How has the Indian government responded to ‘Cockroach’ protests?

Weeks of significant protests against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration have prompted a dual response from India's government: selective enforcement alongside efforts to address protester demands. The demonstrations, which began in June at New Delhi's Jantar Mantar following leaks of medical examination papers, escalated into broader calls for education system reforms and ministerial accountability.

Authorities in states governed by Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party arrested hundreds of young demonstrators, some under 18 years old, on serious charges. However, the Supreme Court intervened on Tuesday, mandating the release of all minors detained during the protests. Additionally, state governments in West Bengal, Maharashtra, Bihar, Assam, and Delhi have begun withdrawing cases against participants, a shift that followed Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation on Saturday.

The crackdown has included aggressive tactics in multiple locations, with police deploying batons, tear gas, and pellet guns against protesters. In Bihar's Siwan district, a police officer was suspended after pointing an automatic weapon at demonstrators and firing rounds into the air. Separately, authorities have been accused of deploying artificial intelligence-based surveillance systems to identify and apprehend protesters.

Student activist Aishe Ghosh has petitioned the Delhi High Court to declare the mass surveillance unconstitutional and order destruction of collected personal data. Police attempted to arrest Ghosh at a Communist Party of India office, prompting threats of renewed protests from activist groups. Meanwhile, law enforcement has filed reports against social media users for posts critical of Modi, requesting platform cooperation in identifying account holders.