Indian activist Wangchuk ends 26-day hunger strike as youth-led 'Cockroach' movement forces minister out

Indian activist Sonam Wangchuk ended a 26-day hunger strike on July 24, helping galvanize what has become one of India's largest protests in recent years.[1] The youth-led Cockroach Janta Party movement, which began over exam paper leaks, forced India's education minister to resign on July 25.[2][3] Protesters celebrated the resignation and called off demonstrations hours later.[4]

The movement has emerged as perhaps the biggest challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his 12 years in office, according to activist Wangchuk.[5] The CJP protest evolved from initial concerns about exam paper leaks into India's biggest student movement in years, drawing Gen Z participants from across the country.[6]

The protests have brought consequences beyond political change. Ballistic experts identified wounds on protesters consistent with pellet-gun fire, while women participants reported being doxxed and subjected to slut-shaming for their involvement.[7][8] The exam paper leaks at the center of the protests have also taken a human toll, ending young lives according to families affected.[9]

Following the Delhi protests, a new youth-led movement over jobs and recruitment has gathered force in Jharkhand state.[10] The broader 'cockroach' movement has introduced Gen Z slang into India's parliament and sparked debate about whether technology alone can prevent exam paper leaks, with experts emphasizing that governance matters as much as tech solutions.