Thousands of youth-led protesters from the Cockroach movement have gathered in central Delhi to demand the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The protests, which center on repeated leaks in medical school entrance tests, are calling for broader education reforms and government accountability. What began as a satirical protest has evolved into a nationwide movement voicing the anger of young Indians over education and jobs.
The demonstrations have been marked by violent clashes between supporters of the Cockroach Janta Party and police. As protesters attempted to march toward Parliament, police used tear gas and batons to disperse the crowd. These confrontations resulted in injuries to scores of police personnel and nearly 60 protesters. Despite the violence, thousands remained on the streets, with some protesters using bicycle helmets for protection.
While protesters have reclaimed their dismantled protest site, movement leaders announced the cancellation of further marches through New Delhi, though they vow to continue campaigning. Despite a meeting between two movement members and a government minister on July 20th, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has yet to address the issue. This movement represents a rare public challenge to the government and is considered the biggest youth challenge to Prime Minister Modi since he came to power in 2014.