A ‘thank-you’, and a word of caution from activist Sonam Wangchuk at the Cockroach Janta Party protest

At the site, where hundreds of students and elderly supporters as well had gathered, Wangchuk said, “We hope going forward also this government allows such creative, constructive expressions.”

To the swelling crowd he said, “I would call this an appeal rather than a protest.” Adding, “We are not fond of protests… we have come to make an appeal. In a respectful democracy, we hope we do not have to raise slogans to be heard.”

Wangchuk pushed past the immediate demands of the exam aspirants around him. Education, he said, was “the first requirement,” and the system needed correcting so that students in both cities and villages received justice. The movement, he hoped, would not “remain limited to examinations alone” but lead to systemic reforms.

For Wangchuk, equality in the classroom was the real test of intent — and only a starting point, as he said, “The foundation of a ‘viksit Bharat’ lies not in Delhi’s private schools but in schools located in villages.”

He added, “The children of all elected representatives should study in government schools.” Real change, he argued, would come only when the children of policymakers studied alongside everyone else’s.

He said he wanted the cause to widen across all ministries, and eventually to the environment.

“This is a responsibility that every citizen can share,” he said. “And ministers, of course, must take responsibility as well.”