NEW DELHI (Web Desk) – India’s youth-led “Cockroach Janta Party” is preparing to march on Parliament next week, escalating a nationwide protest over alleged examination paper leaks and demanding accountability from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government.
The movement, which began as an online campaign, has evolved into a sustained street protest centred at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, where student activists and supporters have been staging demonstrations for weeks.
Organisers say the planned march aims to take their demands directly to lawmakers after what they describe as continued government silence.
A key figure in the campaign is climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who has entered the third week of a hunger strike in support of the movement. Speaking from the protest site, Wangchuk defended the fast as a peaceful means of pressing the government to respond.
“If not fasting, what? Riots in the streets? That’s what we don’t want to do. So this is a peaceful way to take your voice to the government,” he said.
The protesters are calling for the resignation of Education Minister **Dharmendra Pradhan** over alleged leaks in competitive entrance examinations, comprehensive reforms to India’s examination system, and compensation for families of students who died by suicide in connection with exam-related pressures or controversies.
The movement gained national attention after India’s Chief Justice Surya Kant reportedly referred to some unemployed young people as “cockroaches” during a court hearing on an unrelated matter in May. Protesters adopted the label as a symbol of resilience, transforming it into the name of their campaign, which rapidly attracted millions of followers on social media.
Organisers claim the online momentum has translated into growing public support, with demonstrations held at universities and in several cities across India. However, daily attendance at the main protest site in New Delhi has generally remained in the hundreds, rising to around 1,000 participants during evening gatherings.
Supporters, many of whom have camped at the protest venue through the monsoon season, say the campaign has expanded beyond education to demand greater transparency and accountability from public institutions.
“The system needs a complete overhaul because the current system is no longer accountable,” said Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party and a student at Boston University.
Despite increasing attention from opposition politicians and several Bollywood personalities, the central government has not entered formal talks with protest organisers. The Education Ministry has also not publicly responded to their demands.
Government leaders have largely dismissed the campaign, arguing that while students’ concerns should be addressed, there is no need for negotiations with the protesters.
Organisers say the lack of official engagement has strengthened their resolve. They insist the planned Parliament march will remain peaceful and are prepared to continue demonstrations until their demands are addressed.
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