Cockroach Janta Party protest demands Dharmendra Pradhan step down today
On July 20, 2026, thousands from the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) hit the streets of New Delhi, demanding Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan step down after NEET-UG exam scandals and student suicides.
To keep things under control, Delhi Police rolled out Section 163 of BNSS, putting a pause on public gatherings in the New Delhi district.
Delhi police block about 12,000 marchers
About 12,000 protesters attempted to march from Jantar Mantar to Parliament but ran into barricades and warnings from police.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Sachin Sharma said the march had no official permission and threatened legal action for any violations.
Some eyewitnesses described lathi charges on parts of the crowd, contradicting police claims that everything was handled smoothly.
Section 163 is meant for emergencies but is often used for routine stuff like CCTV orders; courts have warned against turning it into a default tool for managing protests.