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Protests that shaped India’s 79-year journey

By Sohail Khan 15 August 2026, 2:39 pm

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Business News›News›India›India's 80th Independence Day: A look at protests in its 79-year journey till 'cockroaches' hit the streets

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India's 80th Independence Day: A look at protests in its 79-year journey till 'cockroaches' hit the streets

Synopsis

India's post-independence history showcases persistent dissent and public mobilization. Students, farmers, and citizens have repeatedly challenged governments through protests. These movements have influenced policies on caste, environment, and governance.

From the 1974 JP Movement and the 1973 Chipko protests to the recent 2026 youth-led Cockroach Janta Party demonstrations, public spaces across India have long served as the primary canvas for democratic dissent.<br> — From the 1974 JP Movement and the 1973 Chipko protests to the recent 2026 youth-led Cockroach Janta Party demonstrations, public spaces across India have long served as the primary canvas for democratic dissent.

“Dissent is the essence of democracy,” M. Venkaiah Naidu, former Vice President of India, had used this political maxim — a sentiment reflected at times in the country's post-Independence history.

India’s Independence was won through a long, arduous struggle, as freedom fighters and citizens took to the streets and many gave their lives to challenge British rule. Nearly eight decades later, the streets remain a powerful stage for dissent.

From students and farmers to workers and civil society groups, Indians have repeatedly marched, rallied and occupied public spaces to protest, demand accountability and challenge governments they believe have failed them.

The youth-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar is the latest addition to this long history of mass mobilisation. On this Independence Day, here is a look at how protests, in every shape and form, have influenced the India that we live in today.

The early years of dissent

After 1947, India entered a period of nation-building. The country was establishing new institutions, expanding the economy, managing wars and addressing the challenges of governing a large and newly independent democracy.

Nation-building also brought disputes and protests over governance, inequality, corruption, representation and other issues.

1. JP Movement — 1974-77

In 1974, a student-led movement in Bihar became one of the major protest movements of the period.

After fighting for India's Independence, Jayaprakash Narayan returned to the streets years later with a new question: how should this republic be governed?

The freedom fighter was drawn back into the spotlight when the students in Bihar started expressing their agitation against inflation, unemployment, corruption, and poor governance.

The Bihar Chhatra Sangharsh Samiti (BCSS) later sought Narayan’s support, transforming this student agitation into a larger political movement.

The turning point came on June 5, 1974, when Narayan called for “Sampoorna Kranti”, or “Total Revolution”, in a speech at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan. Addressing a large crowd, he called for more than a change of government, seeking instead wider political and social transformation.

Among the contemporary leaders who emerged from this movement were Lalu Prasad Yadav and Nitish Kumar.

As the Emergency was imposed on June 25, 1975, Narayan was arrested along with other opposition leaders.

In January 1977, Opposition parties united to form the Janata Party ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. The Emergency was officially lifted on March 21. Janata Party then went on to defeat the Congress, forming India’s first non-Congress government at the Centre.

Also Read: Independence Day 2026: 79 years of an India on the rise as its households dream bigger

2. Chipko Movement — 1973 onwards

In the spring of 1973, villagers in the Himalayan hills of what is now Uttarakhand stood between trees and axes to protest felling in forests they depended on for fuel, fodder and other necessities.

The movement came to be known as the Chipko Movement, from the Hindi word chipko, meaning “to hug” or “to cling”. Women were prominent participants, reflecting the importance of forests to local livelihoods and communities.

The movement spread across the Himalayan region, with Sunderlal Bahuguna bringing it into the national spotlight through marches, hunger strikes and peaceful campaigns. It contributed to the Centre’s decision in 1980 to impose a 15-year moratorium on green tree felling in Himalayan forests.

What began as a local protest became one of India’s best-known environmental movements.

3. Mandal Commission Protests — 1990

The Mandal movement was born as part of a long-standing debate about the representation of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in public institutions of India.

To solve this dispute, Morarji Desai’s government formed the Second Backward Classes Commission in 1979, headed by B.P. Mandal. The Commission's report recommended 27% reserved quotas for OBCs in the public sector.

In 1990, Prime Minister V.P. Singh proclaimed the introduction of the 27% reservation for OBCs as suggested by the Mandal Commission. This particular decision initiated a series of protests, particularly among groups of youths from upper castes.

This agitation witnessed not only public demonstrations but also attempts at self-immolation, which turned out to be a national debate over caste, merit, representation and social justice.

The Mandal Movement created not just a reservation policy but changed Indian politics forever.

The period after was notable for increased involvement of OBCs in politics and emergence of regional parties like Rashtriya Janata Dal, and the Samajwadi Party.

