Massive Youth Protest In Delhi, Wangchuk Extends Hunger Strike, Govt. Talks To CJP
India-West News Desk
NEW DELHI – Social activist Sonam Wangchuk on July 20 announced that he would continue his indefinite hunger strike after police action against demonstrators during the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) “Sansad Chalo” march, as tens of thousands of protesters converged on the national capital demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET 2026 examination controversy.
In a handwritten note from the hospital where he is being treated, Wangchuk said he had decided to extend his fast after witnessing the treatment meted out to peaceful protesters.
The protests marked one of the largest youth-led demonstrations in recent years, with students and young professionals gathering in central Delhi despite prohibitory orders, heavy security deployment and restrictions on public assemblies.
Police had denied permission for the march toward Parliament and barricaded several roads across the city. Protesters attempting to move toward Parliament were stopped by security personnel, with reports of baton charges and the use of tear gas to disperse crowds.
According to The Hindu, authorities also suspended mobile internet services across central Delhi, marking the first widespread communications blackout in the capital since the farmers’ agitation in 2021. The newspaper reported that the shutdown hampered the transmission of photographs and videos from the protest site, forcing journalists and demonstrators to rely on WiFi connections from nearby establishments.
Crowds began assembling from early July 20 morning, with hundreds of protesters having camped overnight near Jantar Mantar. The gathering was dominated by students and first-time protesters expressing anger over repeated examination controversies, unemployment and what they described as inadequate government accountability.
The CJP, a youth-led movement formed earlier this year, had called for the “Sansad Chalo” march. Originally launched as a satirical response to remarks allegedly referring to unemployed youth and activists as “cockroaches,” the group has evolved into a broader platform focused on education reforms and youth employment.
New Delhi: Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke during a protest demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged examination irregularities at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Saturday, July 18, 2026. Delhi Police on Saturday shifted climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who has been on a hunger strike for the past 20 days at Jantar Mantar, to a hospital after his health deteriorated. (Photo: IANS/Prem Nath Pandey)
Its principal demand remains the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan following the NEET 2026 paper leak controversy. The medical entrance examination, taken by more than two million students annually for around 130,000 seats, had to be conducted again after authorities uncovered a paper leak. Protest organizers have linked the controversy to severe psychological distress among students and alleged suicides by aspirants.
The protests also intensified after Wangchuk was removed by Delhi Police from his hunger strike site on Sunday and admitted to a government hospital. Videos of the incident circulated widely on social media.
Union Minister and BJP President J.P. Nadda met CJP spokespersons Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka at his residence. During two rounds of discussions, the delegation submitted a written memorandum listing three principal demands: unrestricted release of Wangchuk, the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, and Rs 1 crore compensation for the families of NEET aspirants who allegedly died by suicide following the examination controversy.
Government sources told IANS that Nadda did not offer any assurances on the demands. However, he appealed to the protesters to withdraw their month-long sit-in at Jantar Mantar and cooperate with authorities in restoring normalcy around the high-security Parliament area.
Nadda described the discussions as cordial and noted that the CJP had approached the government seeking dialogue. He confirmed that the delegation had submitted its written memorandum following detailed discussions.
Government sources told IANS that Union Home Minister Amit Shah monitored developments throughout the day and remained in contact with senior officials. Security personnel were instructed to avoid the use of force wherever possible and to exercise minimum force if intervention became necessary.
