Ongoing protests in Delhi over education sector irregularities and paper leaks turned violent on Monday, with footage showing Delhi Police deploying lathi charges and tear gas against the protesters to bring the situation under control. Police defended the move as a necessary response to protesters turning violent, but sections of civil society condemned it as “police brutality”. filmmaker Anurag Kashyap he also intervened with a sharp, if indirect, criticism of the conduct of the police.For the uninitiated, the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) protest over the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak intensified on Monday as a march to Parliament turned violent, injuring over 118 policemen, according to the Delhi Police. A number of protesters were also injured, with footage capturing clashes between protesters and police at various locations in the capital.
Anurag Kashyap’s Instagram note on police action
Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap shared a note in Hindi on Instagram on Monday evening: “Wardi pehenne ke liye aatma ka, aatmiyta ka, sabka sauda karna padta hai. Maloom nahi tha. Kya ek police wala hai is desh mein jo khada ho ke bol sake main iss Aadesh karon’ galat kyon nahin to sell your soul and conscience to wear a police uniform. Are there any police personnel in this country who can stand up and say that I will not follow this order because it is wrong).While Kashyap’s brief note did not directly mention the CJP or the protests, it was widely understood to be a reference to the police action that allegedly left several protesters injured on Monday.
Delhi Police, protesters give conflicting accounts
According to Delhi officials, CJP protesters displayed unruly, aggressive and violent behavior during Monday’s rally in New Delhi. They allegedly ignored repeated warnings and lawful directives from the police, refused to disperse and openly ignored existing prohibitory orders. The protesters, on the other hand, alleged that the Delhi Police personnel attacked them indiscriminately, causing several injuries on their side as well.
CJP delegation meets JP Nadda with three demands
Separately on Monday, a delegation of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) held talks with Union Health Minister JP Nadda over their demands, with the minister urging the protesters to call off their sit-in. Chief Spokesman of the CJP Saurav Das He said three demands were filed before Nadda, including the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and compensation of Rs 1 crore to the families of NEET aspirants, “more than 20 of whom have lost their lives”. He further claimed that activist Sonam Wangchuk, currently hospitalized, should be “released immediately”, adding that the protest would continue until Pradhan steps down.