Modi offers forgiveness to 'misguided' youth protesters as expert report confirms pellet-gun injuries in India

Origins of the cockroach movement

Abhijeet Dipke, a 30-year-old student finishing a master's degree in public relations in Boston, started the satirical online campaign after reading a remark by Chief Justice Surya Kant comparing young unemployed people to cockroaches. What began as memes and a website with AI-generated giant insects snowballed into the Cockroach Janta Party, a movement that drew millions of frustrated youth. Dipke returned to India and launched a sit-in at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. Within weeks, the protests over an exam paper leak had turned into the biggest challenge to Narendra Modi's government in years, forcing the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Government response and forgiveness

On 31 July, Modi released a video on Instagram calling the protesters "misguided children" and saying he wanted to forgive them. "Some mischievous children used very filthy abuses... Abuses were directed at me, and abuses were directed at my late mother as well," Modi said. He argued that punishment or dragging them through courts was not the answer. The same day, police received a report about a viral video of a woman allegedly using abusive language against the prime minister; she later apologised, saying she had come under the influence of others. Meanwhile, the government promised to drop proceedings against most protesters, but added a condition that those with prior criminal charges would not be covered. CJP activists called this a loophole for selective prosecution.

These are misguided children, and showing them the way is our duty.

Crackdown and pellet-gun injuries

On 20 July, tens of thousands of protesters tried to march on parliament in central Delhi. Police and paramilitary forces used batons, tear gas and, according to independent experts, pellet guns. Delhi Police said 60 protesters and 118 of their personnel were injured; the CJP claimed far higher protester casualties. The BBC reviewed medical evidence of at least four men with wounds consistent with birdshot from 12-gauge shotguns. UK forensic scientist Philip Boyce told the BBC the injuries were "definitely from a pellet gun" and that such wounds can be devastating even at 100 feet. Armament Research Services director NR Jenzen-Jones said photos of injuries were "strongly consistent with the use of birdshot." The government has not officially confirmed the use of pellet guns.

These pellet injuries can actually be quite devastating, especially at close range. The injuries I see are not at close range, they're at least 50 feet. But they can actually still be devastating and potentially life-threatening even from 100 feet.

Legal uncertainty and political aftermath

Despite the government's verbal assurances, lawyers and opposition figures questioned whether criminal proceedings would genuinely be halted. Opposition MP Kapil Sibal, who donated 91,000 euros from his personal wealth to a legal defence fund, said the celebration of Pradhan's resignation by his political allies showed "the government has learned nothing from what the students tried to convey." Lawyer Rebecca Mammen John stressed that only the judiciary can close cases, not a ministerial promise. Police have identified around 2,800 protesters as facing criminal proceedings, and activists fear selective prosecution. The CJP, which grew from 0 to over 26 million Instagram followers in weeks (eclipsing the BJP's 9.6 million), declared a victory of sorts, but underlying grievances over unemployment and examination fairness remain.

The way former education minister Dharmendra Pradhan was celebrated by his political allies after his resignation shows that the government has learned nothing from what the students tried to convey in the protests.