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. The youth-led Cockroach Janta Party movement, which began over exam paper leaks, forced India's education minister to resign on July 25. Protesters celebrated the resignation and called off demonstrations hours later.

The movement has emerged as perhaps the biggest challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his 12 years in office, according to activist Wangchuk. 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.

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. The exam paper leaks at the center of the protests have also taken a human toll, ending young lives according to families affected.

Following the Delhi protests, a new youth-led movement over jobs and recruitment has gathered force in Jharkhand state. 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.