India’s Modi Regime Faces Escalating Protests from Youth‑Led Cockroach Janta Party

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a youth‑led movement originally formed in a campus crisis, has emerged as the most visible form of dissent against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government in recent years. Its core demand is the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan following allegations of hidden leaks in examination papers.

On Monday, tens of thousands flooded central Delhi after the CJP called for a march to Parliament during the monsoon session. Police used batons and tear gas to disperse crowds, injuring more than 60 people. The stage and tents at the protest’s main staging area, Jantar Mantar, were dismantled, yet demonstrators refused to leave, maintaining a round‑the‑clock sit‑in despite heavy rains and a brutal crackdown.

The opposition Congress amplified the protest by staging a surprise march outside the prime minister’s house on Tuesday, demanding resignations for Pradhan, Home Minister Amit Shah and PM Modi itself. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was dragged into a bus during the protests, prompting allegations of political exploitation of student grievances.

Education Minister Pradhan’s first response blamed the Congress for exploiting students. He called the CJP’s actions “shameless” and urged the government to focus on real solutions rather than spectacle.

The CJP’s movement has broadened beyond Delhi. Protesters have staged rallies in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Ahmedabad, and the hunger strike of activist Sonam Wangchuk has drawn international attention.

Without a resolution or acknowledgment of the education reforms demanded by the CJP, the march continues. The government’s steadfast refusal to discuss the protest’s demands has intensified unrest and signaled growing instability within Delhi’s political sphere.