Tens of thousands of protesters have defied police orders in Delhi over successive days, demanding the resignation of India’s education minister in what has become one of the largest anti-government demonstrations the country has seen in years. The youth-led movement, known as the “Cockroach” protests, has posed one of the most significant challenges yet to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government.
Crowds made up largely of students and members of Generation Z filled the streets in the heart of India’s capital from early Monday morning, shouting anti-government slogans, according to The Guardian. Hundreds had camped out overnight ahead of the march. The protesters are calling for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and for sweeping education reforms in the wake of examination paper leak scandals.
Despite police violence during Monday’s demonstrations, protesters returned in force the following day showing no sign of backing down. The Guardian reported that some demonstrators arrived carrying protective gear. “We need to have protection in case Delhi police beat us up again,” said Taru, a 25-year-old protester who came equipped with a bicycle helmet. “We are not scared of them and we won’t run away, no matter what they do. We’ll stay here till they listen.”
The movement has drawn political backing at the highest levels. India’s opposition parties shut down parliament on Wednesday in solidarity with the protests. Opposition politicians, led by Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi, gathered outside the parliament building, many dressed in black and waving placards calling on Pradhan to quit, according to The Guardian.
The protests have also taken on a distinctive digital dimension. According to the BBC, after police cracked down on demonstrators, many participants returned home and produced reels and memes documenting the events. The BBC reported that for the protesters, these online posts became a way of processing fear, making sense of the violence, and refusing to let authorities have the final word.
Modi addressed the movement publicly for the first time, seeking to quell the growing anger. In a post on social media platform X, the prime minister wrote: “Nothing is more important than the welfare and future of our youth … Those who try to harm the future of our youth will not be spared.” He vowed to establish “fast-track courts” to accelerate the punishment of officials accused of leaking examination papers.
The examination leak scandals have struck a nerve among young Indians, for whom competitive exams often represent a critical pathway to higher education and employment. The scandal has spiralled into widespread anger directed at the government’s handling of the education system.
As the demonstrations continue, attention now turns to whether Modi’s promised measures will be enough to defuse the movement, or whether protesters will maintain pressure until their central demand—the education minister’s resignation—is met.