NEW DELHI: India’s youth-led Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) declared a partial victory on Saturday after Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned, but vowed to continue nationwide protests until its remaining demands are fulfilled.
CJP leader Abhijeet Dipke said the movement would not end with the minister’s resignation, calling for compensation of one crore rupees for the families of students who died by suicide and legal action against police personnel accused of using excessive force against protesters.
“This is democracy. He has resigned, but we have two more demands. We won’t go like this,” Dipke said, adding, “Remember, do not mess with cockroaches.”
The group described Pradhan’s resignation as the first of its three key demands to be met.
The education minister announced his resignation on social media platform X as police fired tear gas to disperse protesters in New Delhi, just hours before another round of talks between CJP leaders and government ministers.
“Considering the situation that has arisen at Jantar Mantar and across the country, so that anti-national forces do not take advantage of this situation … I have sent my resignation letter to the Prime Minister,” Pradhan wrote.
“I deeply respect the aspirations, feelings, and legitimate expectations of the country’s youth.”
Thousands of protesters gathered in central Delhi celebrated the announcement, while authorities continued restrictions on mobile internet services and access to 18 metro stations in an effort to contain demonstrations.
Activist Sonam Wangchuk, who recently ended a 26-day hunger strike, congratulated protesters from his hospital bed, praising their efforts in keeping the movement alive.
The protests intensified after police used batons and tear gas earlier this week to disperse students marching towards parliament. The demonstrations, initially sparked by leaks of medical entrance examination papers, have evolved into a broader campaign against corruption, unemployment and government accountability.
Earlier on Saturday, the government resumed negotiations with CJP leaders, marking another attempt to defuse what has become the biggest youth-led challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration since 2014.
CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka said the movement had demanded clarity over Pradhan’s future before the resignation announcement.
“We want a yes or no answer,” he had said ahead of the talks.
At Friday’s meeting, CJP representatives warned government ministers that protests would continue and could spread further unless the education minister stepped down and comprehensive examination reforms were introduced.
The unrest began after question paper leaks affected nationwide medical entrance examinations, forcing more than two million candidates to retake their tests and fuelling public anger over alleged systemic failures in India’s examination system.
