India's 'cockroach' protest called off after education minister quits

Figure caption, Watch: Protesters celebrate India's education minister resignationByGeeta Pandey, Yogita Limaye, International correspondent and Vikas Pandey, India digital editor, Reporting fromDelhiPublished4 minutes agoIndia's Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has called off its five-week-long protest, hours after Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned.The CJP has called it a win for democracy and thousands of jubilant supporters continue to celebrate at Jantar Mantar, the main protest venue in Delhi.An online satirical campaign with an AI-generated cockroach as its mascot, the CJP is not a real party but has evolved into a powerful platform for young people's anxieties and dissent.

The protest has been the most visible expression of public anger against PM Narendra Modi's government in recent years and gained momentum after Monday's police crackdown on people marching to parliament left dozens injured. Image source, ReutersImage caption, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke has called Pradhan's resignation a win for democracyPradhan announced his resignation on X in a post in Hindi saying he "respected the aspirations, dreams, and expectations of the youth" and was "pained by the events" of the past few days."Considering the situation at Jantar Mantar and across the country - with the aim of preventing anti-national forces from exploiting it, preserving national unity, ensuring that not a single Indian student's future gets entangled in legal complexities, and allowing our children to devote their time to studies and focus on building their careers - I have submitted my resignation to the prime minister," he wrote.

As news of Pradhan's resignation broke, a visibly emotional Abhijeet Dipke, CJP's founder, screamed from the makeshift stage at Jantar Mantar: "We have done it." A loud cheer went up and huge celebrations erupted with the protesters singing, dancing, shouting slogans and handing out sweets.Several hours since the CJP announced the end of their protest and its leaders left the site, crowds were still gathered at the venue into the night.

Many told the BBC they had waited for this day for weeks, and were not in the mood to leave without celebrating.The site is increasingly looking like the centre of a party, with volunteers doing their best to manage the crowds. A large number of police are deployed around the area, but they say they will intervene only if they see breaches of the law.

Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Dharmendra Pradhan announced his resignation on X in a post in HindiThe CJP was formed after the chief justice of India described some unemployed young people turning to journalism and activism as "cockroaches". He later said he was referring specifically to people with "fake and bogus degrees", but by then, the term had taken a life on its own.The movement is led by Abhijeet Dipke, a 30-year-old political communications strategist and former student at Boston University.

The CJP quickly gained a huge following online, turning one of the most reviled insects into a symbol of defiance and resilience with 26 million followers on Instagram.It called for reforms to India's education system, greater accountability over exam paper leaks and the resignation of Pradhan.The protests gained global attention after activist and educationist Sonam Wangchuk joined them on 28 June and began an indefinite hunger strike in support of their demands.

As his health deteriorated, the crowds began to swell and Wangchuk was forcibly removed from the protest site by the police last Saturday and taken to hospital where he continued to fast. He finally called it off early Friday morning following assurances from the government that his demands would be looked into.Over the course of the protest, most of India's major opposition political parties, activists and many celebrities turned up to show solidarity.

On Saturday, opposition leaders welcomed Pradhan's resignation, with many calling it a victory for the youth-led movement.Image source, ReutersImage caption, Many protesters were seriously hurt in Monday's police crackdownSince coming to power in 2014, PM Modi's government has rarely tolerated dissent and cracked down heavily on protests, which is why Pradhan's resignation is being seen as a big deal in India.But this isn't the first time they have faced big protests - and it's not the first time they been forced into a climbdown either.

Back in 2021, the government repealed agriculture laws after a year-long protest by farmers. The students' protest has resonated with a large section of middle-class India, cutting across identities of religion, caste or sectors, with people voicing anger about the lack of educational opportunities and jobs in India.Pressure grew on the government after Monday's violent crackdown when police and paramilitary forces used batons and wooden sticks to beat up young men and women, firing tear gas cans at them.

About 300 people were taken to hospital. Police said at least half of the