Hedgehogs and Cockroaches

With the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protests at Jantar Mantar entering the 35th day on July 25, 2026, protests had spread to 34 cities, including Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, and Kolkata, alongside solidarity demonstrations in five countries: Britain - in London, Manchester, Glasgow, and Edinburgh under Students federation of India (SFI) banner; Germany and Ireland – in Berlin and Dublin; Netherlands – Hague and Amsterdam; Canada – Vancouver; USA - Union Square in New York.

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant termed a section of youth "cockroaches" in a hearing on May 15, 2026. Kant says he was misquoted, but with CJP forming a day later (May 16), the media questioned if Kant’s cockroaches remark was deliberate to facilitate forming the CJP? Shashi Tharoor once called passengers flying general category “cattle class”, but the CJI is not expected to make irresponsible remarks. 

In 2015, the Chairman Bar Council of India said 30% of all lawyers in India have fake degrees (https://www.indianbarassociation.org/indian-bar-council-reveals-that-30-of-all-lawyers-in-the-country-are-fake/); today’s percentage may be more? Some naturally become judges. In the last 10 years, hundreds of retired judges (Supreme Court and 25 High Courts included) were given assignments to fill positions mandated by federal/state laws (why only judges?) – dozens of national tribunals, commissions, forums, panels. Also, SC judges are appointed as Governors, Lokpals and to Rajya Sabha - no mandatory 2-year cooling-off period post-retirement to preserve public trust in judiciary? Justice Yashwant Varma, in whose out-house burnt/unburnt cash was discovered on March 14, 2025, wasn’t impeached because he resigned knowing only sitting judges can be impeached. Wasn’t it possible to reject the resignation and impeach him, setting an example, or would that upset the executive-judiciary comfort zone?

At the heart of the CJP protests were NEET paper leaks, triggering suicides. NEET-related suicides numbered 32 between 2018 and September 2020 (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8313459/). At least 12 NEET aspirants committed suicide in 37 days during 2026 2026. All these are reported cases (actual numbers may be more), which indicates gross intransigence of authorities.  Another post shows 152 paper leaks across India since 2014 confirming institutionalised corruption.    

The Constitution doesn’t lay down minimum education for lawmakers; and the current crop of illiterates, half-educated and fake-degree holders wouldn’t allow such an amendment. Social media says ‘We don’t want an education minister for Higher Education, We want Higher Education for Ministers’. Some 94,000 government schools shut down since 2014 - Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh accounting for 60%? Why are 25 schools shut daily in India as enrolment drops by 2.26 crore?

Yu Jing, Chinese Embassy spokesperson in India posted on X that China's Gaokao exam successfully tested 1.3 crore (13 million) students in just two days; comparing Gaokao to India's JEE and NEET combined. General VK Singh, Governor of Mizoram, has said that NEET papers may leak but not in the Army. The Army conducts online Computer-Based Test (CBT) for exams; streamlined processing with improved security.

Incidentally, Mizoram Home Minister K Sapdanga, citing security concerns, demands an urgent government policy as more Zo/Chakma/Bru/other tribals continue to enter the state from Bangladesh. What is the Border Security Force (directly under the Home Ministry) doing? This, amid US troops conducting joint exercise with Bangladesh Army very close to the Mizoram border

The Gen Z uprisings in Nepal and Bangladesh were engineered by the US. Now Jaishankar assures Indian support for China’s sovereignty (Taiwan and Tibet included) while China doesn’t respect India’s sovereignty (sic). But our media only shows Jaishankar saying CPEC is through Indian territory – false his cat’s whiskers? 

On July 23, Delhi High Court admitted a PIL alleging CJP receiving foreign funds and seeking NIA probe into protests,  amid backlash over police crackdown – await proceedings and debate if the NSA and MHA were asleep - or rather why the lack the spine to blame the Trump Administration; when America’s Christopher Landau made it clear US will throttle India’s growth? The Republic TV frontman meowing the Bitchat app provided by a US billionaire makes no difference.

Two union ministers met Sonam Wangchuk in hospital thinking he is leading the protests, and he could be persuaded to call them off. It is the same government which jailed this diehard nationalist to corporatize Ladakh, then set him free (https://www.thecitizen.in/opinion/sonam-wangchuk-and-karma-1206409), and later the MHA went back on promises made to Ladakhis? The CJP sit-in protest at Jantar Mantar began on June 20, 2026 (following initial campaign demonstrations that started on June 6), and Wangchuk joined them only on June 28 - frustrated by the MHA turnabout.

