India’s bishops decry ‘brutality’ against ‘Cockroach Party’ supporters

India’s bishops have condemned alleged police brutality during a march in Delhi by supporters of the country’s youth-led Cockroach movement, a satirical political party in the country that has become the center of a now serious political and social conflict.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India — which represents the nation’s Latin Catholic, Syro-Malabar, and Syro-Malankara bishops — expressed solidarity July 21 with thousands of protesters who gathered in the capital in defiance of police orders to demand the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

The demonstrators were affiliated with the Cockroach Janta Party, a parody political party founded in May in response to comments by India’s Chief Justice Surya Kant appearing to liken unemployed youth who embrace activism to cockroaches.

The bishops said they felt “profound anguish” after video footage showed police firing tear gas and wielding lathis, or long bamboo sticks, as they drove back protesters attempting to reach India’s parliament.

“Our youth, the true future of this nation, took to the streets with legitimate demands for urgent accountability and reforms in our education system. Meeting their peaceful, democratic expression with disproportionate force is a heartbreaking assault