the country. The team now consists of Abhijeet Dipke (Founder and National Convener), Ashutosh Ranka (Co-convener), Saurav Das ( Co-convener), Ajinkya Shinde (National Organization In-charge), Deepak Baliyan (Organization Co-In-Charge, and North Zone Head), Aafreen Nawaz (National Secretary), Vijay Reddy Mallangi (Media Lead and South Zone Head), Ratna Singh (Legal Affairs Lead), Vaishnavi Gaur (Research and Policy Lead), Rohan Deshpande (Technology Lead),  and Yogesh Ingale (Finance Lead and West Zone Head). 

See Also: Jharkhand Student Protests Trigger Enforcement Directorate Money-Laundering Probe as Demand for CBI Investigation Grows

“This 15th August We Must Work to Improve our Government Schools,” Says Dipke

Soon after this announcement, the CJP was informed of its plans to start their work at the rural level. In the video message, Abhijeet Dipke says, “The coming 15th August is our 80th Independence day. But, in all these years what has been neglected or ignored the most is the government schools in the rural parts of the country. We have made a new parliament and a new PM house, but why can’t we build new schools  in the country?”

There is some truth to the statements made by Dipke, thanks to the official data by the Unified District  Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+)— an educational management information system under the Department of School Education and Literacy. The report shows that the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) has declined between 2022-23 and 2025-26 at the primary, upper primary, and elementary levels, which coincide with the foundational, preparatory and middle level under the New Education Policy 2020 (NEP) structure. The GER of the foundational level—pre-school to class two and age group of eight to ten years— is just 43%, which means that 57% of the children in that age group in our country have not even entered the education system. 

Building on his case for the nationwide movement, Dipke also stated in the video about the lack of basic infrastructure in the village government schools. “Even today, children in the villages have to walk long distances to attend their schools. In the schools they don't find adequate water or toilet facilities”, Dipke said. 

Abhijeet Dipke Announces Sarpanch Challenge

As of now, the nationwide campaign is set to begin on August 15, 2026 with CJP’s call to the village leaders and parents to participate in this drive and collectively lead the transformation of India’s schools. Dipke also urged the parents and village leaders to conduct social audits of the schools in their region. Additionally, they have also included what they described as the ‘Sarpanch Challenge.’  According to this, CJP would publicly recognize and celebrate the actions of all village heads who would work towards improving the schools in their villages in its social media platforms. While describing the challenge, Dipke said, “We will give you credit and post about your work, so that other village heads would also get inspired and start the same.”

See Also: Meet the People Behind CJP Who Humbled the Eristic Modi Government

This announcement also comes a few days after the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) announced its national team or working committee of twelve members who would coordinate and lead the organization’s activities across the country. And thus, as it appears, the CJP is slowly setting its future course of action. Given the trajectory of the organization’s programs—from raising the issue of educational lapses at Jantar Mantar to forming a national coordination team and the subsequent declaration of a nationwide campaign—it is surely making headway in transitioning from a digital phenomenon to an on-the-ground movement.

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