Overview
- The Cockroach Janta Party-led demonstrations, which swelled into tens of thousands on Monday, have held street occupations in New Delhi and driven solidarity marches in Mumbai, Bengaluru, Goa and Patna.
- The protests were triggered by repeated exam failures that included leaked medical-entrance questions and malfunctioning online grading systems, forcing more than two million candidates to retake tests and affecting nearly two million school exam takers.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced fast-track courts and tougher penalties for exam leaks, while State Minister Jitendra Singh publicly said the government is ready to hold talks with the movement.
- Clashes between protesters and police have involved tear gas, batons and mass arrests, with police reporting at least 178 people injured and human-rights groups accusing security forces of using excessive force.
- The CJP began in May as a satirical reclaiming of a Supreme Court judge's 'cockroaches' remark, has built a huge online following, and is intensifying pressure through nationwide street protests and an indefinite hunger strike by founder Abhijeet Dipke.