A steady flow of food delivery riders carrying meals, snacks and bottled water has become a critical support system for a youth-led protest encampment in the heart of Indias capital. Motorcycles thread through city traffic before stopping beside groups of volunteers, who then move the packages into the site where protesters have gathered.
"From Kerala to the USA, orders are coming from everywhere," said Suraj Kumar, 25, as he sat on his motorcycle with a bag of kachoris, a popular deep-fried snack. Volunteers climbed over police barricades to collect the deliveries. One volunteer took a packet and passed it hand-to-hand toward the centre of activity a few hundred metres away, around the Jantar Mantar observatory, where hundreds of people surrounded a raised platform.
On that platform, leaders of the Cockroach Janta Party, known as the CJP, have called for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, citing repeated leaks of examination papers. The CJP began as online satire in May and set up the encampment last month. The protest has been sustained for weeks but intensified in recent days after a prominent activist started an indefinite hunger strike in support of the movement.
Logistics and volunteer networks keep the site operating
The encampment has withstood a significant police crackdown earlier in the week, when tens of thousands of mostly young people attempted to march on parliament. Indians under 30 are estimated to constitute more than half of the nation's 1.42 billion people, and many in that age group have long voiced frustration that strong economic growth has not produced enough jobs.
"People are angry, especially after the police started beating innocent students. But not everyone can come here so they are sending food," said Raj Rathore, 25, a volunteer who has spent recent days unloading and distributing deliveries of water bottles, fruit and biscuits.
Students described volunteer-run support networks and steady donations as essential to keeping the protest functioning around the clock. "This protest is running purely because of peoples kindness, and the fact that we are all united," said Rina Rawat, a 20-year-old Delhi University student who organised queues inside the protest site. Rawat said she was struck on her left leg by police batons on Monday but returned the next day to continue work at the encampment.
Public criticism of the prime minister and official responses
The demonstrations represent an uncommon public challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modis government. The prime minister has not directly commented on the protests. After a meeting of the ruling coalition, a minister said the premier had told them the "strongest possible steps are being taken to protect the interest of the students." Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan promised "answers, reforms and accountability."
By late afternoon on Wednesday, the protest site swelled to about 5,000 people despite intermittent monsoon showers. The crowd was largely composed of Gen Z students holding placards, playing patriotic Bollywood songs and chanting slogans. One protester shouted, "Modi, we won't tolerate your autocracy," to cheers from the assembled crowd.
Some participants said witnessing police actions had changed their views. "I was a Modi supporter until 10 days ago," said Mukesh, who declined to give a second name. "But when I saw the police brutality, I was shocked."
On-site services and atmosphere
Volunteers have taken on a range of tasks to keep the encampment functional. They cleared puddles and gathered refuse, while others used hand-held fans to help protesters cope with humidity. A medical tent staffed by volunteer doctors and medical students has been operating at the site for about a month, and volunteers reported being particularly busy over the prior two days.
"We are providing first aid and medicines for dizziness and nausea," said Bhavna, 23, who declined to provide a last name. She added that many volunteers at the medical stall had themselves been affected by the stress caused by examination paper leaks. "We too have suffered because of paper leaks, the anxiety that gives you is enormous."
Symbolism and messaging at the protest have varied. Some participants carried portraits of revolutionary Bhagat Singh, distributed copies of the Constitution and handed out roses. Others wore Spider-Man masks and embraced slogans that labelled themselves as "baddies."
Nearby, 19-year-old Arpita Verma reflected on the broader political climate. She said, "Theres been too much Hindu-Muslim politics in India," referring to sharper religious divisions associated with the ruling partys support base among the Hindu majority. "But we have no space for that here - now we are united by a common cause, and we are not afraid at all."
The protest at Jantar Mantar highlights the role of grassroots logistics - from individual riders delivering parcels to volunteer-run medical and sanitation teams - in sustaining a public demonstration. Donations arriving from across India and abroad, combined with on-site organisation, have enabled students to maintain a visible presence despite police action and weather challenges.