Indian police fire tear gas, baton-charge Cockroach Janta Party protesters trying to march on parliament

Indian police used tear gas and baton charges on Monday to break up a protest march in New Delhi as students and supporters of the satirical Cockroach Janta Party attempted to reach parliament and press for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in major examinations.

According to a monitored public feed from Dawn World, the demonstration drew thousands of people to the area near Jantar Mantar, where protesters gathered early in the day despite a steady monsoon drizzle and police barricades. Many of those taking part were young students, and several were seen running for cover after police moved in with batons and fired tear gas shells.

The crowd was demanding action over exam-related problems that have stirred anger across India, including allegations of question paper leaks and technical glitches. The protest came after activist Sonam Wangchuk was taken to hospital on Saturday, abruptly ending a 20-day hunger strike that had backed the student-led campaign.

The Cockroach Janta Party, which has amassed a large following on social media since its launch in May, has tapped into frustration over unemployment and concerns about the education system. In a post on X, the group accused police of attacking peaceful demonstrators after earlier ignoring the movement.

“Our country deserves a government that is bothered about what the young people have to say and is willing to correct its mistakes,” one protester, 18-year-old Sumit Kumar, was quoted as saying. “The future belongs to us and not these politicians.”

Police said the march had not been approved and warned that anyone violating restrictions could face prosecution. The internet was cut in parts of central New Delhi during the protests, according to the feed summary.

The demonstrations were among the largest in the capital in five years, with the movement emerging as a fresh challenge for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government after he began his third term in 2024. While Modi did not address the protests in a public speech before the monsoon session of parliament, opposition leaders raised the issue in both houses.

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said thousands of students had gathered at Jantar Mantar and accused the authorities of trying to silence them with force. Slogans were also shouted from opposition benches in the lower house, demanding Pradhan’s resignation and justice for students.

The unrest follows a string of education-related controversies. Last month, more than 2.2 million medical students took a re-examination under tight security after a previous test was cancelled because of a leaked question paper. The feed also noted a separate scandal involving the online marking system used for tests taken by nearly 2 million high school students.

Wangchuk, in a handwritten note posted from hospital on his X account, said he would end his fast if the government accepted responsibility for the failures, if protesters were allowed to march on parliament and receive assurances from lawmakers, or if he was visited by lawmakers and party leaders in hospital.

The report is based on a monitored public feed and reflects details attributed to Dawn World and AFP. It also cited official data showing unemployment remains particularly high among young Indians, helping fuel the wider discontent behind the protests.

Source: Dawn World - https://www.dawn.com/news/2016990/indian-police-fire-tear-gas-baton-charge-cockroach-janta-party-protesters-trying-to-march-on-parliament