Sawt Falasteen - Indian police fire tear gas, baton charge exam protesters

The protesters, mostly young students, ran for cover as police charged at them and fired tear gas shells near Jantar Mantar in the Indian capital.

They are seeking the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over exam irregularities, including question paper leaks and technical glitches.

Thousands of protesters started gathering from early Monday, defying a steady monsoon drizzle and police barricades, marking one of the biggest demonstrations in the capital for five years.

"Our country deserves a government that is bothered about what the young people have to say and is willing to correct its mistakes," said Sumit Kumar, 18.

"The future belongs to us and not these politicians."

The protest comes after prominent activist Sonam Wangchuk was forcibly taken to hospital Saturday, bringing an abrupt end to his 20-day hunger strike in support of youths and the satirical Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) movement.

The CJP has won millions of followers on social media since its launch in May, tapping into widespread anger over the country's education system and unemployment.

"Is this a war zone? Why is the police resorting to tear gas assault on peaceful protesters?" CJP said in a post on X.

"First your govt ignored this protest for a month and now when we are peacefully marching your govt is attacking us. Why?"

The movement is seen as one of the biggest challenges to Hindu-nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi since he won his third term in office in 2024.

- 'We shall win' -

Despite rapid economic growth, millions of people in the world's most populous nation still struggle to find stable and well-paying jobs, fuelling discontent.

Some 2.2 million aspiring medical students sat for a re-examination under tight security last month after the previous test was scrapped following a question paper leak that triggered widespread outrage.

That came on top of another scandal related to the online marking system of tests taken by nearly two million high school students.

The CJP said two of its leaders met a senior minister Monday and submitted a letter spelling out their demands after the government reached out to them in the morning.

The Internet was cut in parts of central New Delhi on Monday, with police saying they had not given their permission for the protest.

"Any person violating these prohibitory orders shall be liable for prosecution," Delhi Police said in a statement.

Shubhi Rao, 16, said she had joined the protest to support Wangchuk and demand accountability from the government.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has shown himself as someone who isn't bothered about the youth of this country," she told AFP.

Modi, in a public address before the start of the monsoon session of parliament, did not mention the protesters.

But Mallikarjun Kharge, a senior leader of the opposition Congress party, brought up the issue in the upper house.

Slogans were also shouted inside the lower house by the opposition benches, demanding the resignation of the education minister and justice for students.

X.Habash--SF-PST