Skip next section What you need to know
What you need to know
- Police forcibly remove Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders from a protest outside PM Narendra Modi‘s residence
- The protesters are calling for Modi and his home minister, Amit Shah, to step down over a police crackdown against protesters on Monday
- The mostly young protesters have been calling for the resignation of India’s education minister over medical exam paper leaks
- Modi tells MPs from his ruling coalition that strong action was taken against those involved in the leaks
- Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke says protesters will not march to the parliament again to protest demonstrators against alleged ‘police brutality’
- The CJP vows to continue the protest until the education minister resigns
- Activist Sonam Wangchuk, who has been on a hunger strike for 24 days in support of the CJP’s demands, is moved to a private hospital
Here are the latest developments from India on Tuesday, July 21, 2026:
Tired of missing our real-time updates? Click here to add us as a Preferred Source on Google. Then tap the “Star” or “Preferred” to keep DW News at the top of your feed.
Skip next section Cockroach party calls off planned protest at police HQ07/21/2026July 21, 2026
Cockroach party calls off planned protest at police HQ
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has called off a protest outside police headquarters planned for Tuesday night.
The move comes after police in New Delhi released all the students who were detained during protests on Monday, the party said.
“Huge victory for our movement! The Police has now released all detainees. They had illegally been detained for peacefully protesting for over a day, but the Police has had to bow down to public pressure,” the CJP said on X.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HWJxSkip next section Rahul Gandhi, opposition leaders detained outside Modi residence07/21/2026July 21, 2026
Rahul Gandhi, opposition leaders detained outside Modi residence
Rahul Gandhi and other leaders of the opposition Congress party have been detained outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence, according to DW’s Adil Bhat, who is at the scene.
Congress’ official X account also shared footage that appeared to show the opposition leader being detained by security officials, accusing Modi of “shameful” treatment of Gandhi and of overseeing a “dictatorship.”
As we reported earlier, Gandhi, India’s main opposition leader, had called for Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to step down over the police crackdown against youth protesters on Monday.
Thousands of protestors were still camping in and around Jantar Mantar in downtown New Delhi on Tuesday.
The protest outside Modi’s residence comes after the Indian parliament was adjourned for a second consecutive day on Tuesday, with the opposition demanding a discussion on exam paper leaks and other issues within India’s education system.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HWAESkip next section What else has happened in India today?07/21/2026July 21, 2026
What else has happened in India today?
We are taking a brief pause from our coverage of the Cockroach Janta Party protests to give you a roundup of other major developments in India today.
Sikkim tunnel blast leaves 10 dead, several missing
At least 10 people have died in India’s Himalayan state of Sikkim after a suspected gas explosion triggered a tunnel collapse.
The incident occurred on Monday at state-owned National Hydroelectric Power Corporation’s (NHPC) project on the Teesta river in Samardung village.
Seventeen others are feared trapped, local police chief Sonam Dolma told the media.
The NHPC said that a sudden burst of gas, suspected to be methane trapped or embedded in rocks in the tunnel, caused an explosion, dispersing fumes and toxic gas.
Rescuers are struggling to get to those trapped due to the hazardous gases inside the tunnel.
India summons Russian diplomat after Indian seafarers killed in Ukraine ship attack
India on Tuesday summoned a senior Russian diplomat in New Delhi to protest an attack on a cargo ship leaving Ukraine’s Black Sea port of Odesa that killed four Indian nationals.
India’s foreign ministry said it conveyed “grave concerns and unequivocal condemnation of the attack” to the Russian Chargé d’Affaires Vladimir Ladanov.
Commercial vessel MV Golden Leo was attacked on Sunday. It had five Indian nationals on board.
The ministry said in a statement that it had urged Ladanov to convey to Moscow “India’s strong concerns” that “the targeting of commercial shipping and the resulting loss of innocent civilian lives are unacceptable and must be avoided”.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Moscow was in touch with New Delhi on the issue.
