Police Baton-Charge Student Protesters Demanding Education Minister's Resignation
Hundreds clash with authorities near Parliament as calls for accountability intensify over national exam leaks.
Image: Eddie Pollard / AI
Sarah Connor
Indian police baton-charged hundreds of protesting students and activists on Monday, blocking their march toward the Parliament amid escalating demands for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Authorities in Delhi denied permission for the march on Sunday, imposing a ban on gatherings of five or more people within the New Delhi district, home to Parliament.
As the protest unfolded, authorities suspended mobile internet services across parts of central Delhi, a measure frequently observed during periods of significant civil unrest.
This movement gained considerable momentum following repeated leaks of high-stakes entrance exams for medical colleges and government jobs, igniting widespread public anger.
The alleged leak of the paper for the national medical entrance exam impacted approximately 2.3 million students earlier this year, a claim vigorously asserted by the CJP.
Subsequently, the National Testing Agency, the body responsible for conducting the medical entrance exam, cancelled the examination amidst allegations of leaked questions.
A relentless string of exam leaks has forced millions of students into grueling re-takes and has been tragically linked to dozens of suicides in recent years.
The CJP and affected families report that some 20 students died by suicide due to profound distress after the NEET exam was cancelled.
I would end my fast only if the government accepted accountability or if protesters reached Parliament and received assurances their critical issues would be discussed.
The protest strategically coincided with the commencement of Parliament's monsoon session, which began on July 20 under stringent security arrangements.
Beyond the immediate protests, Sonam Wangchuk, a renowned innovator and education reformer, launched an indefinite hunger strike on June 28; police later moved him to a Delhi hospital.
From his hospital bed, Wangchuk declared he would end his fast only if the government accepted accountability or if protesters reached Parliament and received assurances their critical issues would be discussed.
A Delhi court subsequently ruled that authorities acted within their rights to move Wangchuk to a government hospital.
Following Wangchuk's removal, Abhijeet Dipke, the dynamic leader of the CJP, initiated his own indefinite fast on Saturday.
The CJP initially stated Abhijeet Dipke had been detained, but police later clarified they attempted to take him into custody and protesters actively prevented it.
To prevent the protest from swelling further, police closed five metro rail stations servicing the Jantar Mantar area on Monday.
Police then blocked the planned march with formidable barricades, leading to immediate scuffles, and officers deployed batons and tear gas against the protestors.
Several demonstrators reported injuries from the baton-charges, vividly describing the brutal impact of the police action.
As evening descended, police entered Jantar Mantar, announcing that protesters no longer possessed permission to remain; some demonstrators fled while others defiantly refused to leave.
Two CJP representatives later met with Health Minister JP Nadda, though the CJP's spokesperson stated no concrete commitments were made during the meeting.
Saurav Das, a CJP spokesperson, claims Nadda assured them he would speak internally about the pressing issues.
Meanwhile, Vijeta Dahiya, another CJP spokesperson, claims the party deliberately did not seek permission for the march, aiming to challenge laws requiring government permission to protest.
The party deliberately did not seek permission for the march, aiming to challenge laws requiring government permission to protest.
Prominent political figures including Mallikarjun Kharge, Mahua Moitra, and Akhilesh Yadav expressed unequivocal support for the protesters and sharply criticized the police action; Dimple Yadav was notably detained during the protest.
Monday's protest marked the largest demonstration in the Indian capital against Modi's government in recent years, signaling a palpable and growing public discontent.
The movement itself draws its name from a controversial remark by India's Chief Justice Surya Kant, who allegedly compared unemployed young people drifting towards journalism and activism to cockroaches and parasites during a court hearing.
Although the chief justice later withdrew the comment, Dipke defiantly embraced the label, transforming the cockroach into the movement's powerful symbol; the CJP subsequently amassed over 22 million followers on Instagram within just two weeks of its founding.