Cinema VinesOn Monday, the Delhi Police described the demonstrators of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) march to Parliament as “unruly, aggressive and violent.” Police officers reportedly used lathis and tear‑gas shells against the crowd, while the CJP accused the security forces of “attacking” a truck that was carrying founder Ahijeet Dipke, activist Sonam Wangchuk’s wife Gitanjali J Angmo, and actors Shabana Azmi and Prakash Raj. The protest, which began with a peaceful march from Jantar Mantar where the demonstrators had been camped for a month, drew around 50,000 students and activists demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
As the crowd swelled, students attempted to climb iron barricades to continue their march, prompting police to launch a lathi‑charge that persisted throughout the day. Several protesters sustained injuries, with some bleeding heavily from head wounds. Police statements claimed that the demonstrators had “refused to disperse and deliberately violated the prohibitory orders in force,” alleging that they had attacked officers with stones, breached barricades, vandalised vehicles, and damaged public property, thereby posing a “serious threat to public order.” Security forces also used tear gas near Shastri Bhawan after protesters tried to push through a barricade.
Actor Sonam Bajwa joined a growing list of celebrities who have spoken out on the incident. She posted a statement on Instagram on Tuesday, writing, “These are young voices of our country, not threats. Why are they being met with lathis instead of listening? This isn’t about politics – it’s about choosing empathy over force. They deserve to be heard, not hurt.” In the caption she added, “Kal ke visuals dekh kar dil sach mein toot gaya (My heart broke after seeing the visuals from yesterday). This really isn’t about choosing sides. It’s about choosing humanity.”
Police said that despite repeated warnings and lawful directions, the protesters had “attacked” police personnel, “attempted to breach police barricades,” and “vandalised police and other government vehicles.” In response, authorities detained demonstrators from several locations, including Mandi House, Patel Chowk, Janpath, Jantar Mantar and Parliament Street, as they tried to prevent the assembly from moving towards Parliament. The incident has sparked debate over the use of force against student protesters and the need for a more compassionate approach to dissent.
