Indian police baton charge protesters marching to parliament

NEW DELHI: India’s riot police baton-charged protesters in New Delhi on Monday as they tried to march to parliament, escalating a protest over irregularities in major examinations.

Protesters ducked for cover as police in blue riot gear charged at them near the Jantar Mantar protest site, an AFP journalist saw.

The protesters are demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the irregularities, including question paper leaks and technical glitches.

“We want the government to hear us, not silence us,” said student K.M. Gulshan, 19.

The protest comes after prominent activist Sonam Wangchuk was taken to hospital on Saturday, bringing an abrupt end to his hunger strike in support of youths and the satirical Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) movement.

The CJP has won millions of followers on social media since its launch in May, tapping into widespread anger among youths over the wider education system and unemployment.

“Nothing will stop the cockroaches today!” the CJP said in a post on X, posting visuals of supporters defying steady drizzle and the police barricades.

Despite rapid economic growth, millions of people in the world’s most populous nation still struggle to find stable and well-paying jobs, fuelling discontent.

Some 2.2 million aspiring medical students sat for a re-examination under tight security last month after the previous test was scrapped following a question paper leak that triggered widespread outrage.

That came on top of another scandal related to the online marking system of tests taken by nearly two million high school students.

The Internet was snapped in parts of central New Delhi on Monday, with police saying the protesters did not have their permission to hold the protest.

“Any person violating these prohibitory orders shall be liable for prosecution,” Delhi Police said in a statement.

Shubhi Rao, 16, said she had joined the protest to support Wangchuk and demand accountability from the government.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has shown himself as someone who isn’t bothered about the youth of this country,” she told AFP.