Hundreds gather in Kerala’s Kochi to express solidarity with Delhi student protest

Hundreds, including techies, students, writers, artistes, and activists gathered here on Thursday (July 23, 2026) in solidarity with the ongoing student protests in New Delhi, triggered by the NEET question paper leak.

At the Kerala High Court Junction, the supporters held copies of the Indian Constitution and raised slogans extending the demands raised by the students protesting in New Delhi. Actor Mathew Thomas urged everyone to higlight the issues raised by the student protesters and to provide maximum coverage for them through various platforms.

Writer N.E. Sudheer said the country should be not be left to fascist ideals propagated by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Bharatiya Janata Party. He said the Indian Constitution guarantees the rights to hold peaceful protests against injustice.

Techies from Infopark came together in support of the student protest in New Delhi. They held placards against police brutality on student protesters. Anish Panthalani, president of Progressive Techies collective, said that students were protesting in New Delhi against flaws in the country’s education system, marked by paper leaks and corruption. He condemned police action against the protesters while stating that it was in violation of the basic rights of citizens.

Techies, who participated in the protest near the open gym at Infopark, said the students protesting in the national capital must get justice. They are fighting for justice, and everyone should support them, they added.

The Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and the Kerala Students’ Union (KSU) also staged demonstrations expressing solidarity with the student protest.

The march taken out by activists of the SFI to the BSNL office in the city demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan was stopped by the police. Tension flared up after the agitators tried to pull down barricades. The police fired tear-gas shells to disperse the activists. Some protesters were taken into custody. Though the activists dispersed after tear gas shells were fired, they rallied again and shouted slogans at the police and against the Union government.

KSU activists staged protests across campuses in Ernakulam as part of the State-wide education bandh against alleged attempts by the Centre to clamp down on student protest demanding the resignation of Mr. Pradhan.