Rahul Gandhi was released after being detained outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence amid protests led by the social-media driven Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). Demonstrators demand Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation and broad reforms to India's testing system after high-profile exam controversies. Clashes in New Delhi involved stone-throwing and security forces using tear gas and batons, leaving 60 civilians and 118 police injured. Hundreds remain camped at Jantar Mantar as the CJP vows to continue its campaign.
Rahul Gandhi Released After Detention as Mass Protests Over Exam Scandals Rock India
Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi (front 2R) was released after he was detained during a sit-in protest calling for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's resignation outside the latter's residence (Arun SANKAR)
India's opposition leader Rahul Gandhi was released on Wednesday after being detained outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official residence during large protests demanding changes to the country's examination system.
The demonstrations are led by the social-media driven Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) movement and have become one of the most significant political challenges to Prime Minister Modi's administration since his re-election in 2024. Protesters are calling for Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation and sweeping reforms to restore trust in national testing.
Gandhi staged a sit-in on Tuesday outside the prime minister's residence, accusing the government of ignoring students' concerns and criticizing a police crackdown on earlier demonstrations in New Delhi.
"We owe them (students) answers, reforms and accountability," Pradhan wrote in a late Tuesday social media post. "That is exactly what our government remains committed to delivering."
The protests turned violent when some participants hurled stones at security forces, who responded with tear gas and baton charges. Authorities described the unrest as the capital's largest demonstrations in five years.
Police reported 60 civilians were injured and 118 police personnel sustained injuries during the clashes. Smaller rallies were also held in Mumbai and Bengaluru, each drawing hundreds of people.
The CJP — launched in May and fueled by viral social-media support — has amassed millions of followers and vowed to continue its campaign. By Wednesday, hundreds of demonstrators remained camped at Delhi's Jantar Mantar protest site as the movement entered its third day.
The protests were triggered by a series of controversies that have undermined confidence in India's examination processes, including the leak of a medical entrance paper that forced more than two million candidates to retake the test. A separate dispute over the online marking of nearly two million high school exams has further inflamed public anger.
As calls for accountability grow, the government says it remains committed to reforms, while the opposition and student groups press for swift, concrete action to prevent future breaches and restore exam integrity.
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