New Delhi. The student protest led by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) at Jantar Mantar, demanding an end to the NEET-UG paper leak and reforms in the education system, ended on Saturday. Following the third round of talks with Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda and Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh, CJP representatives announced that the central government had agreed to their key demands. Sourav Das and Ashutosh Ranka led the CJP delegation at the meeting.

According to the representatives, the central government has agreed in principle to several demands, including the withdrawal of cases filed during the protests and compensation for affected families. Ashutosh Ranka stated that the CJP delegation will meet again with the government in a month to review the implementation of these decisions.

Sourav Das was a key strategist for the movement.

From the Jantar Mantar protest to the negotiations with the government, Sourav Das was a prominent figure in the CJP. Before joining the organization, he was an investigative journalist and Right to Information (RTI) activist. According to his LinkedIn profile, he has worked as a freelance journalist on topics such as law, judiciary, governance, crime, and transparency. He is also the co-founder of the Climate Action Front, which works on climate change issues.

Studying journalism at Amity University, establishing a reputation through RTI

Sourav Das studied journalism and mass communication at Amity University. At the age of 18, he began collecting information from government institutions under the Right to Information Act. Many of his RTI disclosures were prominently published in various news media. In 2020, he began professional writing and freelance journalism.

He also led several legal initiatives on matters related to access to information and transparency. He had approached the High Court regarding the delay in information-related appeals during the COVID-19 pandemic. He claims that the Central Information Commission subsequently expedited the hearing of pandemic-related cases.

Also working on his first book

Sourav Das came to national attention after joining the CJP. During the movement, he prominently raised issues related to competitive examinations, student rights, and government accountability. He is currently working on his first book, "Complicit Silence: The Court's Role in India's Quiet Suffering," which covers topics related to the justice system and institutional accountability.

Who is Ashutosh Ranka?

Ashutosh Ranka, one of the prominent representatives of the CJP, has professional experience in public policy and management. A resident of Jaipur, Rajasthan, Ranka earned a B.Tech degree in Materials Science and Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur. He then obtained a Master's degree in Public Administration from the London School of Economics (LSE).

From Corporate to Public Policy

Following his higher education, Ashutosh Ranka worked as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company in London. After working in the corporate sector for a few years, he returned to India and focused on public policy and social concerns.

Active in Campaigns for Good Governance and Youth

Ashutosh Ranka has been part of various campaigns related to public policy, citizen participation, and good governance. He also served as an Associate Fellow in the Delhi Government during the Aam Aadmi Party government. In recent years, he has played an active role in several social campaigns in Rajasthan on issues such as education reform, environmental protection, and youth welfare.

During the Jantar Mantar movement, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka played a key role in communicating with the government on behalf of the CJP and formulating the movement's strategy. With the movement ending after an agreement, both figures have become a topic of national discussion.