{"success":true,"data":{"id":"9ebf4a96-2172-457a-95e4-59a0bfd93bdb","title":"India's Modi finally addresses the exam leaks which triggered the 'Cockroach' protest, as opposition leader Gandhi calls on him to resign. Follow live","summary":"India's prime minister has stressed that action was taken to hold those responsible for the leaks accountable. Opposition leader Gandhi has meanwhile called on Modi to step down. Follow DW.","content":"Regions\n\nTopics\n\nCategories\n\nIn focus\n\nLive\n\nPolitics\n\n# India: Modi addresses exam leaks which sparked CJP protest\n\n[Dharvi Vaid](https://www.dw.com/en/dharvi-vaid/person-52269833) with AFP, AP, Reuters and ANI\n\nIndia's prime minister has stressed that action was taken to hold those responsible for the leaks accountable. Opposition leader Gandhi has meanwhile called on Modi to step down. Follow DW.\n\nCopy link\n\nSome 180 people were reportedly injured on Monday as thousands of the Cockroach movement's supporters clashed with police, attempting to get to the Indian parliament Image: Shekhar Yadav/AP Photo/picture alliance\n\n## What you need to know\n\n*   Modi has told MPs of his coalition that strong action was taken against those involved in the medical exam paper leaks\n*   Gandhi has called on Modi and his home minister to step down\n*   Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke has reportedly said at a press conference that his protest movement will not march to the parliament again\n*   The decision is meant to protect protesters against alleged 'police brutality'\n*   The CJP says it will continue its protest until India's education minister resigns\n\n_Here are the latest developments from_[India](https://www.dw.com/en/india/t-18996071)_on Tuesday, July 21, 2026:_\n\n_Tired of missing our real-time updates? [Click here](https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=dw.com \"External link — Click here\") to add us as a Preferred Source on Google. Then tap the \"Star\" or \"Preferred\" to keep DW News at the top of your feed._\n\n18 minutes ago 18 minutes ago\n## Rahul Gandhi demands Modi's resignation for 'destroying the future of India's youth'\n\n[India's](https://www.dw.com/en/india/t-18996071) main opposition leader Rahul Gandhi has called for Prime Minister [Narendra Modi](https://www.dw.com/en/narendra-modi/t-65800410) and Union Home Minister Amit Shah's resignation over Monday's police crackdown on youth protesters.\n\nGandhi and other members of his Congress party, including his sister Priyanka, held a demonstration outside Modi's official residence in New Delhi on Tuesday afternoon.\n\nThe protest comes after the Indian parliament was adjourned over disruptions for a second day in a row on Tuesday, as the opposition demanded a discussion on paper leaks and other issues within India's education system.\n\n\"We have marched to PM Modi's house to demand answers from him for the brutalities against young students yesterday,\" Gandhi said on X\n\n\"The Government doesn't want to take any accountability or does it want to have a debate on it in Parliament. PM and HM must resign for destroying the future of India's youth,\" he added.\n\nCopy link\n\n27 minutes ago 27 minutes ago\n## Court allows Sonam Wangchuk to move to private hospital — reports\n\nThe Delhi High Court has allowed hunger-striking activist Sonam Wangchuk to be transferred from a government hospital to a private one, following a petition filed by his wife alleging that he was in \"illegal detention,\" legal news websites LiveLaw and Bar and Bench reported on Tuesday.\n\nThe court decided that transferring Wangchuk to a hospital of his choice \"will be in fulfilment of requirements of ensuring his fundamental rights\".\n\nThe court directed the private hospital to constitute a team of doctors to \"constantly monitor\" Wangchuk's medical condition.\n\nThe 59-year-old has been fasting since June 28 in support of the Cockroach Janta Party's demands for the Indian education minister's resignation.\n\nOn Saturday, police forcibly picked up Wangchuk from the stage at Jantar Mantar where he was observing his hunger strike, saying that they were acting on orders of the same court over health concerns.\n\nStrong visuals emerged as police officials, most of whom were not in uniform, climbed onto the stage and led the activist out, shielding him from view using white bedsheets.\n\nWangchuk's removal from the protest site gave a renewed vigor to the protest movement as thousands of young people arrived at Jantar Mantar over the next two days ahead of Monday's march.