More than 10,000 people marched toward India’s Parliament on Monday in the largest demonstration yet by the youth-led “Cockroach” movement, with police using tear gas and baton charges to disperse protesters demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged corruption in the country’s examination system.
The protest, held on the opening day of Parliament’s monsoon session, drew students, professionals and families to New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar before they marched toward Parliament chanting slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government and calling for accountability.
The movement gained additional momentum after veteran activist Sonam Wangchuk was forcibly hospitalized on Saturday following a three-week hunger strike in support of the protesters.
Police attempted to block the march, citing safety concerns as the demonstration exceeded 10,000 participants. Riot police were deployed across the capital, and videos circulating online appeared to show officers using batons and tear gas to push back demonstrators.
The protests stem from widespread outrage over alleged irregularities in India’s national entrance examinations. Last month, approximately 2.2 million medical school applicants were forced to retake the country’s medical entrance exam after the original test was cancelled due to a question paper leak. The controversy has intensified criticism of the government’s handling of the education system.
The movement takes its name from remarks made by India’s Chief Justice, who compared some unemployed young people to “cockroaches.” Protesters embraced the term, adopting it as a symbol of resistance and launching the “Cockroach Janta Party” as a satirical challenge to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Government officials have maintained there is no need for negotiations with the protesters, although the government reportedly invited two movement representatives for talks with Health Minister J.P. Nadda. Protest leaders said their demands remain unchanged, insisting the education minister must resign and reforms be implemented to restore trust in the examination system.
The demonstrations have become one of the most significant public challenges to Modi’s government during its third term, with opposition parties and several public figures expressing support for the movement.
