Thousands of young protesters, part of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), demonstrated in New Delhi, demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged exam paper leaks and recruitment scandals. The youth-led movement, which began with protests over exam irregularities, escalated into a broader campaign for government accountability.
During the demonstration on Monday, authorities suspended mobile internet service around the protest site. Participants responded by using social media platforms like Instagram to share their experiences, turning to memes and short videos to document the events, express defiance, and process the crackdown. Videos showing participants filming their outfits before the protest, joking about potential police confrontation, and later posting clips from the midst of the demonstrations, including interactions with riot officers and injured protesters, flooded the internet once connectivity was restored.
Police employed tear gas and batons to disperse the demonstrators as they marched toward the parliament. Protesters reported numerous injuries from the police action, while authorities stated that several officers were also hurt. Minister Pradhan has denied the allegations, accusing the opposition of politicizing student grievances.
The use of memes and reels by the protesters served as a tool for documenting fear, making sense of the violence, and asserting a continued voice despite the authorities' attempts to suppress their dissent and communication.