‘A victory for every teacher’: Cockroach Janta Party after teacher suspended over attending protest gets job back

According to a claim made by a CJP spokesperson, the suspension order issued against Sulekha Dalal was revoked shortly after the party condemned the move. Dalal, a Haryana teacher and supporter of the party, had attended a demonstration organised by the CJP at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on June 6.

The suspension notice was issued on Wednesday (June 10), days after the protest. However, the party later announced that the order had been withdrawn.

“Very happy to inform you all that Sulekha Dalal’s suspension was revoked about 40 minutes ago. Better sense has prevailed. This is a victory for every teacher, student and citizen who believes that no one should be punished for peacefully standing with the youth and asking questions,” CJP spokesperson Saurav Das wrote on X.

The claim quickly drew attention online, with supporters of the party hailing the development as a win for freedom of expression and peaceful participation in public demonstrations.

According to the order, Dalal was suspended from June 8 for allegedly violating conduct rules by attending the event without obtaining prior permission from the competent authority.

The suspension order further stated that she would not be allowed to leave her headquarters without prior approval while the matter remained under consideration.

Dalal, however, questioned the action and alleged that the suspension was linked to her participation in the June 6 protest organised by the CJP in the national capital.

She maintained that her decision to attend the demonstration was driven by concerns over students affected by alleged irregularities in competitive examinations.

As the mother of a 21-year-old student preparing for competitive exams, Dalal said she felt compelled to join others demanding accountability.

The party described the action as “an attack on the constitutional right of every citizen to speak, assemble, question and dissent”.

“No teacher should be punished for standing with the youth of this country," the statement added. "No citizen should be made to choose between their livelihood and their conscience. And no government should be so insecure that it treats peaceful participation in a public protest as misconduct.”

The party also demanded greater transparency regarding the grounds on which the suspension had been issued.

“The authorities must also make public the exact grounds for the action taken against her. Vague references to “conduct rules” cannot become a weapon to punish dissent," the party asserted.

The statement further argued that the right to protest, question authority and stand with vulnerable groups are constitutional guarantees rather than privileges granted by the State.

Affirming that no specific justification had been provided, she defended her participation in the protest.

“I had gone to Delhi only to raise my voice for our children who are being harassed due to paper leaks," she remarked. "I had just made a request, as I am a mother of a son who is also preparing for competitive exams."

Her remarks resonated with several students and parents who have expressed concerns over examination-related controversies in recent months.

During the protest, participants demanded the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and called for greater accountability in the administration of national-level entrance examinations.

While authorities have not publicly commented on the party's claim that Dalal's suspension has been revoked, the development has added another chapter to the ongoing debate over public protest, government employees' conduct rules and concerns surrounding examination management in the country.