NEW DELHI (AP) — Indian activist Sonam Wangchuk called off a 26-day hunger strike on Friday, a fast that had become a powerful symbol for a youth movement now considered one of the most significant protest waves India has seen in years. Despite Wangchuk ending his fast, demonstrators made clear they have no intention of stopping until Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan steps down from his position.
Wangchuk’s prolonged fast served as a catalyst for India’s so-called “Cockroach” protests, a movement that took shape more than a month ago in response to alleged leaks in some of the country’s most highly competitive entrance examinations. What started as a demand for education reform has since expanded into a broader expression of public frustration over unemployment, lack of economic opportunity, and a desire for greater government accountability. The movement has drawn professionals, families, and activists to the streets of New Delhi and cities throughout India.
The protests have become one of the most sustained challenges to the current government in recent memory, with large crowds returning repeatedly to demonstrate — even after police deployed tear gas and batons earlier this week to break up marchers who were attempting to reach Parliament.
Wangchuk shared his decision to end the fast in a post on X, stating he did so in the presence of two federal ministers following appeals from dozens of members of parliament and after “a long negotiation on various conditions and in view of possible violence in the country.” He offered no additional details about what was discussed during those talks.
Protest leaders said they are calling for demonstrations across India on Friday, expressing solidarity with students who were beaten by police during a march toward Parliament on Monday that attracted thousands of participants. Their central demand remains the resignation of the education minister.
Abhijeet Dipke, the founder of the Cockroach Janta Party — a satirical group that has led the movement — expressed the protesters’ resolve. “We won’t let Sonam sir’s sacrifice go in vain,” he said. The movement’s name is a reference to a comment made by the country’s supreme court chief justice, who compared certain unemployed young people to cockroaches.
The demonstrations come one day after the country’s prime minister publicly acknowledged the protests for the first time, announcing that fast-track courts would be established to handle cases tied to examination paper leaks. In a separate video statement, the prime minister also said legislation would be introduced in Parliament aimed at cracking down on such leaks.
Those announcements, however, did little to satisfy the movement’s participants. Protesters said the government’s response fell short of addressing their core demands, which include broader examination reform, government accountability, and compensation for the families of students who died by suicide following the exam paper leak scandal.
