Protesters in India have rejected prime minister Narendra Modi’s pledge to set up “fast-track courts” to punish those involved in medical exam paper leaks, as the youth-led cockroach movement continues to grow.
In a statement on X, Modi said, “Nothing is more important than the welfare and future of our youth! We have decided to set up fast-track courts to ensure swift and stringent punishment for those involved in paper leaks.”
The youth-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), has been protesting over issues related to education reform following the leak of a medical exam (NEET) which forced millions of students to re-sit.
The protest at the Jantar Mantar site in New Delhi has gone on for nearly one month. A wave of smaller protests are also taking place across at least five other major cities, including Mumbai, Goa and Bengaluru.
The protests reached a critical point on 20 July when tens of thousands of young people attempted to march to parliament. But their demonstration was met by a crackdown of police violence, who used tear gas on protesters, which has only sparked further anger among young people.
