NEW DELHI — Indian government officials were set to hold a new round of negotiations on Saturday with leaders of a youth-driven protest movement that has rocked the capital, as demonstrators continue pushing for the education minister to step down.
The demonstrations mark the most significant challenge from young people that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has faced since taking power in 2014. Opposition parties have echoed the protesters’ demands and disrupted parliament’s monsoon session, which got underway this week.
Despite authorities closing 18 metro stations in the city for a fourth consecutive day in an effort to restrict access to the protest site, thousands of supporters of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) gathered in central Delhi.
CJP national spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka confirmed the meeting was scheduled, saying, “They have given us a time between 3.30 p.m. and 4 p.m. today.”
Ranka made clear what the party wants to know: “We need clarity on Dharmendra Pradhan’s future. Will the government seek his resignation or not? We want a yes or no answer.” Pradhan is the education minister whom students are holding responsible for failures within the exam system.
Tensions escalated after police moved in on Monday, using baton charges and tear gas against tens of thousands of students who had been marching toward parliament, injuring many in the process.
The broader protest movement reflects widespread frustration among young people over a shortage of jobs, corruption, and a lack of government accountability. It gained momentum after it was revealed that question papers for high-stakes entrance exams had been leaked, forcing more than two million candidates to retake their medical school entrance tests.
During talks held Friday, CJP representatives Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka warned federal ministers J.P. Nadda and Jitendra Singh that the unrest would spread if Education Minister Pradhan did not resign.
Those discussions followed activist Sonam Wangchuk ending a 26-day hunger strike, a development that had raised hopes for a possible resolution.
On Saturday, two sources speaking anonymously confirmed the government had extended a mobile internet shutdown in the affected area for a fifth straight day. Protesters expressed frustration over the ongoing blackout but said it would not stop them.
“They can shut down internet, metros and buses, but what will that achieve? Nothing. People who want to join the protest will still come,” said Rahul Raj, a 34-year-old demonstrator at the protest site.
In addition to calling for Pradhan’s resignation, protesters are demanding sweeping reforms to the country’s examination system.
