Bengaluru: Around 250 people gathered at Freedom Park on Sunday, braving heavy rain to participate in a protest demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged mishandling of the NEET examinations.

The demonstration, organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), marked the group's first protest in the city. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke was joined by actor Prakash Raj, climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and several student activists. Members of the All India Students' Association (AISA) were prominently represented at the event.

Addressing the gathering, Dipke expressed concern over reports of student deaths linked to academic pressure and examination-related stress. He said students who aspired to serve society were being pushed into distress and called for greater accountability in the education system.

He also criticised what he described as attempts to suppress dissent, alleging that individuals questioning government policies were often labelled negatively. Dipke urged citizens to continue raising concerns and defending democratic freedoms.

Prakash Raj addressed the crowd and encouraged young people to continue speaking out on issues affecting them. He also questioned the government's response to concerns surrounding the NEET examination process.

Sonam Wangchuk highlighted the importance of public participation and accountability, urging citizens to continue questioning institutions and advocating for reforms in education and governance.

Heavy police deployment was in place at the venue as a precautionary measure, and the protest concluded without any major incidents being reported.

This report was published from a wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.