India’s Cockroach Janta Party announced on Tuesday it will continue its campaign demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan but will not organise another march on parliament, one day after more than 10,000 protesters were met with baton charges and tear gas in central New Delhi, leaving 180 people injured including 118 police officers and 60 demonstrators.
Delhi Police used cane charges, tear gas and in some cases plain-clothes officers to break up the march on Monday, the opening day of parliament’s monsoon session. Seventy protesters were detained and legal action was announced against them. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke apologised directly to his supporters on X, saying he could have done better to protect them from what he called the inhumane actions of the Delhi Police, adding that girls had been beaten by male officers.
At least 12 students have died by suicide over repeated leaks of National Eligibility Entrance Test papers that have forced millions to retake gruelling exams and delayed university admissions nationwide.
The movement, which began as online satire and amassed 22 million Instagram followers within days of launching in May, has escalated into the most significant challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his third term.
Activist Sonam Wangchuk, who began a hunger strike on June 28, remains hospitalised after authorities forcibly admitted him on Saturday.
