Modi govt under growing pressure as 'cockroach' protests intensify

NEW DELHI, July 22 (Reuters): Pressure has been growing on India's government with thousands of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) supporters continuing to protest in the capital Delhi despite heavy rains overnight.

The youth-led movement, seeking education reforms and the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, got a boost on Tuesday when India's main opposition Congress party leaders protested outside the prime minister's house.

They were protesting against the brutal police crackdown on Monday's CJP protest in which dozens of protesters and policemen were injured.

Congress shared videos of their MP Rahul Gandhi and others being dragged into buses and taken to detention centres. They were later released.

On Monday, tens of thousands of protesters flooded central Delhi after the CJP called for a march to parliament as the monsoon session began. At least 60 people were injured after police used batons and tear gas to disperse the crowds.

Officers also dismantled the stage and makeshift tents at Jantar Mantar, the protest's main base near the 300-year-old observatory. But the demonstrators have refused to leave, maintaining a round-the-clock sit-in.

A day after the violence, they were visited by several senior opposition leaders such as former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and veteran politician Sharad Pawar.

Later on Tuesday, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Gandhi led a surprise march to Modi's house, demanding the resignations of Pradhan, Home Minister Amit Shah who the Delhi police report to and PM Modi.

Gandhi said the government must apologise to students for the crackdown, adding that the Congress decided to stage a protest outside Modi's house because they weren't allowed to raise the issue in the parliament.