India’s education minister resigns after weeks of ‘Cockroach’ protests

Dharmendra Pradhan quits in first major concession from PM Narendra Modi’s government after nationwide demonstrations over exam paper leaks.

India’s Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has resigned, handing a big victory ⁠to youth protesters nationwide who had demanded that he quit to take responsibility for a series of examination paper leaks.

Pradhan announced his resignation on X on Saturday, just as police fired tear gas to scatter the protesters in New Delhi, hours before their leaders were set to hold another round ‌of talks with federal ministers.

“Considering the situation that has arisen at Jantar Mantar and across the country, so that antinational forces do not take advantage of this situation … I have sent my resignation letter to Prime Minister [Narendra Modi],” Pradhan wrote in his post.

“I deeply respect the ⁠aspirations, feelings, and legitimate expectations of ⁠the country’s youth.”

Pradhan said he did not want to allow tens of thousands of students calling for his resignation to be taken advantage of by “anti-national forces”.

He said he did not want to see pupils become “entangled in legal complexities” instead of studying and building their careers.

‘Democracy won!’

“We have done it,” said Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), the satire movement that led the protests, to loud cheers at the Jantar Mantar protest site in New Delhi, where authorities restricted access to the internet and closed ۱۸ metro stations around it. Similar celebrations were also reported from other cities across the country.

In a post on X, the CJP said: “Cockroaches won… Democracy won!”

The CJP said it has three more demands: one crore rupees ($۱۰۳,۵۵۴) to the families of all students who died by suicide, no punitive action against people who participated in the protests, and a public apology from Delhi Police and the Rapid Action Force paramilitary over the attacks on the protesters.

In a post on X, the movement said the three demands are still “pending”.

“We won’t go like this,” founder Dipke said. “Remember, do not mess with cockroach.”

Anger ⁠has boiled over since police on Monday injured many students, launching baton charges and firing tear gas and even alleged pellet guns to deter crowds of protesters marching ‌on parliament.

A second round of talks between senior members of the group and the government was due to take place on Saturday. It is not clear if that meeting will still go ahead. Talks were also held on Friday.

Modi’s government had earlier sought to ease tensions by announcing fast-track courts for cases involving exam paper leaks and saying it would introduce legislation to strengthen measures against cheating and corruption in the examination system.

The protests, one of the most visible signs of public dissent against Modi’s government in recent years, reflected growing anger over job scarcity, corruption and government accountability.