The Cockroach Janta Party protest in Delhi turned tense on Monday as thousands of supporters defied a police ban and tried to march toward parliament to press for the resignation of India’s education minister. Police moved in with canes and tear gas to break up the crowd in central Delhi, while some protesters said they were injured during the crackdown. Officials did not immediately comment on the reports of injuries.
The confrontation came after weeks of demonstrations over alleged exam paper leaks and accusations that the country’s education system is in deeper trouble. What began as a youth-driven campaign has grown into one of the clearest signs of public frustration with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in recent years. The movement, known as the Cockroach Janta Party or CJP, has tied the leaks to wider complaints about jobs, opportunity, transparency and accountability.
Despite the ban, tens of thousands of students, parents, teachers and professionals gathered early at Jantar Mantar, the 300-year-old observatory in central Delhi, and stayed there through heavy rain. Volunteers handed out food and water. Patriotic songs played from loudspeakers. Protesters painted placards, waved Indian flags and waited for word from the barricades set up around parliament.
As the march started, the crowd spilled into nearby streets before being blocked at one barricade after another. Some people sat on the roadway chanting slogans. Others moved in smaller groups through side streets in an effort to get closer to parliament. Inside the legislature, the opening day of the monsoon session was repeatedly adjourned as opposition members protested over the alleged paper leak and other issues.
Reports from the scene described a rough standoff as police and paramilitary personnel sealed roads leading to parliament. Some protesters said they were struck by batons and returned to Jantar Mantar bleeding or unable to walk easily. Volunteer doctor Gaurish Batra said at least 10 people had been treated, including a man with a blood-soaked shirt collar and a woman with a suspected broken leg. Authorities also suspended mobile internet service in parts of central Delhi, cutting off many demonstrators from messaging apps and social media.