\n\nThe activist has reportedly continued his hunger protest from the hospital.\n\nEarlier in the day, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke marked the 24th day of Wangchuk's hunger strike.\n\nCopy link\n\n1 hour ago 1 hour ago\n## Health minister meets injured CJP protesters\n\n[India’s](https://www.dw.com/en/india/t-18996071) Union Health Minister J P Nadda on Tuesday met protesters injured in clashes with police during Monday’s Cockroach party protest march as he visited two hospitals in New Delhi, news agency ANI reported.\n\nThe minister also met with the doctors to take stock of the conditions of those injured and the medical care they were receiving, ANI reported.\n\nRepresentatives from the CJP had on Monday handed a written document with their demands to Nadda, marking an opening of talks between the protesters and the Modi government.\n\nCopy link\n\n2 hours ago 2 hours ago\n## DW correspondent: Delhi youth protests a 'people's movement'\n\n[Shalu Yadav](https://www.dw.com/en/shalu-yadav/person-68889370) Delhi\n\nThe protesters who showed up on Delhi's streets on Monday didn't seem like they were necessarily inspired by the Cockroach Janta party or its founder Abhijeet Dipke.\n\nThe outpouring on the street on Monday was an opportunity for people across India to express their deep discontent with the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi —especially the highhandedness with which [Sonam Wangchuk](https://www.dw.com/en/india-police-move-activist-sonam-wangchuk-to-hospital-on-court-orders/a-78015393) [the activist on [hunger strike in solidarity with the student protests](https://www.dw.com/en/india-news-modi-silent-as-sonam-wangchuk-hunger-strike-enters-20th-day/live-77997484)]was treated.\n\nWithin hours, the protest seemed like it was led by the students themselves;it didn't need instructions from anyone. Despite an internet ban and lack of clarity on the march to parliament, protesters led on, making it truly a people's movement.\n\nThe widespread protest is seen as the biggest challenge to Modi's 12-year tenure. Young people have been frustrated over the lack of jobs. The 'Cockroach' movement tapped into that anger that has been simmering for years.\n\nEven as the government has shown an inclination to consider their demands, it may not be enough to immediately calm tempers on the ground. The youth expect a complete overhaul of the education system which has been mired in allegations of corruption.\n\n## India's 'cockroach' protests meet with batons and tear gas\n\n02:24\n\nCopy link\n\n## Modi breaks silence on medical exam paper leaks amid 'Cockroach' protest\n\nIndian Prime Minister [Narendra Modi](https://www.dw.com/en/narendra-modi/t-65800410) has told MPs of his coalition that strong action was taken against those involved in the NEET medical exam paper leaks, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju told the media on Tuesday.\n\nThe remarks come a day after youth protesters, angered by a slew of such paper leaks, gathered in massive numbers for a protest walk to the parliament.\n\nModi brought up the paper leaks at his ruling National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) parliamentary party meeting.\n\nThe prime minister said at the meeting that 13 people were arrested and sent to jail after reports of the leaks surfaced, Rijiju said.\n\n\"At the same time, to ensure that students' future was not affected, the NEET re-examination was given priority, conducted successfully, and the results were declared without delay,\" Rijiju quoted Modi as saying.\n\nModi described the leaks as a \"grave sin\" and told NDA lawmakers that strict steps have been taken to prevent such paper leaks in the future.\n\nCopy link\n\n## What does India's 'Cockroach' movement want?\n\nThe Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) that started out as a satire movement online two months ago, on Monday was able to galvanize one of the largest anti-government protest rallies India has seen in recent years.\n\nSince June 20, the movement has been holding a sit-in demonstration in New Delhi demanding an overhaul of India's education system.\n\nProtesters are angered by a series of entrance test paper leaks, including those of a crucial medical school entrance exam called National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET).