Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi was briefly detained by police as India’s student protests intensify
Opposition pressure mounts on Modi amid nationwide education protests
- Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi was briefly detained by police during a protest outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence as demonstrations over education reforms and examination scandals entered a second day.
- The protests, led by the rapidly growing Cockroach Janta Party movement, have intensified pressure on the government, with calls for the resignation of both Modi and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi was briefly detained by police on Tuesday after leading a protest outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence, as demonstrations over education reforms and repeated examination scandals continued to spread across the country.
Gandhi, leader of the opposition Congress Party, demanded Modi’s resignation, accusing the government of “destroying the future of India’s youth” and refusing to take responsibility for the crisis affecting millions of students.
Video footage showed police officers carrying Gandhi onto a bus and removing him from the protest site as supporters attempted to prevent his detention. Gandhi later vowed that the demonstrations would continue despite the police action.
The protests are being spearheaded by the fast-growing Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) movement, which has gained millions of followers on social media since its launch in May.
The movement is demanding sweeping reforms to India’s education system and the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan following a series of high-profile examination scandals.
The unrest follows repeated testing irregularities that have undermined confidence in India’s examination system.
More than 2.2 million aspiring medical students were forced to retake entrance examinations after question papers were leaked, while another controversy affected the online marking of tests taken by nearly 2 million high school students.
Thousands of demonstrators filled the streets of New Delhi for a second consecutive day after Monday’s protests erupted into violent clashes with police. Security forces used tear gas and batons to disperse crowds after protesters threw stones.
Police said 60 civilians and 118 police officers were injured during the clashes, although protest organisers claimed the number of injured demonstrators was significantly higher.
The Congress Party condemned the police response, accusing authorities of suppressing peaceful demonstrations and stifling debate over the education crisis. Parliament was briefly adjourned on Tuesday after opposition lawmakers demanded a discussion on what they described as police brutality against students.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke urged protesters to continue their campaign, saying the authorities were attempting to intimidate demonstrators but would not succeed in silencing the movement.
The protests have emerged as one of the most significant public challenges facing Modi since securing a third term in office in 2024, with growing public frustration over education standards and accountability.
The government has defended its handling of the examination scandals, saying those responsible for the paper leaks have been arrested and that steps are being taken to strengthen safeguards against future irregularities.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said Modi had instructed officials to develop a “foolproof system” to restore confidence in the country’s examination process.