It is being said WhatsApp generation made today’s BJP and now Instagram generation challenges it. So, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked his ministers to strengthen their Instagram presence, engaging youth more effectively. This was amateurish, which is why an amused Ashwini Vaishnav commented, “No paper is leaking today” (https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/pm-modi-asks-ministers-to-be-active-on-instagram-post-reels-to-connect-with-youth-sources-2955449-2026-07-24),

Using RAF’s brute force (including using pellet guns) against protesters, and Delhi Police officials manhandling girls in absence of women constables was idiotic and insensitive, which hardened the resolve of protestors; similising RAF and Delhi Police to Trump’s ICE. Equally stupid was police raiding nearby eateries to check who was paying for the food and going through discarded food bills to trace which restaurants were supplying food, despite support pouring in pan-India.

Nothing is heard of anyone punished in the September 24, 2025, police firing in Leh (using live bullets instead of non-lethal weapons) killing four (a soldier of Ladakh Scouts included) and injuring 70-80. So, action against RAF and Delhi Police brutality at Jantar Mantar is unlikely beyond an odd transfer, even though RAF fired pellet bullets at protestors.

Modi’s video messages didn’t impress protestors, with content similar to what he said in 2014. The wife, son and mother of new Education Secretary Naresh Pal Gangwar reportedly received INR 1.6 crore from a board under his own department. Couldn’t the government find a clean replacement? Is this fallout of cases withdrawn against corrupt politicians joining/supporting BJP?

Alongside Modi’s promise of fast-track courts, Sanjeev Mukhiya, mastermind of 2024 NEET paper-leak was let off because CBI couldn’t file a chargesheet in 90 days – is the actual culprit a politician/government official? What about fast-track courts ordered a decade back for corrupt politicians? Do we know 3.85+ crore criminal cases are pending in Indian courts - 77% of total judicial backlog. The SC has 20,000+ pending criminal cases out of 96,000+ total cases. Pan-India 45 million+ cases face delays or extended scheduling; accessible via National Judicial Data Grid portal run by e-Courts. While Modi was lauding the youth, West Bengal has jailed 14 protesters under the Goonda Act denying bail.

Media says Abhijeet Dipke received crores from the US. But how many crores is pocketed by how many Indian lawmakers, administrators and their associates? A former R&AW official said that Kejriwal as Delhi’s CM received X-crores from abroad. When asked why the government didn’t take action, he said skeletons in the government are more. True, CJK would be joined by members of organizations like Popular Front of India (PFI), but what about the masses at Jantar Mantar; were they all anti-national – lakhs of youth, parents, adults, doctors, scholars, actors, military veterans, three Param Vir Chakras?  

The fact is redlines of misgovernance, outdated education/examination systems, successive paper-leaks, intransigence to student suicides and uncertain future of youth, unemployment, job opportunities for general category gone worse with reservations, and endemic corruption, were crossed, which led to mass protests. No amount of sloganeering and hubris over Hindutva can deflect from this.

Of the 31 Chief Ministers analysed from State Assemblies and Union Territories 14 (45%) Chief Ministers have declared criminal cases against themselves. The average of assets per Chief Minister is Rs.118.07 Crores. 46% of New Members of Parliament (251 out of 543) have declared criminal case against them, while 170 or 31% of new MPs have declared criminal cases, which include cases related to rape, murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping and crimes against women. This is an increase of 55% of MPs with criminal cases and 124% increase of MPs with serious criminal cases since 2009. With such hedgehogs in control, why would cockroaches not emerge? 

If the government doesn’t acknowledge all this and uses media for diversion, there is little hope of improvement. Pakistan said the CJP protests are India’s internal matter. News 18 ran a full story, based on a fake AI generated letter, saying Bangladesh is supporting the CJP. Why are we hallucinating POK would split from Pakistan – will China ever permit this?  

Government had no intention of asking Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to resign. It was perceived Wangchuk would give up fasting on some assurance and would call off the agitation. When this didn’t happen and CJP invited the opposition to Jantar Mantar, the Modi Government had no option but to accept CJP demands. How the government will follow up only time will show, but the issues are beyond paper-leaks and resignation of an education minister, some of which are discussed in succeeding paragraphs.

India has the largest youth population in the world - roughly 65% of the population under 35 year (800+ million) and about 27% aged 15 to 29 (371 million) forming the core of UNICEF-India youth demographic. More than 50% of India’s total population is under 25 years. Youth need jobs and have aspirations, but high-frequency monthly data indicates youth unemployment spiking to 16.2%. According to the International Labour Organization: youth account for nearly 83% of India's total unemployed population; nearly 40% of graduates under 25 remain unemployed; less than 7% male graduates secure a permanent salaried job within one year of finishing studies.