\n\nThe NEET paper leak in May forced over two million students to [retake](https://www.dw.com/en/india-news-millions-of-students-turn-up-for-neet-retest/live-77652775) the highly-competitive exam, leading to some [young aspirants taking their own lives](https://www.dw.com/en/india-whats-driving-the-intense-pressure-on-students/a-77678137).\n\nProtesters allege that the leaks are a sign of a corruption-ridden education system.\n\nAside from the education minister's resignation, the CJP's list of demands also include a compensation of 10 million rupees (€91,000 and $104,000) for the families of each of the students who took their own lives.\n\nThey also seek the release of prominent social activist [Sonam Wangchuk](https://www.dw.com/en/india-police-move-activist-sonam-wangchuk-to-hospital-on-court-orders/a-78015393), who was forcibly removed from the protest site in Jantar Mantar and taken to a hospital last Saturday as he observed a days-long hunger-strike in support of the demand.\n\nCopy link\n\n3 hours ago 3 hours ago\n## How has the Modi government reacted to the 'cockroach' protest?\n\nOn Monday, Cockroach Janta Party spokespersons Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka met federal Health Minister J P Nadda to formally hand over a written document listing the movement's demands.\n\nRanka said that the minister had asked for time to discuss the demands with the government.\n\nNadda on Monday described the talks as having taken place in a \"cordial atmosphere\" as he urged demonstrators to call off their sit-in protest.\n\nPrime Minister [Narendra Modi](https://www.dw.com/en/narendra-modi/t-65800410) continues to maintain a silence on the protest.\n\nThere has also been no statement on the protest march from Modi's Education Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, whose resignation the youth protesters are demanding over recurrent examination paper leaks and irregularities in the country's education system.\n\nPradhan was seen in the Indian Parliament on Monday as the public ire against him poured into the streets leading the house.\n\nCopy link\n\n4 hours ago 4 hours ago\n## 'Cockroaches' leader Dipke apologizes to injured protesters\n\nCockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke on Tuesday visited a hospital in New Delhi to meet [supporters](https://www.dw.com/en/cockroach-movement-gives-voice-to-indias-angry-youth/a-77391629) who were injured during the attempted march to parliament.\n\nIn a message on X, he apologized to CJP supporters who he said were \"brutally\" beaten up by police personnel.\n\n\"I apologise to all our supporters, especially the girls who were brutally beaten by male police officers,\" Dipke wrote.\n\n\"We could have done better. I could have done better to protect you from the inhumane actions of the Delhi Police,\" he added.\n\nThe CJP head also claimed that a girl was in a critical condition after being injured in a police baton-charge that ensued on Monday as a protest march of thousands tried to push its way through security barricades.\n\nThere is no statement from the authorities on Dipke's claim.\n\nMeanwhile, the CJP shared a form on social media asking people who had been detained and facing legal charges over the march to reach out.\n\n\"We will provide the necessary legal help,\" the movement said.\n\nAccording to a police statement, 70 protesters were detained on Monday and a legal action was being initiated against them.\n\nAhead of the march on Monday, authorities had imposed a ban, barring the assembly of five or more people, except at the designated protest site of Jantar Mantar. The police had warned of legal action against violators of the order.\n\nOn Tuesday, CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka called on the Delhi police to release the detainees.\n\n\"Delhi police needs to clearly tell how many people are still under detention from yesterday's protest,\" he said.\n\nCopy link\n\n## Protesters return to protest site, Jantar Mantar\n\nFollowing the confrontation on Monday, CJP protesters made their way back to their Jantar Mantar protest site, where they had been holding a sit-in demonstration for the past month, to find it dismantled by the police.\n\nOn Tuesday morning, Dipke's message to supporters and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government was: \"We won't back off\".\n\nCJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka declared: \"We won't stop. Pradhan has to be sacked.\"\n\nAs of this morning, at least 150-200 ⁠protesters have ​gathered at the protest site poised to protest amid a light drizzle.