India’s youth-led “Cockroach” protests continue after a police crackdown on demonstrators seeking to reach parliament in New Delhi. The movement, which began as satire, is now a wider challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, drawing broader attention to concerns among young people about education, jobs and accountability. Sources describe protests that have expanded beyond an initial focus on alleged entrance or exam paper leaks, with demonstrators and supporters calling for action from the education ministry.
Reports say the standoff also involves political confrontation: opposition lawmakers raise demands for the education minister’s resignation and attempt to engage with protesters near parliament. After the crackdown, demonstrators sought legal recourse, including a petition alleging police brutality that the Supreme Court reportedly declined to hear. In the days following the crackdown, the government makes its first apparent efforts to engage with protesters, after a period of little visible contact. Meanwhile, opposition figures are reported to have been forcibly removed in connection with activities tied to the protests, underscoring the growing national political pressure surrounding the demonstration.
