Cockroach Janta Party: India's 10 Iconic Public Movements From Total Revolution To Farmers' Protest

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Climate activist and educator Sonam Wangchuk ended his 26-day hunger strike on Friday. The Ladakh-based activist's fast helped galvanise a youth-led movement that has grown into one of India's largest protests in recent years, prompting the Narendra Modi government to reach out to demonstrators and promise action on their demands.

After Sonam's decision, protesters under the banner of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) vowed to continue until the education minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigns – their main demand among many.

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Wangchuk's fast became a rallying point for India's“Cockroach” protests, which began more than a month ago demanding education reforms after NEET paper leaks.

Quick answers to key questions

.5 QUESTIONS1What demands are the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) making during the protests?⌵

The CJP is demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, ₹1 crore compensation for families of children who died by suicide, and no prosecution of peaceful protesters during the March to Parliament.

2Why did Sonam Wangchuk end his hunger strike amid the ongoing protests?⌵

Sonam Wangchuk ended his 26-day hunger strike after lengthy negotiations and in light of possible violence, aiming to prioritize safety and well-being while still advocating for the protesters' demands.

3How has the government responded to the NEET protest's paper leak allegations?⌵

In response to the NEET protest's paper leak allegations, the government announced the establishment of fast-track courts to try related cases and promised stricter actions against those responsible for the leaks.

4What significant historical protests in India relate to the current CJP protests?⌵

The current CJP protests relate to India's historical protests such as Anna Hazare's Anti-Corruption Movement in 2011 and the Farmers' Protests (2020-2021), both advocating for greater accountability and reform.

5Should students continue to protest during the ongoing NEET controversy?⌵

Students should consider continuing their protests to demand accountability and reforms, as their collective action has been a crucial factor in drawing attention to their concerns and influencing governmental responses.

Since then, the movement has transformed into Indias biggest protests in years producing shocking videos with angry young voices and in a way tapping into broader public anger over unemployment, government accountability and economic opportunity,

“Our protest will continue until Dharmendra Pradhan resigns,” Abhijeet Dipke, the US-return founder of CJP who has been leading the protests at Jantar Mantar, the designated agitation venue in central Delhi.

Widespread protests for over a month

The widespread protests that began on 20 June, which witnessed violent clashes between police and students last week, have prompted Prime Minister Narendra Modi to release a self-recorded, FaceTime-style video, promising strict action against those responsible for examination paper leaks.

India is not alien to protests. In fact, India as a nation is cradled in a rich tradition of social and political transformation through protest, ranging from the historic march to Dandi in the Salt Satyagraha led by Mahatma Gandhi to Anna Hazare's 2011 movement. The famous farmers' protest of 2020-21 led the government to withdraw the controversial agrarian laws.

Protest is a fundamental right in democracy, enabling citizens to register dissent, demand accountability and effect change in public policy.

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The struggle for independence is embedded in India's protest culture. From the Chipko movement for environmental conservation to the Mandal Commission's protests against caste-based reservations, the right to protest has been India's democratic lifeline.

Here is a look at India's iconic protest movements after independence:

1-JP Movement (1974–1975): Led by freedom fighter Jayaprakash Narayan (JP) in Bihar and Gujarat, advocating Sampoorna Kranti (Total Revolution) against government corruption and unemployment, eventually leading to a national opposition against Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, which directly preceded the 1975 Emergency.

2-Anna Hazare's Anti-Corruption Movement (2011): A hunger strike led by Anna Hazare and urban mobilisation at New Delhi's Jantar Mantar and Ramlila Maidan demanding the Jan Lokpal Bill to combat systemic political graft, eventually led to the enactment of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act in 2013.

The movement called India Againt Corruption (IAC) eventually led to the formation of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), led by Arvind Kejriwal who went on to become chief minister of Delhi for 11 years.

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3-Mandal Commission Protests (1990): The 1990 Mandal Commission protests were widespread, student-led demonstrations in India triggered by Prime Minister VP Singh's decision to implement 27 per cent job reservations for Other Backward Classes (OBCs)

4-Farmers' Protests (2020–2021): A widespread mobilisation of farmer unions at Delhi border opposing contentious farm laws. The protests eventually resulted in the eventual repeal of the controversial law, a decision announced in a televised address to the nation.

5-Chipko Movement (1973): A Gandhian non-violent resistance in Uttarakhand where villagers hugged trees to prevent commercial logging, setting a precedent for community-based forest conservation.

6-Narmada Bachao Andolan (1985): A sustained multi-pronged campaign led by Medha Patkar and Baba Amte against the social and ecological dislocation caused by large dam projects along the Narmada River.

The movement challenged the forced displacement of marginalised communities without fair rehabilitation and highlights the severe ecological impacts of large infrastructure projects.

7-Assam Movement (1979–1985): The movement was a mass civil disobedience uprising demanding the detection and deportation of illegal immigrants, primarily from Bangladesh. Led by the All Assam Students' Union (AASU) and AAGSP, it culminated in the historic 1985 Assam Accord, which set March 24, 1971, as the cutoff date for citizenship.

8-Ram Janmabhoomi movement (1980S-90s): The Ram Janmabhoomi movement was a decades-long socio-political and religious campaign spearheaded by Hindu nationalist organisations (the Sangh Parivar) demanding the construction of a temple at the birthplace of Lord Ram in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh.

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) launched a mass movement to 'liberate' the site and build a grand temple. On 6 December 1992, the movement took a radical turn when a large crowd of kar sevaks (volunteers) demolished the Babri Masjid, sparking nationwide communal violence.

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The movement culminated in a historic 2019 Supreme Court verdict that granted the disputed site to Hindus. The Ram Mandir in Ayodhya was officially inaugurated and its main idol consecrated on January 22, 2024.

9- Nirbhaya Protests 2012: The 2012 protests were a historic, nationwide public uprising in India triggered by the brutal gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old physiotherapy student on a moving bus in New Delhi on December 16, 2012.

The unprecedented scale of the protests forced the government into reforming laws for crime against women.

Protest is a fundamental right in democracy, enabling citizens to register dissent, demand accountability and effect change in public policy.

10-Shaheen Bagh Protests: Thesr anti-CAA proetests was a historic, women-led, 24/7 sit-in in New Delhi that began on December 15, 2019. Thousands of women occupied a major highway connecting Delhi to Noida to oppose the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the National Register of Citizens (NRC), and the National Population Register (NPR).

The movement lasted for 101 days, capturing global attention before being cleared on March 23, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns.

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