Youth Crackdown and Clashes Raise Call for Impartial Probe
Satire Meets Street Power
Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant must be wondering at the way the word he had used as a joke, Cockroach, has become immensely popular with the people of India. Monday has witnessed a metamorphosis in the young cockroaches that nobody expected. The tens of thousands of youngsters that have arrived in Delhi from all over India on their own volition have surprised the observers with their gusto and determination. The crackdown by the Delhi police who had beaten up the young girls and boys mercilessly was unprecedented. One girl is in the ICU at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital. About one hundred boys and girl were treated for injuries. There are reports that tens of police personnel who were injured in stone-pelting were also taken to hospitals. Some young persons in mufti were seen wielding the lathis. Their identity is not yet confirmed. According to Abhijeet Dipke, founder of Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), members of his party were asked to conduct the campaign peacefully in Gandhian way to protect the Constitution written by Babasaheb Ambedkar. Then who pelted stones on the police? An impartial inquiry should be conducted to know the truth.
Courts, Crackdowns, and Continuing Fast- The Jantar Mantar Eye-Opener
Monday’s proceedings at Jantar Mantar in Delhi should be an eye-opener to those who described the young men and women who supported CJP as vermin. Large number of people, including the supporters of the CJP, continued to join the sit-in at Jantar Mantar on Wednesday, 22 July 2026. The CJP said millions more will come to Delhi if the government does not agree to its primary demand of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation over the NEET paper leak issue. The leaders of the CJP, including Abhijeet Dipke have appealed to activist Sonam Wangchuk to break his fast since the protests will continue till their demands are met.
Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought response from the Centre and Delhi police on petitions alleging the use of excessive force against protesters during the CJP-led March to Parliament on July 20. The court has directed the police to preserve all records relating to the incidents including the CCTV footage and videographs. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Wednesday declined CJP’s request for urgent listing of a plea challenging the police action against the students during the Monday march.
Opposition Takes to the Streets
Union Ministers J.P. Nadda and Dr Jitendra Singh visited Sonam Wangchuk who is on day 25 of his indefinite fast. Sonam is at Medanta Hospital at Gurugram where he was shifted on the directive of the HC. Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in Parliament, who created a sensation on Tuesday with his dharna near PM’s residence along with Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Priyanka Gandhi and a host of other Congress leaders, alleged at a press conference on Wednesday that Dharmendra Pradhan has failed as Education Minister. He also said the demands made by the students are legitimate. “We thought since the students are on the streets, the opposition should also be on the street…How I was treated is irrelevant to me, the focus is on NEET leak,” Rahul Gandhi said. “I had a nose bleed but I supported the students,” Rahul said.
The pliant media, the so called Godi media, which questioned till the other day ‘Where is Rahul Gandhi?’ is now questioning ‘Why is Rahul Gandhi taking advantage of the youth unrest?’ Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and other Congress leaders were taken into custody from the dharna site near PM’s residence and they were taken to different police stations. They were freed after a couple of hours of detention. The Congress MPs attended Parliament on Wednesday in black dress as a protest against the police excesses on students.
When Streets Speak
Ram Manohar Lohia used to say that if the streets are silent the Parliament would be worthless (Sadak kaamosh hai to sadan awaara ban jayeega!). The streets in Delhi have been unduly silent for more than six years since the agitation against the Common Civil Code move. The farmers agitated against the three farm laws that were enacted in a hurry. But their agitation was in Delhi-Haryana border. It was successful and all the three laws have been repealed. Now the farmers are moving to Delhi again to protest against the trade agreement India is going to sign with the US. After a long time when the Modi dispensation has taken things for granted, there has been an unprecedented noise on Delhi streets thanks to the CJI Justice Surya Kant and the Cockroach Janata Party.
There is a method in the noise. The Cockroach movement is led by CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke who is a Dalit. The person who inspired the youth, Sonam Wangchuk, is an Adivasi. The Bahujan politics is shaping the narrative of the youth of the country. It is a welcome development.
Wangchuk’s Fast & The Government’s Dilemma
The images of thousands of young and peaceful protestors facing barricades, lathis and teargas shells would certainly go against Modi government. CJP has been organizing sit-in protests since June 20 and education and environmental activist Sonam Wangchuk has launched his fast on June 28. The activist was forcibly taken to a government hospital on Saturday. Union Minister Nadda met two representatives of the CJP for ten minutes, accepted a memorandum and promised to talk to the responsible persons in the government. The students are demanding reforms in the broken education system and resignation of the education minister.
The government has been making it clear that the resignation of the education minister is not negotiable. It told the Speaker that it is prepared to discuss the NEET paper leak which the PM described as ‘maha pap.’ Sonam Wangchuk has given a statement that he is prepared to end his fast if the government gives an assurance that it would not take any legal action against the students who protested. The government is likely to give that assurance in which case the activist would end his fast. According to his wife Gitanjali Agmo, Sonam lost 11 kg of weight in the 25 days of fast. The CJP is insisting on its demand that the education minister must resign. One has to wait and watch the developments.
Prominent Journalist
Dr. K. Ramachandra Murthy is a versatile journalist with a distinguished career. Dr. Murthy began his extensive career with Andhra Prabha of The Indian Express group in Bengaluru. He was editor of Udayam, Vaartha and Andhra Jyothy. Dr. Murthy founded and edited HMTV news channel and The Hans India, an English newspaper. He was also editorial director of the Telugu newspaper, Saakshi. He was awarded Ph. D for his research work in rural reporting. Dr. Murthy’s five decades in journalism showcases his influential roles across both print and electronic media. He wrote the political biography of NTR published by Harper Collins.
