Cockroach movement
Tens of thousands of protesters marched in Delhi on Monday, defying police bans to demand the resignation of education minister Dharmendra Pradhan after exam leaks linked to student suicides, with clashes leaving 118 cops and 60 protesters injured, according to reports.
Delhi police, which are under the control of the central government, had denied permission for the march to take place. A ban was imposed on all public gatherings, roads across the city were barricaded, and the internet was shut down in the centre. Protesters faced tear gas, batons, and internet shutdowns, but thousands gathered in Delhi’s heart, many chanting anti-government slogans. This is a government that does not care about education,
said 18-year-old Harion Sharma, who had to retake a medical exam after its leak. Because of those leaks, students have died.
JP Nadda
Protesters Confront Police, Demand Accountability
The demonstration, one of the largest anti-government protests in years, centered on the education minister’s alleged role in the medical entrance exam scandal, which forced students to retake the test after leaks. CJP leaders accused Pradhan of failing India’s youth, with protesters shouting, They are calling this protest illegal, they are calling us anti-national,
said Rhythm Katoch, a 22-year-old. But I am standing here to fight for our education system, for the rights of the young people and for our democracy.
Delhi police blocked the march toward Parliament, using barricades, batons, and tear gas. Reports indicated 70 arrests and 118 injured officers, while protesters alleged excessive force. There are massive issues … but you are firing teargas at children and beating them up? For what?
asked Priyanka Gandhi, a leader of the opposition Congress party, as she criticized the government’s response.
Amit Malviya
BJP Accuses Opposition of Instigating Violence
The ruling BJP blamed organized groups for inciting the clashes, with functionary Amit Malviya accusing protesters of stone-pelting and orchestrated violence. He noted the absence of prominent faces associated with the protest during the march, suggesting “conspirators” had carefully kept themselves out of harm’s way. The party also linked the protests to Left-affiliated student groups, such as All India Students’ Association (AISA) and Students’ Federation of India (SFI), besides organized groups for protests and violence during Cockroach Janata Party’s march to Parliament. Malviya rejected some of the allegations regarding exam leaks, stating, Facts matter. Narratives built on fabricated documents do not.
Surya Kant
CJP had been holding protest at Jantar Mantar since last month and has drawn support from opposition parties over its demand for the resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan for paper leaks. The CJP spokesperson Saurav Das said they had waited two hours and were given a brief meeting with a cabinet minister, JP Nadda. Das said the government had made no commitments so far.
Younger Mobilization Challenges Political Establishment
The protest highlighted growing frustration among India’s youth over education and employment crises. Sonam Wangchuk, an education activist, has been on hunger strike in solidarity with the students. We are young but we are powerful,
said Sharma, as he urged the government to listen. Now, finally, the government is scared of us.
The CJP’s rapid rise from a satirical group to a political force underscored shifting dynamics in Indian politics. Founded in May by graduate Abhijeet Dipke, the movement gained traction after Surya Kant’s remark comparing activists to “cockroaches,” a term the group reclaimed as a symbol of resistance.
Regional and diplomatic implications are being watched closely, as neighbouring countries such as Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have had governments toppled by youth-led movements. However, such large-scale expressions of dissent have become unusual in India in recent years. The BJP, which has ruled for 12 years under Modi, has amassed unprecedented power at national and state level while also routinely jailing and persecuting its critics and opponents, leaving little room for dissent.
Many protesters had gathered at Jantar Mantar overnight. By 11am, crowds started to fill up adjoining roads as well. Traffic in central Delhi went haywire as the clashes spread beyond the protest site. The stage was dismantled hours before, according to reports. The violence did not appear spontaneous, with the BJP alleging organized groups initiated it, after which sections of the crowd followed. The party also accused the CJP of fabricating narratives about exam leaks, stating, Facts matter. Narratives built on fabricated documents do not.
The government’s response—combining force with limited dialogue—has drawn criticism from opposition figures and civil society.
Sources: The Guardian, The Times of India.
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