As Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protesters struggled to reach Jantar Mantar through roadblocks, closed metro stations and disrupted transport on Monday, one Delhi auto driver chose to help instead of profit.
He ferried demonstrators for free, calling it his contribution to the country's youth.
Instagram user Aishwarya shared a video recounting how an auto driver, identified as Rakesh Kumar Yadav, voluntarily offered free rides to demonstrators struggling to reach Jantar Mantar after transport services were disrupted.
"With Delhi Metro stations closed, police barricades everywhere, no buses, no network, and no online cabs, thousands of people were left to walk nearly an hour to reach Jantar Mantar," she wrote.
Rakesh noticed people walking towards the protest site and called them over to his auto.
"That's when Rakesh Kumar Yadav called us over and offered to drop us to the protest site. When we tried to pay him, he politely refused," she wrote.
When asked why he would not accept the fare, the auto driver offered a simple explanation.
"Ye desh ke liye, yuvaon ke liye mera chhota sa yogdaan hai (This is my small contribution towards the country and its youth),” Rakesh explained.
The gesture left a lasting impression on those he helped.
Watch the video here:
"Acts of kindness like this restore faith in humanity. People like him remind us that change isn't driven only by those who protest, but also by those who quietly stand beside them," Aishwarya wrote, before adding, "Salute to your spirit, Rakesh ji. Your selfless gesture gave us the courage to keep going."
The story resonated further after a man who identified himself as one of the passengers shared his own account in the comments.
He recalled that nearby metro stations had been closed, forcing protesters to walk 5–6 km to Jantar Mantar.
"We had already walked nearly one or two kilometres in the heat when we heard someone call out, 'Kids, come here. Are you going to Jantar Mantar?' We happily ran towards the auto," he wrote.
He admitted that he initially assumed the driver would charge an inflated fare because of the situation.
"Instead, he told us, 'No charge for today, a small contribution from my end.' Then he added that he had already helped 100 to 150 people since morning."
The passenger said he tried to hand over Rs 200 to cover fuel costs, but Yadav politely declined.
"Now I feel like I have a loan of humanity on my shoulders," he wrote.
The gesture came amid an intensifying protest led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a satirical movement founded by Abhijeet Dipke, over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Tuesday said it would continue its agitation demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan but would not hold another march to Parliament. Party chief Abhijeet Dipke said the decision was taken a day after clashes with police in Delhi left scores of supporters injured, adding that the party did not want more young people to be hurt.
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Published By:
Srimoyee Chowdhury
Published On:
Jul 21, 2026 17:26 IST