Indian police fire tear gas, baton charge exam protesters

Indian police fired tear gas and baton-charged protesters in New Delhi on Monday as thousands of student-led demonstrators tried to march on parliament.

The protesters are demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over exam irregularities, including leaked question papers and technical glitches. Police charged the crowd near Jantar Mantar, the capital's designated protest site.

Why did police fire tear gas at the protesters?

Police used tear gas and baton charges to stop thousands of student protesters from breaching barricades near Jantar Mantar. The demonstrators were trying to march on parliament to demand the education minister's resignation over exam irregularities. Officers said the protest had not been authorized, and most protesters, many of them teenagers, scattered as the shells landed.

Thousands of protesters started gathering from early Monday, defying a steady monsoon drizzle and police barricades. It marked one of the biggest demonstrations in the capital in five years. "Our country deserves a government that is bothered about what the young people have to say and is willing to correct its mistakes," said Sumit Kumar, 18. "The future belongs to us and not these politicians."

What is the Cockroach Janta Party and why is it protesting?

The Cockroach Janta Party, known as CJP, is a satirical movement that has won millions of followers on social media since launching in May. It has tapped into widespread anger over India's education system and unemployment. Despite the country's rapid economic growth, millions still struggle to find stable, well-paying jobs, which has fueled the discontent behind the movement.

CJP criticized the police response directly on social media platform X. "Is this a war zone? Why is the police resorting to tear gas assault on peaceful protesters?" the group asked. It added that the government had ignored the protest for a month before moving to disperse it.

How does Sonam Wangchuk's hunger strike connect to the protest?

The protest followed the forced hospitalization of activist Sonam Wangchuk on Saturday, which ended his 20-day hunger strike. Wangchuk had been fasting in support of youths and the CJP movement. Shubhi Rao, 16, said she joined the protest to support Wangchuk and demand accountability from the government.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has shown himself as someone who isn't bothered about the youth of this country," Rao said. The movement is seen as one of the biggest challenges to Modi's Hindu-nationalist government since he won a third term in 2024.

What triggered the exam irregularities behind the protest?

Some 2.2 million aspiring medical students sat for a re-examination under tight security last month. The original test was scrapped after a question paper leak triggered widespread outrage nationwide. A separate scandal involving the online marking system for tests taken by nearly two million high school students added to the anger.

How has the Indian government responded to the protests?

Two CJP leaders met a senior minister on Monday and submitted a letter outlining their demands after the government reached out that morning. Internet access was cut in parts of central New Delhi, with police saying the protest had not been authorized. "Any person violating these prohibitory orders shall be liable for prosecution," Delhi Police said in a statement.

Modi did not mention the protesters during a public address ahead of parliament's monsoon session. Opposition leader Mallikarjun Kharge raised the issue in the upper house instead. "Thousands of students have gathered at Jantar Mantar. The government is trying to use force, suppress voices, and drive them away," he said. Opposition lawmakers in the lower house also shouted slogans demanding the education minister's resignation and justice for students.