Dharmendra Pradhan, CJP: India’s ‘cockroach’ protest called off after education minister quits
Since coming to power in 2014, Prime Minister Modi’s government has rarely tolerated dissent and heavily suppressed protests; hence Pradhan’s resignation is seen as a major event in India.
But this isn’t the first time they’ve faced major protests, and it’s not the first time they’ve been forced to go down. In 2021, the government had repealed the farm laws after a year-long protest by farmers.
The students’ protest resonated across a wide swath of middle-class India; distinguished between religious, caste or sector identities; people expressed anger about the lack of educational opportunities and jobs in India.
Pressure on the government has increased following Monday’s violent crackdown, with police and paramilitary forces beating young men and women with batons and wooden sticks and firing tear gas canisters at them.
Approximately 300 people were hospitalized. Police said at least half of the injured were security personnel and arrested about 70 protesters, most of whom were released on bail.
After ignoring the protesters for nearly five weeks, Modi finally broke his silence on Thursday and said they had “decided to set up fast-track courts to ensure swift and strict punishment of those involved in the paper leak.”
And later that night, Modi released a video message saying that a tough new law on exam paper leaks was being prepared. He said that he had received the draft law that they want to present to the parliament soon.
After Pradhan’s resignation, CJP founder Dipke said in his statement to X that the struggle is not over yet.
He said they would continue to fight for the families of students who died by suicide after an important medical examination was canceled to ensure they received compensation.
He also renewed his call for action against police officers, whom he accused of using excessive force against protesters against CJP supporters who tried to march to Parliament on July 20.
“Remember, do not interfere [the] cockroach,” he added.
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