India’s Cockroach movement supporters gather to attempt a march to Parliament
NEW DELHI (AP) — Thousands of supporters youth-led Cockroach movement They gathered to march to the Indian Parliament on Monday to demand the resignation of the education minister, despite police not allowing the protest.
Large numbers of police surrounded the barricaded protest site in the heart of New Delhi, raising the possibility of a clash if demonstrators continue to march. Television footage showed police hitting some protesters with batons as they tried to break through security barricades.
The crowd at Jantar Mantar, just a few kilometers from Parliament, included students, professionals and families with young children. Many carried backpacks filled with water and food in anticipation of a long day, while others waved Indian flags. As the crowd chanted slogans against the education minister and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, police urged the protesters to disperse over loudspeakers.
The Cockroach Janta Party emerged in May after the chief justice of the Supreme Court compared some unemployed youths to “cockroaches” during an unrelated hearing. Supporters seized on the quote and turned it into a satirical move that attracted millions of followers on social media.
The movement gained momentum after repeated leaks of high-stakes entrance exams for medical colleges and government jobs sparked public outrage. It attracted more attention after the police forcibly moved Hunger striking activist Sonam Wangchuk was hospitalized on Saturday.
Protesters calling themselves “cockroaches” set up camp at Jantar Mantar last month, while members of various student groups also joined Wangchuk’s hunger strike. Thousands of supporters also attended universities and rallies in other cities. They demand: Resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan Reforming the examination system and paying compensation to the families of students who died by suicide after the documents were leaked.
Before the march, Wangchuk said he would end his nearly three-week hunger strike only if the government takes responsibility for disruptions in the education system and the leak of exam papers, or if protesters are allowed to reach Parliament and MPs promise to raise the issues in both Houses.
Delhi Police said the march was not allowed and restrictions were necessary to maintain law and order around Parliament during the monsoon session, which begins on Monday.
protests It has won the support of opposition parties, rights activists and some Bollywood celebrities to become a rare public challenger to Modi’s Hindu nationalist government in its third term. Protesters say space for dissent has narrowed under Modi, whose government has been criticized for cracking down on public protests by jailing activists and using strong police crackdowns in some cases.
Senior leaders of the Modi government have taken a tough stance against the move. While Pradhan accused the protesters of acting against the nation, other ministers acknowledged the students’ concerns but insisted there was no need for talks or negotiations with the movement.
Yoga teacher Jyoti Rajput said she joined the protests because “this rotten system refuses to act.”
“He can’t see the pain of the students and that’s why so many people joined this movement,” he said.
