- Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) announced it would not resume the march on parliament, as it feared its supporters would be beaten by police again.
- Thousands gathered again in Delhi a day after police crackdown on the CJP, a youth-led movement demanding education reforms and resignation of Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
- Police crackdown included plainclothes officers with covered faces beating protesters, and women were brutally beaten by male officers, as stated by CJP founder.
- The CJP's main demand is the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET exam paper leak; Pradhan has rejected it, calling them 'the B-team of disruptive elements'.
- Delhi Police accused protesters of displaying 'unruly, aggressive and violent behaviour' and deliberately violating prohibitory orders.
Thousands of protesters gathered at Delhi's Jantar Mantar on Tuesday, following a violent police crackdown that left at least 60 protesters injured. The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a youth-led movement, is demanding reforms in India's education system and the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over exam paper leaks affecting millions.1245
The CJP's decision to refrain from marching on parliament stems from fears of further police violence. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke expressed concern for the safety of supporters, particularly women, who faced brutality during the previous day's protests. He stated, “I apologise to all our supporters, especially the girls who were brutally beaten by male police officers.”
The protests erupted after the leak of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) exam papers, which has been linked to several student suicides. The CJP is demanding 10 million rupees ($104,000) compensation for families of students who died by suicide following the leak, alongside Pradhan's resignation. The movement has gained traction as a significant expression of dissent against Prime Minister Modi's government, reflecting widespread frustrations over job shortages and systemic corruption in education.
Despite a brief meeting with a senior federal minister, CJP spokesperson Saurav Das reported no concrete assurances were made. The government has yet to respond to the CJP's demands, which include accountability for the exam leaks and a comprehensive overhaul of the education system.
“The youth-led movement is demanding Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation over a NEET exam leak affecting over 2 million students. A 10-minute meeting with Health Minister JP Nadda yielded no assurances, with one CJP leader calling the wait 'a waste of time'.”
BBCBBC
