A day after the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) called off its 37-day protest at Jantar Mantar following the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and the government’s acceptance of its demands, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke struck a markedly different tone on Jattvibeday.In a video message posted on X, the 30-year-old activist spoke of relief, gratitude and the road ahead, describing the end of the agitation as the beginning of a much longer journey.For the first time in over a month, Dipke said he could wake up without worrying about developments at the protest site.“I could go to sleep and wake up in my bedroom without thinking about what to do next or what will happen till evening,” he said.Calling the 37 days at Jantar Mantar “really, really difficult”, Dipke said there was now “no panic” and that the movement had entered a new phase. At the same time, he made it clear that the organisation did not view the conclusion of the protest as the end of its campaign.“This is just the beginning. The CJP has a long way to go,” he said.Dipke founded the CJP in May as a satirical response to a remark by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant. What began as a symbolic campaign soon evolved into a nationwide youth movement. Thousands of supporters, who identified themselves as “cockroaches”, gathered at Jantar Mantar, turning the site into the centre of a sustained campaign led largely by students and young people.The protesters held Pradhan responsible for the NEET paper leak and the suicides of aspirants, demanding his resignation.As the agitation gathered momentum, support for the movement grew steadily. On Saturday, Pradhan resigned, the government assured protesters that no action would be taken against them and the CJP announced the withdrawal of its protest.In his message, Dipke said the outcome came after weeks of uncertainty and thanked those who stood by the movement despite scepticism from many quarters. Revealing that he was recovering from typhoid and had been running a fever, he apologised for not being able to personally thank supporters at Jantar Mantar after the protest ended.“All the people who were there at Jantar Mantar for 37 days, I want to thank each and every one of you. And I want to tell you that I really, really, really appreciate what you did for this country,” he said.Dipke also acknowledged those who questioned and criticised the movement, saying constructive criticism had helped improve its functioning.“I think that’s why we were able to deliver as well,” he added.With the protest now over, Dipke’s first public message shifted the focus from the movement’s immediate victory to what he described as its longer political journey, indicating that while the tents at Jantar Mantar have come down, the CJP does not consider its campaign complete.The CJP also shared a post on X stating that Dipke is battling typhoid. A photograph accompanying the post showed him receiving intravenous treatment while resting in bed.