Police fire tear gas as thousands of 'Cockroach' protesters march on Indian parliament demanding education minister's resignation

A movement born from a court insult

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) emerged in May after the Supreme Court's chief justice, during an unrelated hearing, compared unemployed young people to "cockroaches". Supporters embraced the remark, turning it into a satirical movement that quickly amassed 22 million Instagram followers. The movement gained urgency after national medical school entrance test papers were leaked, affecting more than 2 million students who had to retake the exam. Founder Abhijeet Dipke began a sit-in last month demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Hunger strike galvanises support

Activist Sonam Wangchuk, 60, joined Dipke's protest on June 28 and launched an indefinite hunger strike. Wangchuk, a Ramon Magsaysay Award winner from Ladakh known for education reform and water-conservation projects, became the face of the Gen Z movement. On Saturday, police forcibly moved him to hospital after three weeks of fasting, a move that drew thousands of supporters to the protest site overnight.

I am no Gandhi, no hero. I'm just an ordinary citizen who has not shied away from his responsibilities. Don't look for a hero in others. Be the hero of your own life and fulfill your responsibilities.

In a handwritten note from hospital, Wangchuk set terms to end his fast, though details were not disclosed.

March on parliament met with tear gas

On Monday, as parliament's monsoon session opened, thousands gathered at Jantar Mantar, a designated protest site about 2 km from parliament. Police had denied permission for the march and deployed scores of personnel and barricades. When protesters tried to breach the barriers, police used tear gas and batons, and made arrests. The Delhi Police deputy commissioner said the crowd exceeded 10,000. Protesters chanted "Dharmendra Pradhan quit" and "Narendra Modi quit". Among them were students like Adi Nathan, 21, from Meerut, and Mohammed Tabrez, 22, from Amroha, who said they wanted corruption in exams to end. The crowd included students, professionals and families with young children.

Government reaches out

While the clashes unfolded, CJP leaders held talks with Health Minister J.P. Nadda. Chief spokesperson Saurav Das said the meeting lasted "10 minutes" and that Nadda assured them he would speak internally. The outreach came as the movement's founder, Abhijeet Dipke, was reportedly picked up by police, according to the CJP. The government has not commented on Dipke's status.

Broader demands and impact

The CJP is demanding Pradhan's resignation, reforms to the examination system, and compensation for families of students who died by suicide after paper leaks. The movement has drawn support from some opposition parties and is seen as the biggest public challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his third term. Protests have also spread to universities and other cities. The CJP initially drew support online, amassing 22 million followers on Instagram within days before broadening its appeal.