Cockroach Party leader says, ‘We will not stop’ after police brutality

The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) has announced that it will continue its agitation until the resignation of India’s Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The organisation made the announcement on Tuesday (July 21), a day after police brutality during student protests in Delhi.
Thousands of protesters gathered in the Indian capital New Delhi on Monday (July 20) demanding the resignation of the Education Minister and sweeping reforms in the examination system. At least 180 people were injured in clashes between police and protesting students.
The CJP started as a social media-based movement in May this year. In a short time, the organisation has garnered the support of millions of people. According to analysts, it has become one of the biggest mass movements of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third term. CJP leader Ashutosh Ranka said on social media, “We will not stop. Dharmendra Pradhan must resign.”
Meanwhile, hundreds of protesters are still on their sit-in at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar today. Many of them are demanding not only the resignation of the education minister but also reforms in the entire education system. Yesterday, when protesters tried to march towards Parliament, the police dispersed them with tear gas and batons. It was one of the largest road protests in Delhi in almost five years.
The Delhi Police said that 178 people were injured in the clashes. Of them, 118 were police personnel, including senior officers. The police claimed that a section of the protesters engaged in “disorderly and violent behaviour”. At the same time, they said that about 60 protesters were also injured.
On the other hand, the organizers of the movement condemned the “excessive use of force” by the police and claimed that hundreds of protesters were injured. “This is a shameful day in the history of Indian democracy,” Ashutosh Ranka told AFP news agency. “The Delhi police brutally beat up ordinary students who came to protest for their just demands.”
He also said that despite a meeting with Union Minister J.P. Nadda on Monday, the government has yet to respond positively to their demands. In India, the recent question paper leaks and examination-related irregularities have eroded public confidence in the education system.
It is worth noting that the medical entrance exam (NEET), which was recently cancelled due to question paper leaks, was held again under tight security. About 22 lakh candidates participated in it. Earlier, there was a controversy over the online evaluation of about 20 lakh higher secondary students, which further fueled discontent across the country.