“We are explaining our position. Most importantly, our armed forces are striking – and will continue to strike – vessels involved in transporting ammunition, weapons, and so on for the purposes of the Kyiv regime,” Peskov said.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HV7bSkip next section Rahul Gandhi demands Modi’s resignation for ‘destroying the future of India’s youth’ 07/21/2026July 21, 2026
Rahul Gandhi demands Modi’s resignation for ‘destroying the future of India’s youth’
India’s main opposition leader Rahul Gandhi has called for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s resignation over Monday’s police crackdown on youth protesters.
Gandhi and other members of his Congress party, including his sister Priyanka, held a demonstration outside Modi’s official residence in New Delhi on Tuesday afternoon.
The protest comes after the Indian parliament was adjourned over disruptions for a second day in a row on Tuesday, as the opposition demanded a discussion on paper leaks and other issues within India’s education system.
“We have marched to PM Modi’s house to demand answers from him for the brutalities against young students yesterday,” Gandhi said on X
“The Government doesn’t want to take any accountability or does it want to have a debate on it in Parliament. PM and HM must resign for destroying the future of India’s youth,” he added.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HUrMSkip next section Court allows Sonam Wangchuk to move to private hospital — reports07/21/2026July 21, 2026
Court allows Sonam Wangchuk to move to private hospital — reports
The Delhi High Court has allowed hunger-striking activist Sonam Wangchuk to be transferred from a government hospital to a private one, following a petition filed by his wife alleging that he was in “illegal detention,” legal news websites LiveLaw and Bar and Bench reported on Tuesday.
The court decided that transferring Wangchuk to a hospital of his choice “will be in fulfilment of requirements of ensuring his fundamental rights”.
The court directed the private hospital to constitute a team of doctors to “constantly monitor” Wangchuk’s medical condition.
In a statement released on Monday night, Wangchuk said, “Seeing [the] police brutality on students, I vow to continue my hunger strike till the youth leaders are allowed to present their grievances in the parliament directly to the MPs.”
The 59-year-old has been fasting since June 28 in support of the Cockroach Janta Party’s demands for the Indian education minister’s resignation.
On Saturday, police forcibly removed Wangchuk from the stage at Jantar Mantar where he was holding his hunger strike, saying that they were acting on orders of the same court over health concerns.
Strong visuals emerged as police officials, most of whom were not in uniform, climbed onto the stage and led the activist out, shielding him from view using white bedsheets.
Wangchuk’s removal from the protest site gave a renewed vigor to the protest movement as thousands of young people arrived at Jantar Mantar over the next two days ahead of Monday’s march.
The activist has reportedly continued his hunger protest from the hospital.
Earlier in the day, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke marked the 24th day of Wangchuk’s hunger strike.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HUibSkip next section Health minister meets injured CJP protesters07/21/2026July 21, 2026
Health minister meets injured CJP protesters
India’s Union Health Minister J P Nadda on Tuesday met protesters injured in clashes with police during Monday’s Cockroach party protest march as he visited two hospitals in New Delhi, news agency ANI reported.
The minister also met with the doctors to take stock of the conditions of those injured and the medical care they were receiving, ANI reported.
Representatives from the CJP had on Monday handed a written document with their demands to Nadda, marking an opening of talks between the protesters and the Modi government.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HU0xSkip next section DW correspondent: Delhi youth protests a ‘people’s movement’07/21/2026July 21, 2026
DW correspondent: Delhi youth protests a ‘people’s movement’
Shalu Yadav Delhi
The protesters who showed up on Delhi’s streets on Monday didn’t seem like they were necessarily inspired by the Cockroach Janta party or its founder Abhijeet Dipke.
The outpouring on the street on Monday was an opportunity for people across India to express their deep discontent with the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi — especially the highhandedness with which Sonam Wangchuk [the activist on hunger strike in solidarity with the student protests] was treated.
