‘Now or never’: Students defy Delhi lockdown to march on India’s parliament

What the report says

Al Jazeera reports that thousands of mostly youth and student protesters gathered in central New Delhi on Monday, July 20, to march toward India’s parliament despite heavy security restrictions. The demonstrators were responding to a call from the Cockroach Janta Party, or CJP, a fast-growing youth-led movement, and were demanding accountability and major changes in India’s education system after alleged leaks in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test, the medical entrance exam taken by about two million candidates each year.

According to the report, protesters at and around Jantar Mantar called for Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to resign. Authorities closed metro stations, blocked roads and restricted internet access in parts of central Delhi, while police urged the crowd to disperse, citing safety concerns at the crowded protest site. Al Jazeera said police used batons and tear gas as protesters attempted to move toward parliament, and that several demonstrators were taken away in police vans.

The unrest follows government confirmation of problems that forced retests for students already under intense pressure. Al Jazeera also reported that veteran activist Sonam Wangchuk had been removed from Jantar Mantar and taken to hospital after a 20-day hunger strike in solidarity with the movement, angering protesters. The CJP began as a satirical online account but has rapidly drawn national attention, with leader Abhijeet Dipke and other organisers backing the students’ demands.

The report said a CJP spokesperson claimed the government had reached out for talks, inviting activists to meet Health Minister JP Nadda. Analysts cited by Al Jazeera said the protests reflect broader concerns over education, unemployment and inequality, while warning that the movement’s loose structure could make a quick resolution uncertain.