India's 'cockroach' protesters hold talks with government as stalemate continues

Explained: Why have thousands taken to the streets in India?

Thousands of people continue to protest demanding the Indian education minister's resignation after representatives of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) held talks with the government.

CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka told reporters that the government has asked for a day to decide on their biggest demand - minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation.

"The protest will continue and will keep growing until Dharmendra Pradhan resigns. If that does not happen soon, we will be forced to announce another nationwide protest call," said Ranka.

The protests, which began more than a month ago, gained momentum this week after a police crackdown on people marching to parliament left dozens injured.

The protests are led by CJP, an online satirical movement that has evolved into a powerful platform for young people's anxieties and dissent.

Saurav Das, another CJP spokesperson, said the government had responded positively to two other demands: compensation for the families of students who reportedly died by suicide after the cancellation of a major medical entrance exam in May, and the withdrawal of police cases against protesters who joined the march to parliament. He said the two sides would meet again on Saturday.

Federal minister JP Nadda told reporters that the government would inform CJP on Saturday "about the discussion we had among the government".

The meeting followed an eventful night where activist Sonam Wangchuk ended his hunger strike after 26 days of fasting in solidarity with the protests.

A short while before that, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also posted a video promising a tough new law on examination paper leaks, the issue at the core of the protests.

The protests have become a major headache for Modi's government, which had tried to ignore them in the first few weeks.

That changed last Saturday, when authorities forcibly removed Wangchuk from the protest site and admitted him to hospital, citing health concerns.

Two days later, police in Delhi cracked down on protesters attempting to march to parliament, sparking massive public anger.

On Thursday night, Modi posted a video message - shot vertically, seen as an attempt to reach the young protesters who are active on Instagram - saying that a tough new law on examination paper leaks was being prepared.

He said he had received a draft of the law, which they wanted to introduce soon in parliament.

Exam paper leaks are at the centre of the controversy - India has witnessed dozens of them over the past couple of decades. The latest tr