Youth protesters demanding the resignation of India’s education minister clashed briefly with police in New Delhi late Wednesday, as officers fired tear gas and used canes to disperse crowds, police and witnesses said.
Local media estimated that more than 10,000 people had gathered at the Jantar Mantar protest site in central Delhi, Reuters reports.
Leaders of the self‑styled “cockroach” movement vowed to continue their month‑long agitation until Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned over exam paper leaks that affected some 2 million students in May.
The demonstrations have grown into the largest youth challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi since he took office in 2014.
Opposition parties have echoed the protesters’ demands, disrupting the monsoon session of parliament that began this week.
On Monday, tens of thousands marched on parliament in defiance of a ban, prompting police and paramilitary forces to fire tear gas and beat protesters with canes.
Thousands again converged on Jantar Mantar, waving the Indian flag and shouting slogans, while others rallied outside parliament on Wednesday. By evening, the crowd swelled beyond 10,000 and spilled into surrounding roads before clashes broke out.
Some protesters hurled stones and plastic bottles, injuring several police officers who were hospitalized, ANI reported.
Videos shared on X showed small groups confronting police armed with canes and tear gas, though Reuters said it could not independently verify the footage.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which began as an online satire with only a few hundred participants, has since surged in popularity. Founder Abhijeet Dipke told demonstrators Wednesday night the protest would continue until Pradhan resigned.
“It has been 25 days so far. Even if it takes 25 months, that is acceptable, but we will not move from here,” he said.
Delhi Metro shuts stations
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation announced Thursday it was closing 16 stations in and around central Delhi until further notice, citing security concerns. It was the second large‑scale closure this week.
Modi’s government has held one round of talks with CJP leaders, promising to consider their demands, debate the issue in parliament, and pursue exam system reforms.
Opposition parties led by Congress have joined the protests, with Rahul Gandhi staging demonstrations outside Modi’s residence and parliament.
Rahul said Pradhan’s resignation was “non‑negotiable”, and opposition leaders would meet Thursday morning to decide their next steps in parliament.
The CJP’s rise reflects broader frustrations among young Indians over job shortages and recurring exam leaks.
Analysts say the movement has given opposition parties a rare opening to pressure Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which relies heavily on youth support and has won a string of state elections since the 2024 general election, when Modi failed to secure an outright parliamentary majority.
