How has the Indian government responded to ‘Cockroach’ protests?

What the report says

Al Jazeera reports that India’s BJP-led government has answered weeks of “Cockroach” protests with a combination of arrests, legal action and outreach to younger voters. The demonstrations, led by the Cockroach Janta Party, began in June at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar after leaked medical entrance exam papers forced retests and intensified anger over education governance. The unrest has become one of the largest protest waves of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 12-year tenure.

According to the report, BJP-run states including West Bengal and Maharashtra moved on Tuesday to halt action against participants, following similar steps in Bihar, Assam and Delhi. The Supreme Court also ordered the release of under-18 protesters and called for preservation of footage from drones, body cameras and CCTV as petitions challenge alleged excessive police force. Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned on Saturday, a major concession after protesters demanded his exit.

Al Jazeera says protesters and activists still allege pressure on online speech and surveillance. Delhi Police reportedly filed an FIR over allegedly abusive posts about Modi and sought account details from X, while some protesters said officers recorded Instagram handles at Jantar Mantar. Student activist Aishe Ghosh has also challenged alleged mass surveillance in court, according to Reuters as cited in the report.

At the same time, the BJP has turned to youth-focused messaging, using social media videos, pop-culture references and Gen Z-style formats to defend the government’s record and frame Pradhan’s resignation as evidence of democratic responsiveness. The response matters because India’s young population is politically significant, and the protests have placed education reform, policing and digital rights at the centre of national debate.