Police block thousands of 'cockroach' protesters marching on India's parliament

What the report says

BBC World News reported that thousands of supporters of the Cockroach Janta Party, a youth-led movement calling for education and employment reforms, tried to march on India’s parliament in Delhi on 20 July 2026 despite a police ban. The demonstrators, including students, parents, teachers and professionals, gathered at Jantar Mantar before moving toward parliament to demand the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan amid anger over alleged exam paper leaks.

According to the BBC, police used canes and tear gas to disperse crowds in central Delhi, while some protesters said they were hurt in baton charges. Reports also said some demonstrators threw stones. Volunteer doctor Gaurish Batra told the BBC he had treated at least 10 people, including a man with a head injury and a woman with a suspected broken leg. The BBC said it had contacted Delhi Police for comment; police later denied CJP claims about an attempted detention of the movement’s founder, Abhijeet Dipke.

The protests disrupted the political atmosphere as parliament’s monsoon session opened, with opposition MPs raising the alleged paper leak and related issues. The BBC reported that two CJP representatives met Health Minister JP Nadda and submitted their demands; Nadda later urged protesters on X to end the demonstration and help restore normalcy.

The movement has gained prominence since June and has become a visible outlet for wider frustration over jobs, opportunity, transparency and accountability. It also drew attention after activist Sonam Wangchuk was moved to hospital during a hunger strike supporting the campaign. By evening, police had cleared and dismantled the Jantar Mantar protest site, leaving unclear whether the CJP would continue its sit-in or change course.