India, July 21 -- Protesters carrying flags, some dressed as cockroaches, marched on as police fired tear gas and wielded sticks to stop them. Every time they were pushed back, they regrouped and tried again. By afternoon, the high-security roads leading to Parliament had turned into a battleground of slogan-shouting, rain and tear gas. The smell of tear gas lingered in the air, rent by cries to march on. They came from almost every corner of the country and deployed every ruse to be a part. The mix had teenagers bunking school, parents marching with their children, college students beside government job aspirants, and small-towners with city folks. A few children came dressed as cockroaches; quite a number were seen as 'Mahatma Gandhi'.
They had all gathered in Delhi for the Cockroach Janta Party's (CJP) 'Chalo Sansad' march, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who presided over a fiasco-ridden NEET earlier in the year. The march began from Jantar Mantar, where the CJP has been holding a sit-in since June 20, and coincided with the opening day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament. It also came as educationist Sonam Wangchuk remained hospitalised. By morning, streams of protesters had begun moving towards Parliament carrying the national flag and handwritten placards. Many arrived after overnight journeys by train and bus and still carried backpacks on their shoulders. Roads echoed with chants of "Bharat Mata Ki Jai", "Vande Mataram", "Inquilab Zindabad" and "Dharmendra Pradhan Istifa Do". Every road leading towards Parliament was blocked.
Police in riot gear stood behind several layers of metal barricades. Buses were kept ready to detain protesters, while emergency vehicles waited nearby. Unable to move through the main roads, many protesters slipped into narrow lanes, looking for another way to reach Parliament. Some tried the RBI side, others Rail Bhawan. Every time they were stopped, they gathered again and continued marching. Protesters clashed with police at multiple barricades en route to Parliament, leaving dozens injured, disrupting traffic and Metro services, while Parliament proceedings faced repeated adjournments.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.