Indian police baton-charge banned protest march on Delhi parliament

Armoured riot police charged a crowd of demonstrators who were marching in a banned protest outside Parliament in New Delhi on Monday. The march, organised by a group linked to the satirical Cockroach Janta Party, was aimed at expressing anger over alleged irregularities in major university examinations. Police forces, deployed in heavily armoured vehicles, used batons and tear gas to disperse the crowd and restore order.

Saurav Das, the party’s spokesperson, confirmed that two members of the movement were en route to meet a senior minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet. The protest, which had been declared unlawful by authorities, drew attention to widespread concerns about the integrity of the country’s higher‑education grading system. The police action was part of a broader crackdown on demonstrations that the government has deemed a threat to public safety.

The incident underscores the growing tension between students, political activists, and the state over academic standards. While the police have restored calm around Parliament, the government’s response to the allegations of exam irregularities remains to be seen, and the movement’s attempt to engage senior officials may shape the next phase of the debate.