India's youth-led cockroach movement urged authorities on Monday to release all protesters detained during weeks of nationwide rallies against exam paper leaks.
The Cockroach Janta Party, which organized the demonstrations, said students had been held in Assam, West Bengal and Bihar. The call came two days after the education minister resigned over exam failures.
What is the Cockroach Janta Party demanding?
The CJP says continued detention of protesters, or a failure to withdraw criminal cases against them, would break the government's trust with demonstrators. The group has warned it will take further action if authorities do not meet its demands. Its statement follows earlier assurances that protesters would face no punitive measures, assurances the group says were not honoured.
Why did India's education minister resign?
Dharmendra Pradhan stepped down as education minister two days before the CJP's statement, following repeated failures in conducting competitive exams. Those failures fuelled anger among millions of young Indians preparing for government jobs and college admissions. His resignation came after sustained pressure from supporters of the cockroach movement nationwide.
How did the cockroach protests turn violent?
The movement gained millions of followers online after public relations graduate Abhijeet Dipke launched it in May. Tens of thousands of students rallied last week in New Delhi and other cities, demanding Pradhan's resignation and broader reforms to the examination system. The protests turned violent on July 20, when demonstrators tried to march from the Jantar Mantar site towards parliament.
Police responded with tear gas and batons, triggering clashes and a wave of detentions across several cities. The CJP accuses the government of backtracking on assurances that protesters would not face punitive action.
What is the government doing about exam paper leaks?
The crackdown reverberated in parliament on Monday, where opposition lawmakers repeatedly disrupted proceedings to demand accountability for the police response. Despite the disruptions, the government introduced legislation in the lower house proposing tougher penalties for exam paper leaks. The bill signals continued government action on the issue that triggered the youth-led protests.
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