Thousands Join 'Cockroach Movement' Protest as Indian Police Use Batons to Disperse Crowd | WPN World People News

The youth-led "Cockroach Movement" staged a massive demonstration in New Delhi on Sunday, drawing tens of thousands of supporters who gathered in the city center and attempted to march toward Parliament. Although authorities had not approved the rally, protesters assembled despite heavy rain, chanting slogans demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The movement, which has continued for several months, is widely seen as the biggest public challenge to Modi's third term in office.

Police estimated the crowd at around 10,000 people and said permission for the march had been denied due to concerns that overcrowding could pose a serious safety risk. When large numbers of demonstrators attempted to advance toward Parliament, officers erected multiple barricades and moved to disperse the crowd. Television footage showed some police officers wielding batons to push protesters back. However, Delhi Police denied using excessive force, insisting that officers acted professionally to maintain public order.

The movement was triggered by the nationwide medical college entrance exam paper leak in May, which affected more than 2 million candidates and forced them to retake the examination, further fueling frustration among young people. Analysts say that beyond concerns over exam fairness, persistently high youth unemployment has been a major factor behind the rapid expansion of the protests. Official figures show that India's unemployment rate among people aged 15 to 29 is close to 10%, rising to more than 13% in urban areas, reflecting growing dissatisfaction among the younger generation over education, employment opportunities, and government governance.