Youth protesters in New Delhi, estimated to be over 10,000, clashed with police on Wednesday, demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over exam paper leaks that affected 2 million students in May.
Protest Details
The protests, led by the self-named Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), have grown into the biggest youth challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi since he came to power in 2014. Opposition parties have echoed the demands of the youth movement, disrupting the monsoon session of parliament.
On Wednesday, thousands of protesters gathered at the Jantar Mantar protest site, shouting slogans and waving the Indian flag. The crowd swelled to over 10,000, spilling over into other roads in the area before the trouble began. Some protesters attacked police with stones and plastic bottles, injuring a few police officers who were taken to hospital.
Government Response
Responding to the sustained pressure from protesters, Modi’s government has held one round of talks with CJP leaders and assured them that their demands will be considered. The government has also offered to debate the issues in parliament and launch exam system reforms.
Delhi Metro Rail Corp. said it was shutting 16 stations in and around central New Delhi on Thursday until further notice, due to security concerns.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
