Rahul Gandhi, the official leader of the opposition in India called on Tuesday for the resignation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in response to the heavy-handed crackdown on a student protest demanding reforms to the university system.
On Monday, thousands of people gathered in the capital, New Delhi, at the call of the Indian protest movement known as the “Cockroach Party,” which unites anger over exam fraud and the discontent of the country’s youth.
Since may Students have been demonstrating in India, demanding changes to the education system.
Their protest began as a mockery reaction to comments made by a judge in May. The judge referred to the youths as cockroaches, emphasizing that they were doing nothing to improve their situation and that they were an harmful group to society. In retaliation for the remarks, the young created the Indian Cockroach Party
According to Meenakshi Ganguly, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, in an interview the movement quickly “bloomed” due to anger over the shortcomings of the education system, youth unemployment, and corruption
A recent, widely cited study from Azim Premji University found that 40 percent of young people under 25 are unemployed, even as access to higher education has increased in India in recent years.
The issues raised by the Indian youth are similar to those in other countries in the region, such as Nepal, Indonesia and Bangladesh where youth-led protest movements have led to significant political upheaval.
On Tuesday a major confrontation between the protesters and the police occurred and several dozen of students were arrested. During the protest Rahul Gandhi, the official leader of the opposition in the lower house of the Indian Parliament (Lok Sabha) was also arrested and placed in detention.
Rahul Gandhi X account
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Source: New York Times, Le Journal La Presse
