The Indian government has ordered telecom companies to suspend mobile data services in central Delhi as “Cockroach” movement protesters continue demanding the education minister’s resignation over exam paper leaks.
New Delhi, India – Web Desk: The Indian government has ordered telecom companies to disable mobile data services in central parts of the capital, in and around the site of ongoing youth protests demanding the resignation of the education minister, sources familiar with the matter said on Thursday. Telecom operators have complied with the directive.
Government and telecom department spokespersons did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Leading Indian telecom providers, including Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone-Idea, also did not respond to queries on the matter. Journalists reported no mobile data connectivity in large parts of central Delhi on Thursday evening, with vendors, shopkeepers, and restaurants saying they were unable to process digital payments as a result.
The disruption comes as the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), the movement leading the protests, rejected the government’s latest response to an ongoing examination paper leak controversy. The group announced it would continue its demonstration until Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigns. A CJP spokesperson said it was encouraging that the prime minister had finally acknowledged the issue after roughly six weeks of sustained protest, while reiterating that the sit-in would continue until accountability is established. The spokesperson also questioned the value of punishing offenders after leaks have already occurred, arguing that the root causes behind repeated paper leaks remain unaddressed.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a social media post that the welfare of the country’s youth remained his top priority, and pledged to establish fast-track courts to prosecute those responsible for the leaks.
Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi responded by placing responsibility for the crisis on the prime minister, accusing the government of allowing the erosion of the education system while shielding those responsible. Gandhi renewed calls for Pradhan’s dismissal, an apology from Modi to affected students, and accountability for those involved in the crackdown on protesters.
The “Cockroach” movement has maintained a camp in central Delhi since last month, demanding Pradhan’s resignation following exam paper leaks in May that affected an estimated two million students. The protests intensified this week after police used tear gas and batons against tens of thousands of demonstrators attempting to march toward parliament on the opening day of its monsoon session, in what has been described as the capital’s largest street rally in roughly five years. At least 178 people, including security personnel, were reported injured in the resulting clashes.
The CJP initially emerged in May as a satirical response to remarks by a senior judicial figure comparing young people to “cockroaches,” but has since expanded its focus to include unemployment, opportunities for youth, and broader concerns over the government’s style of governance. The movement is widely seen as one of the most significant challenges to Modi’s leadership since his re-election to a third term in 2024.
The unrest follows a series of examination irregularities that have shaken public confidence in India’s testing system, including a medical entrance exam leak that forced over two million candidates to retake their test, along with separate concerns over the marking process for high school examinations taken by nearly two million students.
