Thousands March Towards Parliament Demanding Education Minister's Resignation

New Delhi. Despite the police not giving permission, thousands of supporters of the 'Cockroach' movement, led by youth, have gathered in New Delhi with the objective of marching towards the Parliament building demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.< /p>

A large number of police have been deployed in the Jantar Mantar area of the capital, and security arrangements have been tightened around the Parliament. The police have urged the protesters to disperse through loudspeakers, warning of clashes if they attempt to move forward.< /p>

Students, people from various professions, and ordinary citizens including families are participating in the protest. They are carrying the Indian flag and chanting slogans against Education Minister Pradhan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.< /p>

This movement, known as the 'Cockroach Janata Party', started in May after the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court compared some unemployed youth to 'cockroaches' during the hearing of a different case. The protesters have sarcastically embraced this remark and amplified the movement through social media.< /p>

The dissatisfaction that arose from the repeated incidents of question paper leaks in medical colleges and government services has further fueled the movement. The protest gained even wider support after activist Sonam Wangchuk, who was on a hunger strike, was taken to the hospital by the police on Saturday.< /p>

The protesters have been staging a sit-in at Jantar Mantar for the past month. They are demanding the resignation of the Education Minister, reforms in the examination system, and compensation for the families of students who committed suicide due to question paper leaks.< /p>

Wangchuk has stated that he will end his nearly three-week-long hunger strike only if the government makes a concrete commitment to reform the education system or if the protesters are allowed to reach Parliament and the MPs ensure these issues are raised in Parliament.< /p>

Delhi Police, however, stated that permission for the march has not been granted due to security reasons, as the monsoon session of Parliament has begun. This movement has become a rare public challenge for the government led by Prime Minister Modi. Opposition parties, civil rights activists, and some Bollywood actors have also expressed support for the movement.< /p>

However, senior ministers of the government have taken a strong stance against the movement. Education Minister Pradhan has accused the protesters of engaging in anti-national activities, while other ministers have stated that although the students' concerns are valid, there is no need for dialogue with the movement.< /p>

Jyoti Rajput, a yoga instructor participating in the protest, said that she joined the movement for reforms in the education system and accused the government of not being sensitive to the students' pain.< /p>

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