India's Cockroach Movement Halts New Delhi Marches After 150 Protesters Were Hurt
Updated
Updated · Al Jazeera English · Jul 21
India's Cockroach Movement Halts New Delhi Marches After 150 Protesters Were Hurt
3 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · Jul 21
Summary
More than 10,000 marchers who tried to reach parliament on Monday prompted the movement to stop further street rallies in New Delhi, saying police violence made another march too dangerous.
Abhijeet Dipke said 150 protesters were wounded by tear gas, canes and batons, while Delhi police reported 180 total injuries — 60 protesters and 118 police and security personnel — and 70 detentions.
The group said it will keep protesting from its Jantar Mantar site and continue demanding Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation over exam-paper leaks that forced 2.2 million medical aspirants to retake tests.
Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi protested outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence, Amnesty condemned the crackdown, and a court allowed hunger-striking activist Sonam Wangchuk's transfer to a private hospital.
The movement, born from online satire after a judge's 'cockroach' remark, has grown into a nationwide youth protest over education failures and demands 10 million rupees for each family of students who died by suicide after the leak.