The 'Cockroach' Uprising: How India's Gen Z Challenged Modi's Political Dominance

A wave of youth-led protests over employment exams has punctured the carefully cultivated image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, signaling a potential shift in India’s political landscape.

A new political phenomenon has emerged in India, characterized by a generation of frustrated youth who have adopted the provocative label of 'cockroaches' to challenge the status quo. Recent nationwide protests, fueled by deep-seated anger over the integrity and management of high-stakes employment examinations, have successfully dented Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s political image—a reputation that had remained largely intact for over two decades. Analysts and commentators, including prominent voices like Arundhati Roy, suggest that the intensity of these demonstrations has exposed vulne…