Thousands of protesters clashed with police in India on Monday as they tried to march to parliament to demand the education minister's resignation.Police fired tear gas and charged at demonstrators with batons after they tried to breach security barricades surrounding the protest site in central New Delhi. This marked one of the most serious confrontations in a youth-led movement's campaign against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government.The protesters describe themselves as the Cockroach Janta Party, a movement that erupted online two months ago and gained momentum over alleged leaks on social media in the country’s fiercely competitive college entrance exams.Here's how India's youth embraced an insult as a badge of resilience and turned it into a satirical political campaign that amassed millions of followers.News that makes senseYour trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.A viral post about 'cockroaches'The movement began in May after India's supreme court chief justice Surya Kant compared some unemployed young people to "cockroaches" and "parasites" during a hearing on another issue.Abhijeet Dipke, a 30-year-old public relations graduate who was looking for work in the United States at the time, said he was "taken aback" by the comments made by Kant — who later said they were taken out of context.Despite rapid economic growth, millions of people in the world's most populous nation struggle to find stable and well-paying jobs, fuelling discontent."How can the custodian of the constitution compare the youth with cockroaches and parasites, just for expressing their opinions and criticising the system?" Dipke told Agence France-Presse (AFP).Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke flew back from the US in June to protest over alleged irregularities in India's major examinations. Source: AFP / Arun SankarDipke then went online in May to air his frustrations, making a satirical post on X that said: "What if all cockroaches come together?"He said he never intended to spark a student movement.But the post went viral, driving Dipke to transform the idea into a parody platform that he named the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), playing on the name of the country's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)."Within two hours we got some 5,000 sign-ups on the Google form ... and that made me realise — why not launch an official website and a manifesto?" Dipke said.More than 30,000 people joined within 24 hours of its launch. It now has more than 23 million followers on its Instagram account, eclipsing the BJP's by 14 million followers."That is when I realised maybe the youth here is trying to send a message," he said.Dipke said momentum for the movement has been largely driven by gen Z students in their 20s."They told me they are really dissatisfied with all the existing political parties, because nobody listens to them," he said."There is some genuine frustration ... not just a social media trend."What do Cockroach Janta Party supporters want?The movement seeks the resignation of the education minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, over alleged leaks of examination papers, along with sweeping reforms to the examination system and compensation for families of students who died by suicide, whether over the leaks or exam results.The protesters blame Pradhan for repeated failures in the education system, particularly in the conduct of India's medical entrance examination.Alleged irregularities, including a paper leak that forced a retake of the exam, have become a key reason for the mobilisation of CJP.Cockroach Janta Party activists demand the resignation of education minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged examination paper leaks. Source: EPA / Jagadeesh NVFor many young Indians, their future depends on a single entrance exam for government jobs and medical colleges.Dipke said the movement's online popularity has translated into growing support on the ground. Since its first major demonstration in New Delhi in early June, he said, thousands of supporters have turned out at universities and rallies in other cities.What began online has since spilled onto the streets, with CJP holding protests in different cities across the country last month.Delhi University student, Anjali, 25, from the eastern state of Bihar, said the "protest might have started with a social media trend, some sort of sarcasm ... but it has turned into a movement of rage"."A rage that has been accumulated in the youth for the past 10 years," she added.Ajay Zingade, a 33-year-old IT professional, said recurring exam paper leaks compelled him to join the protest despite no longer being a student.“I am just exercising my fundamental right of dissent,” he said.Organisers say the movement has grown into a broader campaign for accountability and restoration of trust in institutions that students believe have failed them, including the judiciary, the political system and the media.“The system needs a complete overhaul because the current system is no longer accountable or even taking basic responsibility,” Dipke said.Supporters of the Cockroach Janta Party tried to march to India's parliament despite a police ban. Source: AP / Shekhar YadavBut the government has neither opened negotiations nor publicly acknowledged the movement's demands.Senior leaders in Modi's government have largely dismissed it, with the education minister accusing its members of working against the country. Other government leaders have argued that while students' concerns deserve attention, there is no need for the government to negotiate with them."In a democracy, the government is supposed to listen to the people, to have a dialogue with the people, and more importantly to be answerable to the people. I don’t know why the government isn’t doing that," Dipke said.Police fired tear gas at protesters after they tried to breach barricades around India's parliament on Monday. Source: AFP / Arun SankarIndian police fired tear gas on Monday to stop thousands of protesters from marching on parliament.The demonstrators, mostly young students, converged at the Jantar Mantar protest site in the heart of New Delhi.The area reverberated with the sound of tear gas shells fired at protesters, who responded by pelting stones.Dozens of protesters and police personnel were injured in the clashes, witnesses said.Cockroach Janta Party spokesperson Saurav Das accused authorities of "brutally cracking down" on "peaceful protesters". Source: EPA / Rajat Gupta"Why is the police resorting to tear gas assault on peaceful protesters?" the CJP said in a post on X."First your govt ignored this protest for a month and now when we are peacefully marching your govt is attacking us. Why?"Famous activist gives 'cockroach' cause a boostRenowned Indian climate activist Sonam Wangchuk also joined the protests in solidarity, starting a fast on 28 June."It is our duty to raise our voice," the 59-year-old told AFP."I hope that our government, the government of the largest democracy in the world, will be sensitive, sensible and responsive to the voices".Indian social activist Sonam Wangchuk may be pushing 60, but he has become the face of a gen Z movement. Source: SIPA USA / Hindustan TimesOn Saturday, New Delhi police forcibly moved Wangchuk to a hospital over health concerns after a 20-day hunger strike.Wangchuk's actions show how the protest has drawn professionals beyond the world of education.High-profile attention is growing. Opposition leaders from several political parties and some Bollywood celebrities have visited the camp or lent support to the movement in recent days.When asked about his ambitions, Dipke, who previously worked with the opposition Aam Aadmi Party as a communications strategist, stressed he does not intend to turn the movement into a political outfit."There is no point in making it a political party when the elections are fixed and the results are already pre-decided," Dipke said.For now, he said, the movement is here to stay and will continue to evolve around student anger, exam fraud and wider frustration with institutions."There is no shortage of issues in India that need to be addressed."For the latest from SBS News, download our app and subscribe to our newsletter.