Within hours, the protest seemed like it was led by the students themselves; it didn’t need instructions from anyone. Despite an internet ban and lack of clarity on the march to parliament, protesters led on, making it truly a people’s movement.
The widespread protest is seen as the biggest challenge to Modi’s 12-year tenure. Young people have been frustrated over the lack of jobs. The ‘Cockroach’ movement tapped into that anger that has been simmering for years.
Even as the government has shown an inclination to consider their demands, it may not be enough to immediately calm tempers on the ground. The youth expect a complete overhaul of the education system which has been mired in allegations of corruption.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
https://p.dw.com/p/5HTtUSkip next section Modi breaks silence on medical exam paper leaks amid ‘Cockroach’ protest07/21/2026July 21, 2026
Modi breaks silence on medical exam paper leaks amid ‘Cockroach’ protest
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has told MPs of his coalition that strong action was taken against those involved in the NEET medical exam paper leaks, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju told the media on Tuesday.
The remarks come a day after youth protesters, angered by a slew of such paper leaks, gathered in massive numbers for a protest walk to the parliament.
Modi brought up the paper leaks at his ruling National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) parliamentary party meeting.
The prime minister said at the meeting that 13 people were arrested and sent to jail after reports of the leaks surfaced, Rijiju said.
“At the same time, to ensure that students’ future was not affected, the NEET re-examination was given priority, conducted successfully, and the results were declared without delay,” Rijiju quoted Modi as saying.
Modi described the leaks as a “grave sin” and told NDA lawmakers that strict steps have been taken to prevent such paper leaks in the future.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HTquSkip next section What does India’s ‘Cockroach’ movement want?07/21/2026July 21, 2026
What does India’s ‘Cockroach’ movement want?
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) that started out as a satire movement online two months ago, on Monday was able to galvanize one of the largest anti-government protest rallies India has seen in recent years.
Since June 20, the movement has been holding a sit-in demonstration in New Delhi demanding an overhaul of India’s education system.
Protesters are angered by a series of entrance test paper leaks, including those of a crucial medical school entrance exam called National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET).
The NEET paper leak in May forced over two million students to retake the highly-competitive exam, leading to some young aspirants taking their own lives.
Protesters allege that the leaks are a sign of a corruption-ridden education system.
Aside from the education minister’s resignation, the CJP’s list of demands also include a compensation of 10 million rupees (€91,000 and $104,000) for the families of each of the students who took their own lives.
They also seek the release of prominent social activist Sonam Wangchuk, who was forcibly removed from the protest site in Jantar Mantar and taken to a hospital last Saturday as he observed a days-long hunger-strike in support of the demand.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HTnDSkip next section How has the Modi government reacted to the ‘cockroach’ protest?07/21/2026July 21, 2026
How has the Modi government reacted to the ‘cockroach’ protest?
On Monday, Cockroach Janta Party spokespersons Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka met federal Health Minister J P Nadda to formally hand over a written document listing the movement’s demands.
Ranka said that the minister had asked for time to discuss the demands with the government.
Nadda on Monday described the talks as having taken place in a “cordial atmosphere” as he urged demonstrators to call off their sit-in protest.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi continues to maintain a silence on the protest.
There has also been no statement on the protest march from Modi’s Education Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, whose resignation the youth protesters are demanding over recurrent examination paper leaks and irregularities in the country’s education system.
Pradhan was seen in the Indian Parliament on Monday as the public ire against him poured into the streets leading the house.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HTQrSkip next section ‘Cockroaches’ leader Dipke apologizes to injured protesters 07/21/2026July 21, 2026
‘Cockroaches’ leader Dipke apologizes to injured protesters
Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke on Tuesday visited a hospital in New Delhi to meet supporters who were injured during the attempted march to parliament.
In a message on X, he apologized to CJP supporters who he said were “brutally” beaten up by police personnel.
“I apologise to all our supporters, especially the girls who were brutally beaten by male police officers,” Dipke wrote.
