Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, his sister and fellow lawmaker Priyanka Gandhi, and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav were detained by Delhi Police on Tuesday outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence, where they had gathered to demand his resignation over a violent crackdown on student demonstrators. The protests, led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a social-media-driven youth movement that has amassed millions of followers since launching in May 2026, centre on alleged irregularities in India's NEET medical entrance exam and broader demands for education reform, including the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The unrest, which has left hundreds injured in clashes between protesters and security forces at New Delhi's Jantar Mantar square, has paralysed India's Parliament for a third consecutive day, with both houses adjourned repeatedly amid opposition uproar — though the government has signalled readiness to debate the exam scandal.
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Rahul Gandhi arrested outside Modi's residence as student protests grip Delhi[Updated]
Prime Minister Narendra Modi broke his silence on Thursday, posting on X to announce that his government would establish fast-track courts to deliver "swift and stringent punishment" for those responsible for exam paper leaks, vowing that "those who try to harm the future of our youth will not be spared." The statement came as Wednesday's demonstrations triggered a fresh round of clashes with police, and Delhi Metro shut 16 stations — including Rajiv Chowk and Central Secretariat — amid the unrest. Police have revised the injury toll from Monday's violence at the parliament march to at least 178, including security personnel. The CJP traces its origins to a satirical response to Chief Justice Surya Kant's reported description of young people as "cockroaches" and "parasites" during a court hearing, before evolving into a mass movement amid a broader crisis of graduate unemployment, with urban youth joblessness standing at 13 percent.