India in crisis: Thousands protest after clashes, despite Modi assuring action on exams

Thousands of supporters of India's youth-led "cockroach" movement protested in Delhi yesterday, a day after violent clashes with police, and ‌in spite of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vow to punish those behind damaging exam leaks.

Meanwhile, Delhi Police detained Congress’ Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, along with Samajwadi Party’s Akhilesh Yadav and other political leaders who had gathered outside the Prime Minister’s residence at Lok Kalyan Marg in New Delhi for a sit-in protest. 

More than 5,000 protesters gathered at Delhi's Jantar Mantar protest site, after their march on parliament to demand the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan ended in violent clashes with police on Monday.

Modi's comments, reported by a cabinet minister, were his first on the subject since the leaking of ​question papers for a national entrance test to medical school in May.

The leaks affected 2 million young people and led about a dozen students to ​take their own lives, according to local media.

Youth anger and protests over the exams have become the biggest challenge for ⁠the prime minister in his third term.

Delhi Police said nearly 180 people, including 118 security and police personnel and 60 protesters, were injured when they clashed in central ​Delhi.

The founder of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a movement that began as an online satire, said more than 150 protesters were undergoing treatment in hospital.

Reuters could not independently ​verify the numbers of injured, after police beat protesters with batons and fired tear gas rounds to push them back.

New protests outside Modi’s house

A few dozen members of India's main opposition Congress party, including Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka, protested against Monday's crackdown outside Modi's house yesterday.

One protester held a poster that read, "Democracy bleeds when voices are beaten", and some Congress ​members were detained by police, television footage showed.

Modi told lawmakers of his ruling alliance that the government acted immediately on receiving reports of exam irregularities and ​13 people were arrested and jailed, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said.

Modi also said a re-examination had been successfully conducted.

"The prime minister said...that to ensure the future of youth is not ‌jeopardised...everyone should ⁠unite to ensure strict steps are taken, those guilty punished, and a foolproof system is created," Rijiju said.

Protesters say they won’t march again 

The CJP movement has said it would continue its anti-government protest but will not march on parliament as it feared its supporters would be beaten by police again.

The months-old movement has drawn the support of millions of young, Gen Z Indians who are demanding the resignation of Pradhan. CJP says the leaking of the papers in May was a sign ​of deep-seated corruption in education.

CJP founder Abhijeet ​Dipke apologised to supporters, especially women, ⁠whom he said were beaten by male police officers.

Delhi Police said protesters had "displayed unruly, aggressive and violent behaviour" and "deliberately violated the prohibitory orders in force".

The movement was galvanized after the support of activist Sonam Wangchuk, who began a hunger strike on June ​28, but was forcibly moved to a hospital by police on Saturday.

Court allows activists to be moved to private hospital 

On Tuesday, ​the Delhi High ⁠Court allowed the Magsaysay award winner to be shifted to a private hospital following a petition from his wife that alleged he had been illegally detained.

The court order fulfils one of the three demands of the protesters.

CJP said Health Minister JP Nadda sought time to discuss their demands within the government after a meeting with two leaders on ⁠Monday.

The demands ​include the release of Wangchuk, Pradhan's resignation and compensation of 10 million rupees ($104,000) each for about a ​dozen students who died by suicide following the leak.

The CJP's surge in popularity reflects frustrations among young Indians including job shortages as well as exam leaks, which they say happen frequently.