Indian police swing batons and beat young people attempting to march toward the parliament in New Delhi.
Tear gas is fired and water cannons are deployed to disperse the protesters.
On the 20th local time, Indian youths took to the streets of the capital, New Delhi, demanding a thorough investigation into medical school entrance exam question leaks, educational system reform, and the resignation of the education minister.
[Sona Bisht / Indian Protest Participant: We have gathered here for education, to secure our future. We will not leave this place until our demands are met.]
At the center of these protests is the Cockroach Party, a virtual internet political party established last May.
It was created to satirize an Indian Supreme Court justice who compared Indian youth to "cockroaches," and it has been gaining support from young Indians exhausted by prolonged political corruption, wealth inequality, and high unemployment.
With over 10,000 youths joining protests led by the party, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, feeling threatened, blocked internet access around the protest areas and issued a ban on gatherings of five or more people across New Delhi.
Claims have also been raised that during the crackdown, police beat a 12-year-old boy, sexually harassed women, and used rubber pellet guns and stun guns.
Local reports have also emerged that the Indian government is moving 20 police companies into the Delhi area.
Abhijit Dipke, leader of the Cockroach Party, maintains that the protests will continue.
[Abhijit Dipke / Leader of India's "Cockroach Party": We will continue our protests and will soon announce our next major event.]
As the situation takes an ominous turn, India's ruling party has requested talks with the protesters, stating it intends to address youth grievances regarding the medical school entrance exam corruption.
Prime Minister Modi reportedly instructed ruling party lawmakers the previous day to take strict measures, punish those responsible, and establish systemic reforms.
In response to the call for dialogue, the Cockroach Party stated that it will only engage in talks if the government shows willingness to fulfill conditions such as the resignation of the education minister and compensation for the families of students who took their own lives related to the medical school admissions scandal.
(Reported by Yu Deok-gi | Video edited by Park Ji-in | Design by Yang Hye-min | Produced by SBS Digital News)
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