Supporters of the Cockroach Janta Party scuffle with police as they attempt to march toward India's Parliament, demanding the resignation of the education minister, in New Delhi, Monday, July 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Vipin)
NEW DELHI (AP) — Supporters of India’s youth-led “cockroach” movement faced police batons and tear gas as they tried to march to Parliament to demand the education minister’s resignation. The Cockroach Janta Party emerged in May after a Supreme Court judge compared unemployed youth to “cockroaches.” Leaks of exam papers crucial to the future of many young people had sparked public anger. The movement has taken on political weight and called for more widespread reforms. Senior officials have taken a hard line against the movement.
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Police detain a supporter of the Cockroach Janta Party during a protest demanding the resignation of India’s education minister in Mumbai, India, Monday, July 20, 2026.(AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)Supporters of the Cockroach Janta Party scuffle with police as they attempt to march toward India’s Parliament, demanding the resignation of the education minister, in New Delhi, Monday, July 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Vipin)Supporters of the Cockroach Janta Party scuffle with police as they attempt to march toward India’s Parliament, demanding the resignation of the education minister, in New Delhi, India, Monday, July 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)Police use batons to disperse supporters of the Cockroach Janta Party as they attempt to march toward India’s Parliament, demanding the resignation of the education minister, in New Delhi, India, Monday, July 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)Police detains a supporter of the Cockroach Janta Party while he with others attempt to march toward India’s Parliament, demanding the resignation of the education minister, in New Delhi, Monday, July 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Vipin)A policeman fires tear gas to disperse supporters of the Cockroach Janta Party as they attempt to march toward India’s Parliament, demanding the resignation of the education minister, in New Delhi, India, Monday, July 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)Police officers detain supporters of the Cockroach Janta Party during a protest demanding the resignation of India’s education minister in Mumbai, India, Monday, July 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)Supporters of the Cockroach Janta Party remove a police barricade as they attempt to march toward India’s Parliament, demanding the resignation of the education minister, in New Delhi, India, Monday, July 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Prakash Singh)Police officers detain a supporter of the Cockroach Janta Party during a protest demanding the resignation of India’s education minister in Mumbai, India, Monday, July 20, 2026.(AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)Policewomen detain a supporter of the Cockroach Janta Party as she along with others attempt to march toward India’s Parliament, demanding the resignation of the education minister, in New Delhi, India, Monday, July 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)Police detains a supporter of the Cockroach Janta Party as they attempt to march toward India’s Parliament, demanding the resignation of the education minister, in New Delhi, India, Monday, July 20, 2026.(AP Photo/Manish Swarup)A supporter of the Cockroach Janta Party confront police officers as protesters attempt to march toward India’s Parliament, demanding the resignation of the education minister, in New Delhi, India, Monday, July 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)Police use batons to disperse supporters of the Cockroach Janta Party as they attempt to march toward India’s Parliament, demanding the resignation of the education minister, in New Delhi, India, Monday, July 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)Police detains a supporter of the Cockroach Janta Party as they attempt to march toward India’s Parliament, demanding the resignation of the education minister, in New Delhi, India, Monday, July 20, 2026.(AP Photo/Manish Swarup)
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