3 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · Jul 22
Summary
More than 100 protesters were severely wounded Monday when Delhi police used batons and tear gas against thousands demanding Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resign over repeated exam paper leaks.
The month-long, Gen Z-led “cockroach” movement has grown into the biggest public challenge of Narendra Modi’s third term, with opposition parties joining marches and courting arrest to amplify calls for Pradhan’s removal.
Pradhan’s survival fits a broader 12-year pattern under Modi, whose ministers have largely resisted resignation despite major controversies including lynching, caste-discrimination and protester-death cases.
Only one minister, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan during the 2021 COVID backlash, quit amid public accountability demands, a contrast critics draw with earlier Congress-led governments that saw multiple ministers resign or be sacked.
As an activist's hunger strike continues from a hospital, can his sacrifice ignite a revolution?
Can a movement born from a 'cockroach' insult truly reform India's broken education system?
Is tomorrow's march about fixing a broken system or just demanding political resignations?
July 2026 Delhi Protests: NEET-UG Crisis, Student Suicides, and the Cockroach Janta Party’s March on Parliament
Overview
On July 20, 2026, Delhi faces a tense security standoff as the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) prepares for a major march to Parliament, escalating their ongoing sit-in at Jantar Mantar. Protesters are demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged examination scams and NEET-UG paper leaks. The situation intensified after activist Sonam Wangchuk, who had been on a 21-day hunger strike, was forcibly removed from the protest site following Delhi High Court orders and medical advice due to severe dehydration. These events highlight growing unrest and calls for systemic reform in India's education system.