India: The Indian government has asked leaders of the youth-led “Cockroach” protest movement for more time to respond to their demand for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, following talks in New Delhi aimed at easing weeks of demonstrations over alleged examination paper leaks.
What Happened During the Talks?
The discussions marked the first substantive meeting between the government and protest leaders since demonstrations escalated over the alleged exam paper leaks that affected millions of students.
The government delegation included federal ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh, while protesters were represented by Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP).
After the meeting, Ranka said the government had requested time until Saturday afternoon to respond to the protesters’ demands.
According to the CJP, the movement will continue unless Dharmendra Pradhan resigns or is removed from office. Protesters are also seeking the withdrawal of police cases against demonstrators and compensation for the families of students who reportedly died by suicide following the examination controversy.
Earlier on Friday, activist Sonam Wangchuk ended his 26-day hunger strike, raising expectations that negotiations could lead to a breakthrough.
What Measures Has the Government Taken?
Authorities have maintained heightened security in central Delhi, where demonstrators remain camped.
Officials closed 16 Delhi Metro stations around the protest site and extended the mobile internet suspension in the area until midnight on Friday, according to industry sources cited by Reuters.
The government also defended police surveillance at the protest site in court, arguing that there is no absolute right to privacy in a public place when legitimate state interests are involved.
On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced plans to establish special courts to prosecute those responsible for examination paper leaks, describing the protection of students’ future as a priority. However, the CJP rejected the proposal, arguing that it did not address the underlying causes of recurring examination leaks.
Later, Modi said the government would announce stricter measures against examination fraud following a cabinet meeting.
The protests have emerged as one of the most significant challenges to Modi’s government since he returned to office for a third term and have drawn support from opposition parties, which have also disrupted proceedings during Parliament’s ongoing monsoon session.