The worst hit are general-category youth; with reservations heavily limiting open-competition seats - approximately 40.5% at national level, forcing them to compete under significantly higher cutoff marks. For highly competitive exams like NEET (medical) or JEE (engineering), the cut-off gap between general and reserved categories can range from tens to hundreds of marks. Hyper-competitive pressure to secure unreserved seats creates intense psychological stress, high levels of anxiety, and feelings of frustration among general-category students. Number of general category students’ suicides is not documented but according to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), over 1.23 lakh students committed suicide between 2014 and 2024.

‘Education for All’ has translated into: all students in lower classes automatically passed irrespective of proficiency; teachers are understaffed – some only on paper; quality of teaching is irrelevant because all students are automatically passed below board exam stage; over 65 lakh students fail in board exams annually – while wards of politicians and politicians study abroad; education in rural/remote areas is largely defunct, which contributes to lower standards for reserved categories; at higher-levels degrees can be bought. Child labour in India affects approximately 3.9% of the total child population aged 5 to 14 - about 10.1 million working children, according to UNICEF and ILO.

Modi has announced a high-powered task force for examination reforms led by Nandan Nilekani. But the education system also needs complete overhaul, unless the status quo is considered politically beneficial? Also, a Special Intensive Review (SIR) is warranted for reservations. The Constitution mandates reservations should end 10 years after its promulgation in 1950.  Reservations (if at all) should be linked to financial status, not go down generations. Addressing the UN on September 23, 2024, Modi said 25 crore Indians have been lifted out of poverty; how many of these continue in the reserved category?

There are calls for Hindus to have more children, but India urgently needs a Population Control Bill, restricting freebies (every political party doles out) to families with more than 2-3 kids. What are Modi’s constraints not to do so – vote-bank calculations?

Proponents of polarization should visit Indonesia where Hindus (1.6% of country’s population), mostly in Bali, live peacefully, enjoy Hinduism; shops/malls do puja and offer prasad every 4-hours, conduct religious ceremonies, dead are cremated inside a wooden cow, Ramayana enacted in temples, etc. How is this happening in a Muslim-predominant country even today?

Amusing to hear some old fogies sermonising parents should talk to their children. 21st century Indian youth are far smarter and fully aware of the prevailing environment, corruption, inflation and development and more, few examples of which are:

• Unchecked skyrocketing prices and spiralling cost of living.
• Corporate-controlled media and muzzling free-voice – Justice Ujjal Bhuyan of SC says space for dissent in India is shrinking.
• Modi needs to shed his fear of press briefings, which shows he is a weakling who shuns transparency.
• Reversing Modi’s erstwhile slogan “Minimum Government, Maximum Governance” by expanding the Parliament and State/UT governments by 50% more hedgehogs) on taxpayers’ expense – another step towards dictatorship?
• Crores spent daily on advertisements (including full-page ads) with people using the same ad pages for dogs to shit upon.
• Ethanol-blended petrol forced without trial, minister says only 5% vehicles harmed (source of statistics - will he pay for replacement?) and why is RTI for this banned?

Take it that Dipke and some others from CJP are trained in the US. So was Kejriwal on study leave from the IRS before becoming CM Delhi. But in July 1993, Modi, as full-time BJP organizer and worker (karyakarta) in Gujarat, underwent training with the American Council of Young Political Leaders (ACYPL) in tandem with the US State Department, alongside some others. Modi is one of the 140 Indian political leaders and civil servants who have associated with ACYPL. The CIA and MSS work upon diplomats deployed in the US and China - like Jaishankar. Pakistan’s ISI runs a funding and blackmail campaign, which is why Indian Army’s Technical Support Division was shut by the Congress and not revived by the BJP – fearing exposure of politicians linked to the ISI.

The sum total of all this is when we are offering an open asymmetric field (as discussed above), foreign actors/inimical forces will be foolish not to support and fund protests and uprisings.

Finally, it will be naïve to think that protests are over, just because Trump said he doesn’t want to spoil the political career of his dear friend (Modi); especially when Trump speaks alternately from his mouth and arse. The latest is CJP accusing the Modi government of backtracking on the commitment two senior ministers gave them on July 25 (not knowing backtracking is routine for politicians), when they called off the protests; and warning that all criminal cases filed against protestors in Delhi and elsewhere must be withdrawn. Bihar and West Bengal continued to target student protesters - protesters were also fired upon in Bihar.

Fresh Gen Z protests have erupted in Nepal, with protesters pushing back against heavy-handed local enforcement, arrests of activists, and what they view as a failure of leadership to address systemic corruption and public grievances. India can suffer the same fate if the government doesn’t get its house in order. Ironically, indications are that the hedgehogs want continued use of brute force - why are Trump and Xi tickled?

The author is an Indian Army veteran. Views expressed are personal.