Overview of The cockroach rebellion in India
This episode of the Rachman Review examines a surprising youth-led protest wave in India, dubbed the “cockroach movement” or “Cockroach Janata Party,” which erupted after a controversial remark by the Chief Justice of India and quickly grew into a broader challenge to Narendra Modi’s government. FT’s Gideon Rachman speaks with Professor Mukhalika Banerjee of the London School of Economics about how a social-media joke turned into a major student uprising, why the movement tapped into deep frustration over education and jobs, and whether it signals a more lasting political shift.
How the protest movement began
A remark that triggered a backlash
- The movement started after the Chief Justice of India reportedly referred to unemployed young people who question the government as “cockroaches.”
- A student in Boston, Abhijit Deepke, suggested reclaiming the insult as a badge of identity.
- The idea spread rapidly online, drawing millions of young people and forming the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) as a satirical echo of the ruling BJP.
From online mobilization to street protests
- The movement soon focused on the leaked NEET medical entrance exam papers.
- Protesters argued the exam scandal reflected a much broader collapse in trust around education and opportunity.
- Thousands gathered at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi before attempting to march toward Parliament, where confrontations with police escalated.
Core grievances behind the protests
Education corruption and exam leaks
- The immediate spark was repeated leakage of NEET papers, reportedly more than 100 times over 10 years.
- Protesters demanded accountability for a system that they said had betrayed students’ effort and trust.
Three main demands
The movement initially centered on:
- Resignation of the education minister
- Compensation for 23 families whose children died by suicide amid exam stress and cancellation-related turmoil
- Removal of police FIRs filed against protesting students
A deeper critique of India’s education system
- Banerjee argues the exam scandal is only the “tip of the iceberg.”
- Key structural concerns include:
- Underfunding of education
- Closure of schools
- Political capture of universities and appointments
- Influence of the RSS and its ideological agenda in public institutions
Government response and why it backfired
Mixed messaging and mockery
- The government first tried to contain the movement through optics and social media.
- Modi’s Instagram appearances were widely mocked as awkward and inauthentic.
- The resignation of the education minister did not calm the situation; instead, it reinforced the students’ belief that the government was dismissive.
Repression intensified anger
- Police used severe force, including:
- Tear gas
- Lathi charges
- Pellet guns
- Reports of serious injuries, ICUs filled with students, and one protester losing an eye made the crackdown a major political liability.
- The episode raised the question of who ordered the violence, with scrutiny likely to fall on the home ministry.
Digital suppression
- India’s internet shutdowns and pressure on platforms like Meta and X were described as part of the government’s standard playbook.
- The mainstream media, according to Banerjee, largely echoed government talking points and blamed foreign powers such as the U.S., China, and Pakistan.
Why this protest matters politically
A breach in the atmosphere of fear
- Banerjee says the protests broke the sense of intimidation that has often constrained dissent under Modi.
- Students used humor, irreverence, and social media to say things older generations would not say openly.
- Once that kind of expression is unleashed, it is hard to contain.
Modi is not invincible, but he is durable
- The government hopes the movement will fade, as earlier protests have.
- But this one may differ because:
- It is rooted in a concrete grievance
- It has spread beyond the original satirical group
- It has drawn in parents and broader middle-class constituencies
- It has exposed the gap between India’s democratic ideals and its authoritarian tendencies
Economic and social roots of the anger
Jobless growth and frustrated aspirations
- Despite strong headline growth claims, Banerjee argues India is experiencing jobless growth.
- Young people need roughly one million jobs a month, but the economy is not producing them.
- Manufacturing has not developed into the broad-based job creator that “Make in India” promised.
A broken pathway to social mobility
- NEET and similar exams are extremely competitive and determine access to secure, respectable public-sector jobs.
- Families in the lower-middle class often spend 25–40% of household income on coaching.
- These are exactly the voters Modi needs most, which makes the movement politically dangerous.
Meritocracy without accountability
- Banerjee notes that the exam system once functioned as a credible route to advancement.
- The problem now is not only competition, but corruption, outsourcing, and lack of oversight.
- The National Testing Agency is portrayed as deeply compromised, with no serious admission of fault from the government.
Regional and global parallels
South Asia’s youth-led wave
Banerjee connects the Indian protests to recent youth movements in the region:
- Sri Lanka (2022): student-led protests helped force out the Rajapaksa family
- Bangladesh (2024): students rose against Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India
- Nepal: student protests also contributed to political change
What India shares—and what it doesn’t
- Like these movements, India’s protests are youth-driven and increasingly anti-elite.
- Unlike Bangladesh, India’s military is not directly under political command in the same way, which Banerjee sees as a democratic safeguard.
- The movement’s growth also shows how opposition parties can align with street protests in a parliamentary democracy.
Broader takeaway
- The protest movement is not just about a leaked exam paper or an insultingly named political faction.
- It is a sign of deep youth discontent, especially among students and aspirational families who feel blocked from mobility and ignored by the political system.
- The episode reveals both the strengths of India’s democratic culture—mass mobilization, satire, opposition support—and the authoritarian methods used to suppress dissent.
- Banerjee’s final warning is that young people are increasingly connected across borders and are comparing their futures globally, making this a far wider phenomenon than India alone.
Key themes
- Youth protest and digital mobilization
- Education corruption and exam leaks
- Unemployment and blocked social mobility
- State repression and internet censorship
- Authoritarian tactics within a constitutional democracy
- Regional parallels in South Asian politics