Delhi Police Clash With Thousands During 'Chalo Sansad' March

Thousands of protesters led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) clashed with security forces in New Delhi on July 20, 2026, during a 'Chalo Sansad' march to the Indian Parliament. The demonstration demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and systemic reforms following alleged NEET-UG paper leaks that protesters claim drove numerous students to suicide. The Delhi Police responded by deploying over 5,000 personnel, using tear gas, lathi-charges, and signal jammers to prevent the crowd from breaching barricades. In response to the unrest, authorities temporarily closed several Delhi Metro stations and suspended mobile internet in central Delhi.

The movement intensified after activist Sonam Wangchuk was forcibly moved to Safdarjung Hospital on July 18 following a 21-day hunger strike. While his wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, alleged illegal detention and petitioned the Delhi High Court for his transfer to a private facility, the court ruled the government's actions lawful. Wangchuk continued his fast from the hospital, stating he would only break it if the government accepted accountability for education failures or if leaders committed to addressing the issue during the Monsoon Session.

Government outreach began on July 20 when Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda met with CJP representatives. The party submitted a memorandum demanding Pradhan's resignation, Wangchuk's release, and 1 crore rupees in compensation for the families of deceased students. While CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke ended his own solidarity hunger strike to lead the march, he was briefly the subject of conflicting reports regarding his detention before the police clarified he remained free.