India’s opposition parties shut down parliament on Wednesday in a protest demanding the resignation of education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, showing solidarity with the youth-led “cockroach” movement. Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi and other opposition politicians gathered outside the parliament building in Delhi, many dressed in black and waving placards calling for Pradhan to quit.
Parliament Suspended Amid Demands for Action
Inside the parliament chamber, proceedings were suspended after opposition figures demanded that Narendra Modi’s government address police violence against young people at a protest on Monday and scandals surrounding crucial exams. The previous day, Gandhi had been briefly detained by police after staging a sit-in outside Modi’s residence, accusing the prime minister of “destroying the future of India’s youth.” Gandhi’s sister, Priyanka, a senior Congress party strategist, was also briefly detained on Tuesday. Police confirmed they were later released.
Support for the Cockroach Janata Party
The opposition protests supported the Cockroach Janata party (CJP), a mass youth movement that began as a satirical online joke but has grown into a significant political challenge to the Modi government. On Monday, the CJP held one of the biggest anti-government protests in years, with dozens injured after police used teargas and baton charges against demonstrators.
More than 1,000 people remained camped at the CJP’s protest site in central Delhi on Wednesday despite gruelling heat and humidity. Many had travelled miles and vowed not to move until the education minister resigned and the government listened to their demands. Food deliveries from supporters, including some ordered from abroad, kept protesters fed on biryani, pizza, rice and dal.
Movement’s Origins and Demands
CJP spokesman Ashutosh Ranka said, “In the country where people had forgotten how to ask questions, in the country where criticising the government was considered treason – we have now awakened that country.” The CJP’s demands for changes to the education system and Pradhan’s resignation arose after repeated scandals over testing, growing into a larger movement voicing youth frustrations.
An estimated 50,000 people protested in Delhi on Monday, despite police denying permission to march on parliament. The demonstration began peacefully but clashes erupted by late afternoon. Police reported 60 civilians and 118 police personnel injured, accusing protesters of instigating clashes. Organisers condemned “high-handedness” by authorities and said hundreds of peaceful protesters were injured, including at least one woman on a ventilator in intensive care.
Allegations of Police Brutality
Amnesty International accused Delhi police of using excessive force. India’s Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to hear a petition alleging police brutality. Congress accused the Modi government of refusing to address student issues and the alleged “brutality unleashed on students” in parliament. Gandhi said, “The government doesn’t want to take any accountability, nor does it want to have a debate on it in parliament.”
Protests supporting the CJP were also held in Mumbai and Bengaluru, drawing hundreds of people.
Government Response
Modi has not commented directly on the protests. Education minister Pradhan, who had dismissed CJP protesters as a “B-team of terrorists,” took a more conciliatory tone in his first comments since Monday’s protests. In a social media post, he said, “We owe them [students] answers, reforms and accountability. That is exactly what our government remains committed to delivering.” He added, “The students of India deserve far better than being treated as props in a political campaign,” referring to Gandhi’s protest.
Several key opposition parties have supported the student movement and condemned police violence. Sandeep Dikshit, a senior Congress leader, said: “What happened yesterday is our constitution got trampled upon. After that, no self-respecting politician or citizen can stand aside.”
