A large student mobilization brought tens of thousands of young people to the streets of the Indian capital, creating one of the most significant protests in recent years against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government. The marches aimed to reach Parliament to demand the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, deemed politically responsible for the handling of the crisis affecting the national exam system.
Authorities declared the protest unauthorized and set up a massive security presence to prevent access to institutional areas. Tensions quickly escalated into clashes: law enforcement used batons and tear gas to disperse the protesters, while some participants responded by throwing stones at the officers.
The protest originated from the case involving the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), the medical college entrance exam. The irregular distribution of some tests allegedly compromised the fairness of the competition, forcing authorities to cancel the session and organize a new test for over two million candidates. The incident fueled a strong sense of distrust towards institutions, turning a university protest into a national movement.
Leading the mobilization is the Cockroach Janata Party, initially formed as a satirical initiative on social media. The name refers to an expression attributed to a magistrate who allegedly compared unemployed youth to "cockroaches," a definition the movement has turned into a symbol of collective identity and advocacy. Within weeks, the group gathered millions of online supporters, tapping into the discontent of a generation facing a tough job market and increasing doubts about institutional transparency.
Many participants in the protest are students and young people from various regions of the country. While continuing to declare their commitment to non-violent protest, some demonstrators have extended their demands to question Modi's leadership itself.
Meanwhile, the government maintains a line of extreme caution. During the opening of the monsoon session of Parliament, the Prime Minister did not publicly address the protests occurring just a short distance from the parliamentary complex.
Among the figures closest to the movement is activist Sonam Wangchuk, who staged a hunger strike to denounce the use of force against protesters and demand greater guarantees for civil rights. According to the protest organizers, the initiative is inspired by the principles of Satyagraha, the non-violent resistance theorized by Mahatma Gandhi, and aims to keep attention focused on the students' demands.
(Associated Medias) - All rights reserved