India's youth-led Cockroach movement vows to continue protest after police crackdown

Key Points:

• Supporters of India's youth-led Cockroach movement continue their sit-in protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, demanding Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation over alleged failures in the examination system, despite police using tear gas and batons to disperse them.
• The movement, which began as a satirical protest, has grown into a nationwide challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, focusing on exam leaks, unemployment, and government accountability, and gained momentum after activist Sonam Wangchuk's hunger strike and police violence against protesters.
• Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi and Congress party lawmakers staged a sit-in outside Modi's residence to demand answers for the police brutality against young protesters, marking a significant escalation in political opposition.
• Delhi Police reported nearly 180 injuries from the clashes, including 60 protesters and 118 security personnel, while Amnesty International condemned the police actions as suppression of peaceful dissent protected under the Indian constitution.
• Despite a senior minister's attempt at dialogue, protesters remain unsatisfied, demanding concrete actions including Pradhan's resignation, examination reforms, and compensation for families affected by exam-related suicides, with public support for the movement growing following the violent crackdown.