New Delhi: As the monsoon session of parliament began today, July 20, New Delhi hosted the Cockroach Janata Party’s movement in Jantar Mantar, which until recently had called for the resignation of the education minister Dharmendra Pradhan but has now called for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s resignation as well. Over 50,000 people turned up near the Jantar Mantar protest site and the government has shut off internet in key places, ensuring no news gets out from the protests.The Delhi Police has imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the BNSS in response to the outfit’s stated goal of marching to the parliament this morning. The DMRC has announced that “due to security reasons,” Janpath, Rajiv Chowk, Patel Chowk, Central Secretariat and Seva Teerth metro stations have been closed till further instructions.The Delhi Police has meanwhile claimed that no use of force took place. “Some segments from media have mentioned sporadic use of violence/detentions at Jantar Mantar by Delhi Police,” it tweeted at 10.43 AM today.“It is informed that no such incident has taken place and protest is being handled professionally. All are requested not to fall pray to any rumour/ misgivings, and, to assist Delhi Police in maintaining peace and public order at and around the site.”Tear gas was fired near the Constitution Club area, to the extent of affecting passengers using the Central Secretariat metro station. The Wire‘s reporter Atul Howale was among those who were hurt in the Delhi Police’s tear gassing. Police lathicharge hurt several thousands, some quite seriously. Many minors were hurt in the process.https://cms.thewire.in/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/WhatsApp-Video-2026-07-20-at-13.29.33.mp4The Wire‘s reporters on the ground say that the police presence at a barricaded Jantar Mantar is significant but that several thousands have gathered outside the barricades to march to the parliament building anyway.A massive wave of students and youth carrying portraits of Shaheed Bhagat Singh and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar marched from Connaught Place (CP) Circle to the Jantar Mantar protest site, despite attempts by police to stop their movement. The students and youth are joining the July 20… pic.twitter.com/3prcrDzwWj— CPIML Liberation (@cpimlliberation) July 20, 2026Protesters from the All India Students’ Association who were on a hunger strike at Jantar Mantar have broken their fast. They were visited by a team of parliamentarians and prominent citizens including Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Manoj Jha, CPI(M) MP Amra Ram, actors Prakash Raj and Shabana Azmi, lawyer Prashant Bhushan, and activist Yogendra Yadav.Sonam Wangchuk’s fastActivist Sonam Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali Angmo, was quoted by a news agency, ANI, as having said today that the focus should be on the peaceful conduct of the march.“We will focus on this march. Three points are very important today. First, we will focus on conducting the march peacefully. Let us stay focused on the issue- the issue of education, which is a vital need for this country and remain vigilant,” she said.Environmentalist Wangchuk’s fast is at a crucial point as he remains at Safdarjung hospital, with his wife Gitanjali Angmo saying that he is ready to end the fast if “political leaders meet him at hospital and assure him that they will raise the issue of education accountability during Parliament session.”Wangchuk has since then tweeted the conditions under which his fast will be broken.“Not withstanding my health my fast continues till after the Sansad Chalo March, and will be broken only under the following circumstances…” he wrote.WHEN WILL I END THE FAST….!Not withstanding my health my fast continues till after the Sansad Chalo March, and will be broken only under the following circumstances… pic.twitter.com/kaOGx2Nk4T— Sonam Wangchuk (@Wangchuk66) July 20, 2026In a missive, handwritten on a piece of tissue paper and posted on Twitter, Wangchuk said the first situation which can lead him to break his fast is if the government takes accountability of the “failures” in the education system, especially the recent NEET question paper leaks.The alternative is that political leaders assure him that the paper leak issue would be raised in the parliament.The third, Wangchuk said, is that top political leaders visit him at the hospital and give assurance of the other two conditions.Angmo had approached the Delhi High Court on Sunday seeking to move Wangchuk to a private hospital.Uddhav Thackeray and Naveen Patnaik voice support for studentsMeanwhile, PTI reports that the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Bal Thackeray) chief Uddhav Thackeray has attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Union government, saying a fight should now be launched to change a government that is not accountable. Addressing a rally in Mumbai, he accused the government of stealing the future of the youth, referring to the irregularities in the NEET exam and the student suicides tied to it.Six members of Thackeray’s party who were Lok Sabha MPs switched over to the rival Shiv Sena faction under Eknath Shinde, who is aligned with the BJP, recently.PTI also reports that Biju Janata Dal chief and former Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik has called upon the government to initiate meaningful dialogue with the students who have been peacefully protesting for days over issues in the education system and governance, his party said.The BJD chief said the party “stands firmly with the youth and students of the country”. In a post on X, the BJD leader said that trust in the country’s education system has broken.“The damage goes far beyond a failed exam. It shatters faith in the very foundation of education system. It tells deserving students that hard work no longer matters, and robs them of their only ladder out of poverty. A nation that compromises the integrity of its examination system, compromises its own future.“This grave issue, affecting millions of students across the country, must be taken up in Parliament as the highest priority.”Note: This report is being updated frequently.