NEW DELHI (AP) 鈥� Supporters of demanding educational reforms and government accountability refused to leave their New Delhi protest site Tuesday, a day after their thousands-strong drew police tear gas, beatings and a new wave of sympathy from across the country.
now attracting professionals and families beyond students, represents a rare public challenge to Prime Minister 鈥檚 government, reviving criticism over its handling of and to respond to protests.
Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi and dozens of his Congress party lawmakers showed their support Tuesday with a sit-in outside Modi鈥檚 residence before police forcibly removed them in a dramatic escalation.
Footage showed Gandhi, who had urged 鈥渆very patriotic Indian who believes that our students should get justice鈥� to join, resisting. Government minister Jitendra Singh said Gandhi was told the location was not 鈥渟uitable for a sit-in.”
Meanwhile, hundreds of protesters remained camped at Jantar Mantar, a designated protest site, under heavy police presence, saying they would stay until resigns over alleged failures in India鈥檚 examination system.
鈥淲e are going to continue our protest,鈥� said Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party, which emerged just two months ago as a satirical protest after a Supreme Court judge described India’s youth as 鈥渃ockroaches鈥� but quickly evolved.
It gained momentum over the weekend after prominent activist Sonam Wangchuk, whose became a symbol of the protests, was forcibly taken to a hospital by police.
Video of police beating protesters and dragging them away spread on social media, fueling public outrage. Footage showed young protesters crying and pleading with officers not to hit them, while others stood their ground and endured blows.
Delhi Police said nearly 180 people were injured, including 118 security personnel and 60 protesters.
Sona Bisht, a 20-year-old student who was part of the protest, said the confrontation strengthened her resolve.
鈥淚f the government thinks that doing this with Gen Z, they can stop us, then that won鈥檛 happen. We are here talking about education, talking about securing our future. And till the time our demands are not met, we will not move from here,鈥� she said.
After nearly a month of silence, the government made its first apparent move to engage with the protesters Monday, when a senior minister held talks with movement representatives. The outreach failed to ease tensions.
Movement leaders said they wanted action rather than assurances, including Pradhan鈥檚 resignation, examination reforms and compensation for families of students who died by suicide after alleged exam irregularities.
Dipke accused authorities of breaking their word, saying police resorted to a baton charge after protesters were invited for talks.
Rights group Amnesty International said in a statement late Monday that the police action showed 鈥渉ow peaceful dissent is being suppressed in India,” noting that the right to freedom of peaceful assembly is recognized under the Indian constitution.
More people have joined the movement after seeing the confrontation.
Rabina Kashyap, a 26-year-old working professional, said she joined the protest on Tuesday.
鈥淚 have nothing to do with this protest,” she said. 鈥淏ut this is India, this is my country, and these are my people. So I will stand by them.鈥�
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Associated Press video journalist Piyush Nagpal contributed to this report.
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