Police attack Cockroach activists as thousands march on Indian parliament

Key Points:

• Over 10,000 protesters from the youth-led Cockroach Janta Party marched towards India’s parliament in New Delhi, demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and a crackdown on corruption in the exam system.
• Police responded with tear gas, cane attacks, and baton charges to disperse the demonstrators, who were galvanized by the forcible hospitalization of activist Sonam Wangchuk, on hunger strike in solidarity with the movement.
• The protest coincided with the start of the monsoon parliamentary session and followed widespread outrage over leaked medical entrance exam papers, which forced 2.2 million students to retake the test amid intense pressure and several reported suicides.
• The movement, which began online by reclaiming the "cockroach" insult used by a Supreme Court judge, has grown into a significant street protest force, despite government attempts at minor concessions and detaining movement founder Abhijeet Dipke.
• Authorities faced challenges controlling the protest as demonstrators circumvented sealed metro exits and gathered in large numbers at Jantar Mantar, a historic park in central New Delhi, turning it into a focal point for ongoing demonstrations.