India Govt and Cockroach Movement Fail to Reach Agreement

NEW DELHI: Talks between the Indian government and leaders of the youth-led “Cockroach” movement failed to reach an agreement on Friday, as protesters gathered in the capital demanding changes to the education system.

Senior ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh held two hours of talks with leaders of the social media-driven Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). The protesters are demanding several changes, including the resignation of education minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Both sides agreed to continue talks on Saturday.

“We conveyed in very clear terms that nothing short of Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation or his removal from the Union Cabinet would be acceptable,” CJP spokesman Ashutosh Ranka told reporters after the meeting in New Delhi.

Nadda, who also met protesters on Monday, said the government had “heard their points” and would respond during the next round of talks.

The Jantar Mantar protest site in New Delhi has witnessed unrest and violence during the week. Tensions increased after police used tear gas and batons when demonstrators tried to march towards parliament.

Public anger has grown over several issues, including the leak of a medical entrance exam paper that forced millions of students to retake the exam, as well as problems with an online marking system for high school students.

The movement has also expanded to include concerns about unemployment, opportunities for young people and what critics describe as Modi’s increasingly authoritarian style of governance. The protests are among the biggest challenges to the Hindu-nationalist’s administration since his re-election in 2024.

Modi has promised legal reforms and swift punishment for those responsible for the exam paper leaks.