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Demonstrators gathered at Norman Bethune Square in Montreal on Saturday to express solidarity with India’s Cockroach youth movement, a growing protest campaign that activists say is responding to a serious erosion of democratic rights and rising political violence in India.
A Movement Born from an Insult
The Cockroach movement gained momentum after India’s Chief Justice Surya Kant compared the country’s youth to cockroaches in May. He suggested young people only attack institutions on social media without taking meaningful action. Instead of retreating, India’s youth embraced the label and turned it into a rallying cry.
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“A simple joke became a revolution,” said Abid Khan, who attended the Montreal solidarity protest.
The movement has since intensified across India. Election authorities began revising voter lists last year, removing more than 130 million voters from the rolls. That decision sparked widespread outrage. Opposition parties joined the protests, and demonstrators demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party and the Election Commission denied any manipulation, arguing the changes were necessary to remove duplicate and ineligible names.
Meanwhile, larger protests also erupted roughly a month ago over repeated paper leaks, administrative errors, and cheating scandals at universities across the country. Over the weekend, thousands of protesters were detained during a police crackdown.
Voices from the Montreal Protest
Khan told Global News that he sees troubling signs in India’s political direction. “In my opinion, they are creating a beginning stage of fascism,” he said. “They are basically creating an atmosphere of fear. People cannot speak, people cannot protest, people cannot demand their justice.”
Rundranil Raha, another attendee, said he grew up in India around the time the BJP came to power in 2014. He described being taught that India was an inclusive and accepting society. However, he said that vision has since collapsed. He said the government is now “sowing the seeds of hatred that aims to divide the country,” with women, LGBTQ2 people, and religious and ethnic minorities bearing the greatest burden.
“If I am in India, I’m a male, I am a middle caste and I am Hindu so I wouldn’t have any problem if I kept my mouth shut,” Raha said. “If I am speaking out, I am afraid that I just might be the next target of this surveillance heavy rights stampeding regime.”
Solidarity Extends Beyond the Indian Diaspora
The Montreal protest drew support from well beyond the Indian community. Zahra Haider, who identified herself as Pakistani, said she felt a responsibility to stand with the movement. “As a Pakistani, I feel like it is my duty to also provide cross-solidarity because what happens in India does affect the rest of the region,” she told Global News.
Rahul Varma, also present at the protest, said he views the situation in India as part of a broader global pattern. “It is not anymore a problem of a particular country,” he said, pointing to the rise of nationalism in countries around the world.
Canada’s Trade Ties with India Draw Scrutiny
At the same time as solidarity protests grow across Canada, the federal government is actively working to strengthen its economic relationship with India. International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu traveled to India this week as the two countries work toward a free-trade agreement before the end of the year.
Varma said he supports closer Canada-India ties, but only if human rights remain a central condition. “The Canadian government has not made a significant statement against the Indian state to stop any of those activities,” he said.
Global News contacted Global Affairs Canada for comment but did not receive a response before publication.
