Modi Government Under Growing Pressure as Delhi 'Cockroach' Protests Intensify

Pressure has been building on India's government as thousands of Cockroach Janta Party supporters continue to protest in Delhi despite heavy overnight rains.

The youth-led movement, which is seeking education reforms and the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, gained significant momentum on Tuesday when leaders of the main opposition Congress party staged a protest outside the prime minister's residence.

They were protesting against the police crackdown on Monday's march, in which dozens of demonstrators and police officers were injured. Congress circulated video of its MP Rahul Gandhi and others being dragged into buses and taken to detention centres. They were later released.

On Monday, tens of thousands of protesters flooded central Delhi after the CJP called for a march to parliament as the monsoon session began. At least 60 people were injured after police used batons and tear gas to disperse the crowds.

Officers also dismantled the stage and makeshift tents at Jantar Mantar, the protest's main base near the 300-year-old observatory. The demonstrators have refused to leave, maintaining a round-the-clock sit-in on the site.

A day after the violence they were visited by senior opposition figures including the former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and the veteran politician Sharad Pawar. Later on Tuesday, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Gandhi led a surprise march to Modi's house, demanding the resignations of Pradhan, Home Minister Amit Shah — to whom the Delhi police report — and the prime minister himself.

Gandhi said the government must apologise to students for the crackdown, and explained that Congress had protested outside Modi's residence because it was not permitted to raise the issue in parliament. He said he had met speaker Om Birla to seek a discussion, but "the speaker said he needed to take permission from the government, but it was very clear to us that there was no interest in the government of having a debate".

Federal minister Jitendra Singh denied that account. He said he had informed Gandhi that the government had accepted his demand for a discussion, but alleged that the Congress leader then also demanded Pradhan's resignation. He accused Gandhi of "changing the goalpost" and of refusing to end the protest despite being told the location was not conducive to such demonstrations.

Pradhan, in his first comments since Monday's violence, criticised Congress for "shamelessly exploiting students as political tools".

"Even after government conveyed its readiness for a comprehensive discussion, the Congress chose political spectacle over democratic debate," he wrote on X. "Their objective was never solutions for students, it was disruption for political headlines."

He did not refer directly to the CJP or the protests, but added: "We owe our students more than outrage. We owe them answers, reforms and accountability. That is exactly what our government remains committed to delivering."

Reported from the BBC.