India's Gen Z 'Cockroach' party demands change after exam leaks : NPR

Key Points:

• Thousands of protesters, led by the youth-driven Cockroach Janta Party, marched to India's Parliament demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over exam paper leaks and systemic corruption in education.
• The protests highlight broader frustrations with India's high youth unemployment rate and lack of quality jobs despite rapid economic growth, with many young people and parents seeking a fairer system.
• Authorities responded with a police crackdown, including tear gas and baton charges, while the government labeled protesters as threats, though Health Minister J.P. Nadda briefly met with protest representatives.
• The Cockroach Janta Party originated as a satirical response to a Supreme Court judge's derogatory remarks about unemployed youth, quickly gaining millions of social media followers and evolving into a serious movement.
• Protesters continue to face government resistance, with Education Minister Pradhan refusing to resign and labeling them as divisive, while activists like Sonam Wangchuk have been forcibly removed from protest sites.