“There is deep dissatisfaction and economic distress, which has translated into a lack of hope about the future,” Aiyar says. “This could reflect a growing exhaustion of a government that has been in power for a long time. Its failure to deliver on the promises on which it built its reputation may have reached a
The violence has sparked public anger and galvanized India’s opposition, posing a challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. Modi has not commented directly on the protests or engaged with protesters, but on Thursday he released a statement on X that is seen as an attempt to reach out to students who have been frustrated
On Monday, Chhavi (name changed), 20, stopped outside a Delhi metro station on his way to what would become one of the largest anti-government demonstrations against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government in the Indian capital in recent years. She balanced her phone against a railing, stepped back and filmed a quick “fit check” — a
Wangchuk and CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke have received support from most major opposition parties, farmer leaders, activists and celebrities, including Bollywood actors. The government did not interact with the protesters until Monday, when Health Minister JP Nadda met some CJP leaders to listen to their demands. The meeting took place against the backdrop of tens
Those frustrations are at the heart of the rise of the Cockroach Janta Party, or CJP, founded by Dipke. Although the Chief Justice later withdrew the comment, Dipke accepted the label, making the cockroach the symbol of the movement. Monday’s turnout reflected how quickly the movement has grown since its first protest in June, when
The CJP is mainly protesting problems it has with India’s education system. The National Eligibility and Entrance Test (NEET) is India’s main entrance examination for admission to medical colleges across the country. Nearly 2.28 million candidates sat the exam on May 3, having studied for months – in some cases years – for a notoriously