What began as a youth-led movement demanding educational reforms has now come under scrutiny following allegations of sexual assault and misogyny at the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protests in New Delhi. A woman who participated in the demonstration has alleged that she was groped and sexually harassed in the densely packed crowd and that, instead of receiving support after confronting the accused, her complaint was allegedly brushed aside by volunteers at the site.
In a widely circulated thread posted on 26 July 2026, Yashaswinee Raje Singh recounted her personal experience. She stated that while at the protest, someone in the crowd inappropriately touched her and tried to grope her. She slapped the man, after which she was confronted by a male volunteer who allegedly told her, “Aap yaha kyu aa rahe ho” (“Why are you coming here?”).
Singh further shouted, “Women are being sexually assaulted at the protest, and your response is to yell at them.”
The situation soon turned into a spectacle. She was again confronted by a male volunteer, who reportedly dismissed her complaint by saying, “Ab yeh sab galti toh hoti rehti hai. Aap udhar chale jao” (“These mistakes keep happening. You should go somewhere else.”).
The allegation aligns with broader concerns raised about the safety of women at large gatherings at the protest site.
Allegations reveal culture of misogyny among protesters
Apart from her account of alleged sexual harassment, Raje Singh also highlighted images showing placards and banners that used female anatomy, clothing, or gender roles as terms of abuse against political figures.
The displays portrayed women in degrading terms, including equating femininity with weakness and using sexualised insults.
Depicting male leaders in women’s attire to mock them further reinforced the notion that being a woman constitutes an insult, reflecting what she described as internalised misogyny during a protest centred on government accountability and educational reforms.
Abusive slogans hurled during protest
Yashaswinee Raje Singh’s thread also aligns with other reports and visual evidence from the protest documenting the use of highly abusive slogans. These extended beyond policy criticism to target individuals with vulgar, gender-based, and personal attacks.
Her thread compiled several examples of placards carrying degrading language, shifting the focus from the protest’s original demands related to education reforms and examination irregularities to sexualised and hateful criticism.
CJP protest sparks concerns over deep-seated misogyny among Indian youth
The CJP protest, which began as a youth-driven, largely Gen Z response to issues surrounding national examinations such as NEET, drew attention to what several people on social media described as rampant misogyny reflected in some posters and slogans, raising further questions about the sexualisation and gender attitudes among sections of the younger population.
Visual documentation shared on social media shows that some participants resorted to slogans and posters that degraded women. This has prompted concerns about attitudes prevalent among sections of the young population participating in the demonstrations.
The presence of such material suggested that, in certain instances, personal and gendered abuse took precedence over the protest’s substantive demands.
Meanwhile Delhi Police on Monday directed multiple social media platforms to remove posts and videos containing offensive and abusive remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi that were uploaded during the student protests at Jantar Mantar.
According to Delhi Police, several posts using abusive language against the Prime Minister surfaced across various social media platforms during the protests and subsequent violence in the national capital.
The contrast between the protest’s stated objectives and the reported incidents of groping, abusive slogans, and misogynistic posters has raised questions about the broader culture within sections of the youth mobilisation.
While the movement attracted significant student participation and succeeded in achieving its core demand of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, the CJP later concluded the demonstration. However, the reported incidents of harassment and the use of degrading language have overshadowed its initial focus, highlighting persistent concerns regarding gender attitudes in public protests.
Bureau Report
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