Gen Z Activists Mobilize Against Authoritarian Modi Regime After Forced Removal of Activist
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Students and grassroots protesters from the 'cockroach' movement are preparing to march on Parliament July 20, demanding the resignations of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan after police forcibly removed activist Sonam Wangchuk.
Thousands of predominantly student protesters, united against the oppressive tactics of the Modi government, are set to march from Jantar Mantar in New Delhi to Parliament on July 20, coinciding with the start of the monsoon legislative session. This mass mobilization comes in direct response to the police's forceful removal of activist Sonam Wangchuk, who had bravely endured a 20-day hunger strike in support of the 'cockroach' movement—a grassroots uprising born from a viral online campaign exposing state corruption and negligence.
Authorities claim they acted on a court order and out of concern for Wangchuk’s health, but his wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, rightfully condemned the hospitalization as an illegal detention—yet another example of the state’s disregard for civil liberties. Abhijeet Dipke, the movement’s founder, called on supporters to demand the resignations of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, both of whom have repeatedly failed to address the systemic exam paper leaks and the tragic student suicides that have resulted from their neglect.
"This march is to reclaim our India. It is the fight for a better future, not just for students but for this country as well. People must show up in large numbers and somehow reach the parliament," declared Saurav Das, chief spokesman of the Cockroach Janta Party, echoing the movement’s call for mass resistance.
The protest site has been flooded with police and paramilitary forces, a clear attempt to intimidate and suppress dissent. Nevertheless, other activist groups have expressed unwavering solidarity with the march. Wangchuk, an engineer-turned-educator from Ladakh, has described the protest as 'India’s second freedom movement,' urging participants to remain peaceful in the face of state provocation.
"Until now, we were demanding Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, but after this act, we will now demand the resignation of Narendra Modi," Dipke told reporters, signaling a new phase in the struggle against authoritarian rule.
Students like Delhi University sophomore Shreya Kumar have declared their readiness to face police repression and persist in demanding accountability from the ministers. The authorities, entrenched in their silence, have yet to respond to the planned march.