'Youth of India has decided to...': Prakash Raj at Cockroach Janta Party's Bengaluru protest

Actor and activist Prakash Raj joined Abhijit Dipke, founder of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), and education reform advocate Sonam Wangchuk at a protest in Bengaluru on Sunday, where participants demanded greater accountability in India’s education system and raised concerns over the NEET paper leak.

Speaking to a crowd gathered at Freedom Park despite heavy rain, Prakash Raj delivered a passionate address, urging young Indians to stand up for their rights and future.

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“The elected leaders should do their jobs. Why have you changed the equation? You are doing politics; we are supposed to do jobs. No! Youth of this country has decided to fight their fight,” Raj said, drawing loud cheers from protesters.

The actor also targeted attempts to use vulgar language to refer to activists and protesters. He argued that in a democracy, those who raise questions shouldn't be frightened, citing recent political rhetoric.

“They can call us Pakistanis, they can call us terrorists, they can call us cockroaches. We are not afraid. We will continue to ask questions,” Raj said during his speech.

The protest was attended by Sonam Wangchuk, the engineer, education reformer and climate activist known for his advocacy on education and environmental issues. The gathering was organised by the Cockroach Janta Party, a youth-led movement that has recently gained traction across the country over concerns related to unemployment, education reforms and transparency in public institutions.

Addressing the youth directly, Prakash Raj emphasized that the future of the country belongs to them and encouraged them not to remain silent.

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“This country belongs to the young people. Your dreams matter. Your future matters. Nobody can take that away from you if you choose to stand together and fight for it,” he said.

The Bengaluru demonstration forms part of a broader nationwide campaign by CJP, which has organised protests in several cities and is calling for reforms in the education sector. The group has also announced plans for a larger mobilisation in New Delhi in the coming weeks.