- Security measures are in place for public safety: police.
- Activist Sonam Wangchuk was forcibly hospitalized.
- Wangchuk states that the march will be “India’s second independence movement.”
Indian authorities have refused to grant permission for supporters of the youth-led “Cockroach” movement to march to Parliament on Monday, raising the risk of a confrontation amid increasing demands for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s education minister to be removed over leaked exam papers.
The movement has gained momentum following police’s forced hospitalization of hunger-striking activist Sonam Wangchuk on Saturday, with hundreds gathering at a protest site ahead of the scheduled march at the start of Parliament’s monsoon session.
While initially rallying support mostly online—garnering 22 million followers on Instagram within days of launching in May after leaked exams impacted millions—the movement has since expanded its reach, posing a significant challenge to Modi’s government.
Wangchuk, aged 59, shared via a message posted by his wife on X on Sunday that the march would be “India’s second freedom movement,” advocating for “freedom from injustice (like paper leaks)” and “freedom from fear (due to my illegal detention).”
However, police announced restrictions in New Delhi that ban gatherings of five or more people, except at designated locations like Jantar Mantar, where protesters have been camped for over three weeks.
“With Parliament session starting on July 20, strict security is deployed to safeguard public safety, protect officials, and secure key government facilities,” police stated on X.
The Cockroach Janta Party has confirmed plans to proceed with the march as scheduled.
“The march will happen, no doubt. We’re figuring out the details,” a party spokesperson said, asking to remain anonymous until plans are finalized.
Youth outrage over unemployment and exam paper leaks
Earlier, a Delhi court ruled that authorities were justified in moving Wangchuk to a government hospital after he refused to admit himself despite his declining health.
Judge Mini Pushkarna stated that doctors had administered only oral fluids and supplements with Wangchuk’s consent, adding, “It cannot be claimed that force is being used against Mr. Sonam Wangchuk or that his autonomy has been violated in any way.”
Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali Angmo, had requested permission to transfer him to Medanta Hospital, a private facility, arguing that she had the legal right to select his treatment location.
The government opposed, citing concerns over Wangchuk’s health and noting that his wife and close family members had full access to him around the clock.
On X, Angmo described the heavy police presence at the hospital as “not medical care but illegal detention.”
Safdarjung Hospital reports Wangchuk’s vital signs are stable, though his blood values remain slightly altered, necessitating continuous monitoring.
The rise of the “Cockroach” movement underscores widespread frustration among young Indians regarding high youth unemployment rates and repeated exam paper leaks.