India police stop Parliament march by Cockroach movement supporters with tear gas

NEW DELHI – Indian police used tear gas and batons on Monday to stop thousands of supporters of the youth-led Cockroach movement from marching to Parliament, as demonstrators demanded the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over recurring examination paper leaks and broader concerns about accountability in the country’s education system.

The confrontation marked one of the most significant flashpoints in the movement’s campaign against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. Despite the police action, groups of protesters continued attempting to march toward Parliament after authorities blocked access with barricades and heightened security around the legislative complex, according to the Associated Press.

Delhi Police said the march had not been authorized and that security restrictions were necessary to maintain law and order during the opening day of Parliament’s monsoon session. Protest organizers, however, accused authorities of using excessive force against peaceful demonstrators.

Cockroach Janta Party spokesperson Saurav Das condemned what he described as a “brutal crackdown” on protesters who had gathered at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi’s designated protest site located a few kilometers from Parliament. As the day progressed, the crowd expanded beyond the protest area and spilled into nearby streets.

The demonstration drew students, professionals, families and activists, many carrying food, water and Indian flags in anticipation of a prolonged protest. Protesters chanted slogans calling for Pradhan’s resignation and demanding reforms to India’s examination system.

The Cockroach movement emerged in May after India’s Chief Justice, during an unrelated Supreme Court hearing, compared some unemployed young people to “cockroaches.” Supporters later adopted the term as a symbol of protest, transforming it into a satirical youth movement that has attracted millions of followers on social media.

Public support for the campaign grew following repeated leaks of competitive entrance examinations for medical schools and government jobs, triggering widespread criticism over the integrity of India’s examination process. The movement gained additional momentum after authorities forcibly transferred hunger-striking activist Sonam Wangchuk to a hospital on Saturday, according to AP.

For the past month, protesters identifying themselves as “cockroaches” have maintained a protest camp at Jantar Mantar. Members of several student organizations have joined Wangchuk’s hunger strike while solidarity rallies have been held at universities and in other cities across India.

The protesters are demanding Pradhan’s resignation, comprehensive reforms to the examination system, and compensation for families of students who allegedly died by suicide following examination paper leaks.

While senior members of Modi’s government had previously rejected calls for dialogue, Monday brought the first apparent sign of engagement between officials and protest leaders.

Representatives of the movement met with Health Minister J.P. Nadda, marking the government’s first known outreach since the protests began. Following the meeting, Das said he presented the protesters’ demands, including the immediate resignation or removal of the education minister.

Separately, Wangchuk appealed for temporary permission to leave the hospital so he could join the march. In a handwritten statement, he said he would end his nearly three-week hunger strike only if the government accepted responsibility for failures in the education system and examination paper leaks, or if lawmakers allowed protesters to reach Parliament and pledged to raise the issue in both houses.

The protests have evolved beyond concerns over examination integrity into a broader movement calling for greater government accountability and transparency. They have drawn support from opposition political parties, rights advocates and several Bollywood personalities.

Critics have long accused Modi’s Hindu nationalist government of narrowing space for public dissent through arrests of activists and forceful responses to demonstrations. Government officials have rejected those allegations while maintaining that security measures are necessary to preserve public order.

Speaking to the Associated Press, yoga teacher Jyoti Rajput said she joined the demonstrations because she believes authorities have failed to address students’ concerns.

“This rotten system refuses to take action. It cannot see the pain of students, and that’s why so many people have joined this movement,” Rajput said.

Another protester, 26-year-old Sneha Eppili, said the demonstrations reflected growing public demands for accountability from elected leaders.

“I voted for this government, so I think it’s accountable to answer our questions. That’s the basic human right that I deserve,” she said.

The demonstrations represent one of the most visible public challenges to Modi’s administration since it began its third term, underscoring mounting frustration among many young Indians over employment opportunities, examination integrity and government responsiveness, according to the Associated Press.