Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 06:08pm on 23 Jul 2026,Thursday India
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar has witnessed an unprecedented surge in participation, with protesters saying the turning point was the July 20 police action rather than Sonam Wangchuk's hunger strike or CJP leadership. Many students who had only supported the movement online travelled to Delhi after videos of the alleged lathi-charge and tear gas went viral. Protesters say the crackdown transformed frustration over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak into widespread anger, drawing thousands to the capital. The Parliament march on July 20 turned violent, following clashes between protesters and security personnel, further fuelling nationwide outrage and significantly expanding the scale of the agitation. (PC: NY Times)