“We could have done better. I could have done better to protect you from the inhumane actions of the Delhi Police,” he added.
The CJP head also claimed that a girl was in a critical condition after being injured in a police baton-charge that ensued on Monday as a protest march of thousands tried to push its way through security barricades.
There is no statement from the authorities on Dipke’s claim.
Meanwhile, the CJP shared a form on social media asking people who had been detained and facing legal charges over the march to reach out.
“We will provide the necessary legal help,” the movement said.
According to a police statement, 70 protesters were detained on Monday and a legal action was being initiated against them.
Ahead of the march on Monday, authorities had imposed a ban, barring the assembly of five or more people, except at the designated protest site of Jantar Mantar. The police had warned of legal action against violators of the order.
On Tuesday, CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka called on the Delhi police to release the detainees.
“Delhi police needs to clearly tell how many people are still under detention from yesterday’s protest,” he said.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HTCrSkip next section Protesters return to protest site, Jantar Mantar07/21/2026July 21, 2026
Protesters return to protest site, Jantar Mantar
Following the confrontation on Monday, CJP protesters made their way back to their Jantar Mantar protest site, where they had been holding a sit-in demonstration for the past month, to find it dismantled by the police.
On Tuesday morning, Dipke’s message to supporters and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government was: “We won’t back off”.
CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka declared: “We won’t stop. Pradhan has to be sacked.”
As of this morning, at least 150-200 protesters have gathered at the protest site poised to protest amid a light drizzle.
“Jantar Mantar Is Again Packed! The more you suppress us, the more we will rise!!” CJP wrote on X.
Security around the protest site and the rest of central Delhi continues to remain tight.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HTAaSkip next section India’s ‘cockroach’ party vows continued protest, parliament march reportedly called off 07/21/2026July 21, 2026
India’s ‘cockroach’ party vows continued protest, parliament march reportedly called off
Reports on Tuesday cited India’s Cockroach Janta founder Abhijeet Dipke as saying that the youth-led movement will not carry out a march to the parliament again because “the police will hurt the youth again”.
The CJP has however vowed to continue its sit-in protest until its demand for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is met.
“We had to call off the protest yesterday because we did not want more youth to be injured,” news agency Reuters quoted CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke as telling a press conference.
“We will not march again because the police will hurt the youth again,” he said.
There was no immediate statement from the CJP on the march on its official channels.
The reported decision to not march comes a day after some 180 people were reportedly injured as thousands of CJP supporters, attempting to get to the Indian parliament, clashed with the police.
According to Delhi Police figures, 118 police personnel and 60 protesters were injured in the confrontation that also saw authorities using batons and tear gas on the youth protesters.
The CJP alleges that the police “brutally” beat up the protesters while the Delhi police has criticized “unruly, aggressive and violent behavior” by a “violent mob”.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HT1OSkip next section Welcome to our coverage07/21/2026July 21, 2026
Welcome to our coverage
Dharvi Vaid | Rana Taha Editor
This is Dharvi Vaid Dhulia from DW’s studio in New Delhi, bringing you our daily wrap of all the biggest headlines creating a buzz in India.
India is still reeling from the scenes witnessed in the heart of the capital yesterday as thousands of youth protesters descended onto central Delhi, in what was one of the biggest demonstrations the city has witnessed in five years.
The outpour also marked one of the biggest public challenges to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his three-term tenure.
The protesters were participating in a march to the parliament called for by the viral albeit newly-formed Cockroach Janta Party, seeking the resignation of the country’s education minister.
Authorities had banned the march and as the sea of protesters tried to push their way across a heavy security cordon, they were met with baton-charge and tear gas.
The CJP has alleged police brutality amid reports of several people being injured.
The march has now reportedly been called off, but India’s “cockroach” protest seems to be holding ground as the CJP says they will push ahead with their demands until Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan steps down.
Stay tuned as we bring you more.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HSnIShow more posts
About The Author
