Sachin Tendulkar urges society to cooperate amid CJP protests; 'We must create a culture where... merit wins'

Former Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar has called on society to come together and ensure that students do not have to suffer amid nationwide mass protests led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). The legendary cricketer thus became the second after Yuvraj Singh to speak out on the issue.

Tendulkar’s comments come amid ongoing CJP-led youth protests demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET paper leak controversy, which has affected thousands of students across the country. The movement gained wider momentum when social activist Sonam Wangchuk was dragged away by the Delhi Police on the 19th day of his hunger strike, with support from opposition parties following.

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Taking to his social media, Tendulkar emphasized that shaping our culture is everyone’s shared responsibility. “My father was a professor. He was a mentor and guide to many young students. One of the lessons he instilled in him early on was, ‘Failure is okay, cheating is not.’ Never take shortcuts.”

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The CJP protests are primarily demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET paper leak controversy that has affected many students across the country.

Sachin Tendulkar emphasizes the need for a culture that rewards hard work and merit as he believes that a society that prioritizes results over effort encourages shortcuts and dissatisfaction among diligent students.

According to Tendulkar, society can contribute by coming together to support students, ensure they feel encouraged and validated, and foster an environment where effort is recognized and rewarded.

The CJP’s call for nationwide peaceful protests aims to unify the voices of students in demanding accountability and reforms regarding the NEET paper leak and pressure for the resignation of the education minister.

While support from parents and educators can be valuable, individuals should consider the broader implications of joining protests and assess their alignment with the movement’s goals and framework for change.

“As adults in society, we have a responsibility to shape the culture. A society that values results over effort will seek shortcuts over meritocracy,” Tendulkar began in his post on Thursday.

“Today, when students feel disappointed that their hard work has not been rewarded, it is understandable. Together, we should all work together to stop them from feeling this way,” he added. It should be noted that the protests are no longer confined to New Delhi. States like Mumbai and Bihar also saw similar scenes.

According to Tendulkar, hard work and merit should always prevail. “Young India is full of dreams and energy. They are the fuel of our success. As a society, we all, including parents, teachers, friends, relatives, schools and administrators, have a huge responsibility and various roles to play in ensuring that our youth remain encouraged and energized.”

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“We need to create a culture where hard work is rewarded, honesty is encouraged and merit wins. I am sure we will all find solutions to strengthen our children’s future and protect their aspirations. Jai Hind!” concluded.

CJP calls for nationwide peaceful protests on July 24

Meanwhile, the CJP on Thursday called for nationwide peaceful protests to be held on July 24 (Friday) demanding Pradhan’s resignation over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak controversy. In X’s post, CJP shared a poster urging everyone to participate in peaceful protests across the country and demand Pradhan’s resignation.

The CJP urged student unions and other organizations to cooperate, work together on permits and logistics to conduct protests, and read out students’ demands.

In a stern warning, CJP founder president Abhijeet Dipke asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to accept Pradhan’s resignation; otherwise, the problem will not be limited to his resignation, but the protesters will also call for the resignation of the prime minister.

Dipke said, “Modi ji, I request you once again to accept Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation. Otherwise, the problem will not remain limited to Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation; it will come to your resignation as well.” Deepke further called Pradhan an “incompetent and failed” minister and said he could not be more important than millions of people.

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“A failed and failed minister cannot be more important than millions of students in this country. If a failed and failed minister is considered more important than these millions of students, then remember: nobody in India will vote for you in the elections,” he said.