由考试试卷泄露引发的青年抗议运动正对印度莫迪政府构成迄今最大规模的公众压力。这场被称为"蟑螂"抗议的运动已从德里蔓延至孟买、海得拉巴、班加罗尔和艾哈迈达巴德等多个主要城市 [1]。
警方对抗议活动的暴力回应进一步激化了矛盾。周一警方使用警棍和催泪瓦斯驱散抗议者，造成至少60人受伤 [1]。随后国大党领导人马利卡君·卡尔格和拉胡尔·甘地于周二前往莫迪住所发起抗议 [1]。甘地要求政府为对学生的镇压道歉，并要求教育部长普拉丹、内政部长阿米特·沙阿以及总理莫迪辞职 [1]。甘地称："议长说他需要获得政府许可，但对我们来说很明显政府没有兴趣进行辩论" [1]。
对此教育部长普拉丹辩称："即使政府表示准备进行全面讨论，国大党仍选择政治表演而非民主辩论" [1]。
莫迪政府随后做出一系列承诺以缓解局势。莫迪在社交媒体上表示"没有什么比我们青年的福祉和未来更重要……那些试图伤害我们青年未来的人将不会幸免" [2]，并承诺建立"快速追踪法院"以加快对泄露试卷的贪污官员的处罚 [2]。同时，政府向抗议活动人士和教育家索南·旺楚克做出重要让步，承诺在议会讨论考试系统问责问题、向考试泄露后自杀者的家属提供赔偿，并撤销对参加周一议会大游行学生的案件 [3]。
索南·旺楚克因此结束了26天的绝食 [3]。他于6月28日加入抗议并开始无限期绝食，周六曾被警方强行移出并送入医院 [1]。
此次抗议规模之大前所未有。约200万学生受到5月的考试泄露事件影响 [3]，这一事件成为抗议的导火索。政府为维持秩序采取了极端措施，包括关闭德里16个地铁站并下令切断该地区的移动互联网服务 [3]。这被视为莫迪自2014年上台以来面临的最大规模青年挑战 [3]。
A major wave of youth-led protests has engulfed India, with demonstrators calling for sweeping education reforms and the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan following widespread exam paper leaks. [1][3] The movement, branded as the "Cockroach" protests by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), has evolved into one of the most significant public challenges to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government since 2014. [3]
The demonstrations escalated dramatically on Monday when police dispersed protesters using batons and tear gas, leaving at least 60 people injured. [1] Following the crackdown, opposition Congress party leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi staged a protest march to the Prime Minister's residence on Tuesday, demanding an apology for the suppression of student demonstrators. [1] Gandhi called for the resignation not only of Education Minister Pradhan but also of Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Modi himself. [1] He stated that the Speaker had indicated government permission was required for parliamentary debate, but "for us it is clear that the government has no interest in a debate." [1]
Minister Pradhan responded by asserting that even as the government expressed willingness to hold a comprehensive discussion, the Congress party chose "political theatre rather than democratic debate." [1]
The unrest has spread from Delhi to major cities including Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, and Ahmedabad. [1] Activist and educator Sonam Wangchuk, who joined the protests on June 28 and launched an indefinite hunger strike, was forcibly removed by police and hospitalized on Saturday. [1] After 26 days of fasting, Wangchuk ended his hunger strike after the Modi government made several commitments, including promises to discuss exam system accountability in parliament, provide compensation to families of those who died by suicide following the exam leaks, and withdraw cases filed against protesting students. [3]
Approximately two million students were affected by the exam leak scandal in May. [3] The government has announced plans to establish fast-track courts to accelerate punishment of corrupt officials responsible for the leaks. [2] Modi stated in a post on X: "Nothing is more important than the welfare and future of our youth … Those who try to harm the future of our youth will not be spared." [2] Delhi authorities have shut down 16 metro stations and cut off mobile internet services in the affected areas. [3] A nationwide protest day is scheduled for Friday. [3]