4. Anna Hazare Movement — 2011

Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption movement for a stronger and independent Lokpal, an ombudsman to investigate complaints against public officials, gained national momentum in 2011.

In April 2011, Anna Hazare began a hunger strike at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar demanding stronger Lokpal legislation. After his arrest in August, the agitation intensified at Ramlila Maidan, drawing thousands of supporters.

The movement drew young and middle-class Indians, with television and social media amplifying the protests. It also brought Arvind Kejriwal to national prominence as one of its organisers.

Differences over entering electoral politics eventually split the movement in 2012, when Kejriwal went on to form the Aam Aadmi Party and Hazare continued to be the face of the movement.

The protest brought the long-awaited Lokpal Bill into the spotlight of the national political arena. Parliament did agree to three proposals, in principle put forth by Hazare, but did not approve the Jan Lokpal Bill as per original version.

The key demand eventually achieved a legislative outcome with the passing of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act in 2013, which introduced the Lokpal at the national level.

Also Read: Independence Day 2026: The road to UPI — India’s payments revolution was centuries in the making

5. Nirbhaya Movement — 2012

The December 2012 gang rape and assault of a young woman in New Delhi was met with a huge public outcry. The 23-year-old victim, known as Nirbhaya, succumbed to her injuries 13 days later. Protesters demanded that action be taken not only to bring rapists to justice but to ensure better protection of women as well.

The demonstrations rapidly progressed beyond just requesting punishment for the wrongdoers.

Protesters challenged the effectiveness of the police in responding to the incident and the general way of dealing with cases of sexual violence against women.

Following this, the Indian government formed the Justice J.S. Verma Committee to examine the possibilities of changing legislation related to sexual crimes.

The aftermath of the protests included legislative change. The Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013 changed the definitions of sexual crimes and imposed stricter punishments.

6. CAA/NRC Protests — 2019-20

The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 and National Register of Citizens (CAA- NRC) protests evolved into a national movement triggered by issues related to citizenship, constitutional equality, and concerns regarding the connection of citizenship with religion.

The protests turned into a crucial point in mid-December 2019, when the Delhi Police raided Jamia Millia Islamia Public Research University, considering the ongoing protests.

Protests also saw episodes of violence during the demonstrations before turning into communal riots in northeast Delhi that claimed more than 50 lives.

Women started an indefinite sit-in at Shaheen Bagh, making it the most recognisable place of the CAA protest movement.

The movement eventually ended with the Covid-19 pandemic, without the CAA being withdrawn.

7. Farmers' Protest — 2020-21

The farmers’ protest began after the Centre introduced three farm laws in 2020, which farmers, particularly from north and north-western India, said could weaken existing protections and affect their livelihoods.

The movement brought various farmer organisations together under the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM). On November 26, 2020, farmers began their “Delhi Chalo” march, facing tear gas, trenches and batons as they made their way towards the capital, but were stopped from entering Delhi.

They set up long-term protest sites at Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders, drawing thousands of farmers.

On November 19, 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the government would repeal the three farm laws, ending nearly a year of protests.

8. Cockroach Janta Party — 2026

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) was founded in May 2026 by political communication student Abhijeet Dipke. Chief Justice of India Surya Kant’s remarks sparked a satirical youth movement online that went on to become a protest against examination irregularities at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar

The movement was fuelled by the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak controversy following which students called for government accountability over paper leaks, compensation for affected families and the resignation of then Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

The agitation escalated on June 28, when activist Sonam Wangchuk joined the protest and began an indefinite hunger strike. He was hospitalised by authorities on July 18 after 21 days of fasting due to health concerns.

During the ‘Sansad Chalo’ march on July 20, clashes broke out between protesters and police as demonstrators attempted to march towards Parliament, with reports of lathi charges and tear-gas use. Protesters alleged excessive police force, while the Delhi Police disputed some of the allegations and said anti-social elements were responsible for the violence.

Wangchuk ended his 26-day fast on July 24 after receiving assurances from the Centre on the protection of protesters, examination reforms and compensation for affected families.

The following day, Pradhan resigned from the Union Cabinet, after which the CJP agitation at Jantar Mantar ended for the time being.

Across the decades, the causes have changed – from corruption and caste to the environment, women’s safety, citizenship, farm laws and examination reforms. So have the people at the centre, with students, farmers, women, activists and young citizens taking their demands into public spaces.

From the JP movement and Chipko to Shaheen Bagh, farmers’ camps and youth-led mobilisation, the spaces and methods of protest have changed.

However, the streets continue to witness movements as citizens choose to make themselves heard.

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