Cockroach Janta Party: India's 10 iconic public movements – from total revolution to Nirbhaya Protests
The struggle for independence is embedded in India’s protest culture. From the Chipko movement for environmental conservation to the Mandal Commission protests against caste-based reservations, the right to protest has been India’s democratic lifeline.
Climate activist and educator Sonam Wangchuk ended his 26-day hunger strike on Thursday, 23 July.
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 Wangchuk's decision, protesters under the banner of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) vowed to continue until Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigns – their main demand among many.
Wangchuk’s fast became a rallying point for CJP protests, which began more than a month ago demanding education reforms after NEET paper leaks.
Quick answers to key questions
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
“Our protest will continue until Dharmendra Pradhan resigns,” Abhijeet Dipke, the US-returned 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
Soon after Wangchuk ended his fast on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi released a self-recorded, FaceTime-style video, promising strict action against those responsible for examination paper leaks. He released another video, with a better frame, on Friday night. The government is speaking with protesters.
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.
The struggle for independence is embedded in India’s protest culture. From the Chipko movement for environmental conservation to the Mandal Commission 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.
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 the Delhi border opposing the contentious farm laws. The protests eventually resulted in the repeal of the controversial laws, 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 24 March 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.
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 22 January 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 16 December 2012.
The unprecedented scale of the protests forced the government to reform laws for crimes against women.
10-Shaheen Bagh Protests: The anti-CAA protest was a historic, women-led, 24/7 sit-in in New Delhi that began on 15 December 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 23 March 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns.
About the Author
Gulam Jeelani is Political Desk Editor at LiveMint with over 16 years of experience covering national and international politics. Based in New Delhi, Jeelani delivers impactful political narratives through breaking stories, in-depth interviews, and analytical pieces at LiveMint since February 2024. The expertise in video production fuels his current responsibilities, which include curating content and conducting video interviews for an expanding digital audience.<br><br> Jeelani also travels during elections and key political events and has covered assembly elections in key states apart from national elections. He has previously worked with The Pioneer, Network18, India Today, News9Plus and Hindustan Times.<br><br> Jeelani’s tenure at LiveMint and previous experience at print and digital newsrooms have honed his skills in creating compelling text and video stories, explainers, and analysis that resonate with a diverse viewership.<br><br> Before moving to New Delhi in 2015, Jeelani was based in Uttar Pradesh, where he worked for five years as a reporter. In 2018, Jeelani was one of the two Indian journalists selected for the Alfred Friendly Fellowship in the US. There, he attended training workshops on reporting and data journalism, and he was attached to the Minneapolis Star Tribune in Minnesota, where he worked as a reporter.<br><br> Jeelani is a Bachelor's in Chemistry and holds a Masters Degree in journalism and mass communication from Aligarh Muslim University. Outside work, he enjoys poetry, cricket and movies.
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