\n\n\"Jantar Mantar Is Again Packed! The more you suppress us, the more we will rise!!\" CJP wrote on X.\n\nSecurity around the protest site and the rest of central Delhi continues to remain tight.\n\nCopy link\n\n## India's 'cockroach' party vows continued protest, parliament march reportedly called off\n\nReports on Tuesday cited India's Cockroach Janta founder Abhijeet Dipke as saying that the youth-led movement will not carry out a march to the parliament again because \"the police ⁠will hurt the youth again\".\n\nThe CJP has however vowed to continue its sit-in protest until its demand for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is met.\n\n\"We had to call off the protest yesterday because we did not want more youth to ​be injured,\" news agency Reuters quoted CJP founder ⁠Abhijeet Dipke as telling a press conference.\n\n\"We will not march again because the police ⁠will hurt the youth again,\" ​he said.\n\nThere was no immediate statement from the CJP on the march on its official channels.\n\nThe reported decision to not march comes a day after some 180 people were reportedly injured as thousands of CJP supporters, attempting to get to the Indian parliament, clashed with the police.\n\nAccording to Delhi Police figures, 118 police personnel and 60 protesters were injured in the confrontation that also saw authorities using batons and tear gas on the youth protesters.\n\nThe CJP alleges that the police \"brutally\" beat up the protesters while the Delhi police has criticized \"unruly, aggressive and violent behavior\" by a \"violent mob\".\n\nCopy link\n\n## Welcome to our coverage\n\n[Dharvi Vaid](https://www.dw.com/en/dharvi-vaid/person-52269833) | Rana Taha Editor\n\nThis is Dharvi Vaid Dhulia from DW’s studio in New Delhi, bringing you our daily wrap of all the biggest headlines creating a buzz in India.\n\nIndia is still reeling from the scenes witnessed in the heart of the capital yesterday as thousands of youth protesters descended onto central Delhi, in what was one of the biggest demonstrations the city has witnessed in five years.\n\nThe outpour also marked one of the biggest public challenges to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his three-term tenure.\n\nThe protesters were participating in a march to the parliament called for by the viral albeit newly-formed Cockroach Janta Party,seeking the resignation of the country’s education minister.\n\nAuthorities had banned the march and as the sea of protesters tried to push their way across a heavy security cordon, they were met with baton-charge and tear gas.\n\nThe CJP has alleged police brutality amid reports of several people being injured.\n\nThe march has now reportedly been called off, but India’s \"cockroach\" protest seems to be holding ground as the CJP says they will push ahead with their demands until Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan steps down.\n\nStay tuned as we bring you more.\n\nCopy link\n\nShow more posts\n\n[Dharvi Vaid](https://www.dw.com/en/dharvi-vaid/person-52269833) Reporter and news writer based in New Delhi[@VDharvi](https://twitter.com/@VDharvi \"External link — twitter — @VDharvi\")\n\nSend us your feedback\n\n## Your feedback\n\n## Similar stories\n\nPolitics 18 hours ago 18 hours ago\n\nPolitics 16 hours ago 16 hours ago 02:24 min\n\n## Related topics\n\n## Footer\n\nAbout DW\n\nDW offers\n\nService","source_name":"Deutsche Welle","source_url":"https://www.dw.com/en/india-s-modi-finally-addresses-the-exam-leaks-which-triggered-the-cockroach-protest-as-opposition-leader-gandhi-calls-on-him-to-resign-follow-live/live-78043926?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf","url":"https://www.dw.com/en/india-s-modi-finally-addresses-the-exam-leaks-which-triggered-the-cockroach-protest-as-opposition-leader-gandhi-calls-on-him-to-resign-follow-live/live-78043926?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf","author":"Unknown Author","author_name":"Unknown Author","published_at":"2026-07-21T07:32:00.000Z","publication_date":"2026-07-21T07:32:00.000Z","image_url":"https://static.dw.com/image/78043479_600.jpg","category":"world","topic":"world","tags":[],"political_bias":null,"bias_score":null,"confidence_score":null,"credibility_score":null,"factual_quality":null,"reading_time":12,"word_count":2399,"view_count":0,"breaking":false,"breaking_news":false,"ai_analysis":null,"fact_check_status":"unverified","archive_status":"hot","language":null}}