Cockroach Party Halts Mass Protests After Indian Education Minister Resigns
India’s Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has resigned from his post after facing mass demonstrations by young protesters across India. The Cockroach Party, which drove the action, stated that all of the protesters’ demands had been accepted by the government.
“All of our demands have been accepted,” said Ashutosh Ranka, spokesman for the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), as reported by the BBC on Saturday (25/7/2026).
Representatives of the Cockroach Party also held meetings with several federal ministers in India. They presented a number of demands from the protesters, most of whom came from India’s younger generation.
The demands included the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, compensation of 10 million rupees, or USD 103,554, for the families of victims who allegedly took their own lives because of the exam question leak, and an assurance of no legal action against those who took part in the protests.
At a press conference, the Cockroach Party said it was ending the protests “in good faith” and added that it had submitted a draft written guarantee to the government, which would respond by Tuesday next week at the latest.
“We ask the protesters to stop their demonstrations peacefully and immediately,” said Ranka.
Indian Education Minister Resigns
India’s Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned from his post on Saturday (25/7). This marked a major victory for young demonstrators across the country who had demanded his resignation to take responsibility for the exam question leak.
The minister announced his resignation on the social media platform X, as police fired tear gas to disperse young demonstrators in New Delhi, the Indian capital.
“Given the situation that has occurred at Jantar Mantar and across the country, so that anti-national forces do not take advantage of this situation… I have submitted my resignation letter to the Prime Minister,” Pradhan wrote in his post, as reported by the AFP news agency on Saturday (25/7/2026).
“I deeply respect the legitimate aspirations, feelings, and hopes of the young people of this country,” he added.
Cheers rang out among the thousands of demonstrators who had been protesting in New Delhi and elsewhere as news of the resignation spread.
Earlier, the federal authorities had restricted internet access and closed 18 metro stations in an attempt to limit protests in New Delhi.
Anger had been mounting since police injured many students last Monday, launching baton charges and firing tear gas to push back crowds of demonstrators moving towards parliament.
The protests, largely led by young people and triggered by dissatisfaction over the leak of crucial university entrance exam questions, reflected anger over job scarcity, corruption, and government accountability.