India's Gen Z adopts 'cockroach' label in massive youth protests

Young Indians, frustrated by exam leaks and corruption, have adopted the label "cockroaches" to protest what they see as a failing political system. The movement, dubbed the "Cockroach Janata Party" (CJP), began after India's chief justice compared unemployed youth to cockroaches. Students embraced the insult, creating a satirical party that has gained millions of followers online.

The CJP's outrage intensified after the Ministry of Education voided entrance exam results due to widespread leaks. Millions of students had invested heavily in these exams, which are crucial for upward mobility. The Times of India reports that allegations of leaks have been linked to at least 20 student suicides.

Protesters are demanding accountability, including the education minister's resignation, harsher penalties for exam leaks, and compensation for voided exams. Their demands extend to broader systemic issues, such as increased female representation in parliament, media independence, and the arrest of the chief election commissioner if votes are ever erased.

Authorities have responded with a crackdown, using tear gas and batons against demonstrators marching toward Parliament. However, students like 20-year-old Sona Bisht remain defiant. "If the government thinks that doing this with Gen Z can stop us, then that won't happen," she told the Associated Press. "We are here talking about education, talking about securing our future. And till the time our demands are not met, we will not move from here."

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If the government thinks that doing this with Gen Z can stop us, then that won't happen. We are here talking about education, talking about securing our future. And till the time our demands are not met, we will not move from here.