Modi Reaches Out to Cockroach Janta Party After Ousting Education Minister: "I Will Forgive the Abusive Protesters"

Soothing Youth Outrage with a Message of Reconciliation

The "Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)," a youth political group formed in response to the nationwide medical college entrance exam leak scandal, insulted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during protests. However, Prime Minister Modi has announced he will forgive them.

Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

According to AFP and other outlets on August 1 (local time), Prime Minister Modi stated the previous day via social networking services (SNS), "Some immature youths hurled severe insults. Words that have no place in a civilized society were used, and those words were not only directed at me but even at my late mother." He added, "Nevertheless, I want to forgive them." Modi continued, "These are children who have been led astray. It is our duty to show them the right path. Punishing them, dragging them through the courts, or socially harassing them will not solve the situation. I hope society will also accept my stance," he added.

A young man holding a photo insulting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

This statement marks a departure from the authorities' previous approach, in which police registered hundreds of protesters and used tear gas and batons to suppress demonstrations in New Delhi and other locations. While the CJP, which spearheaded the protests, stated the government promised not to punish participants, it also insisted hundreds of students were still being detained across several states and called for the authorities to fulfill their pledge.

The situation began last May when a leak of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for medical college admissions forced 2.2 million people to retake the exam. The news that more than 20 examinees, unable to bear the burden of retesting, took their own lives sparked outrage among the youth. Avijit Deepke, a 30-year-old man of Dalit descent, who returned from studying in the United States, formed the CJP and led the protests under the slogans, "Reform the exam system," and "The Minister of Education must take responsibility." The name "Cockroach" is a satirical reference to a statement by the Chief Justice, who once compared struggling young job seekers to cockroaches.

CJP’s popularity surged, gathering as many as 26 million followers on Instagram. Ultimately, Dharmendra Pradhan, who had been considered a core figure in the Modi administration and was serving as Minister of Education, resigned on July 25. Even after Pradhan's resignation, the Modi government accepted most of the protesters’ demands, including reforms to the testing system, punishment of those responsible for the exam leak, and a halt to legal action against participants. In response, the CJP announced that it would end the protest, which had continued for over a month.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.