Key facts
- Indian authorities have detained thousands of activists ahead of a planned protest in Delhi.
- The "Cockroach" youth movement and opposition parties accuse the ruling BJP of manipulating voter lists.
- The BJP and the Election Commission deny allegations of manipulating voter lists.
- Activists were detained across the country, including students from Pune heading to Delhi.
- The protests present a political challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government.
- The opposition Congress Party accused police of detaining its leaders, an allegation Delhi Police denies.
Indian authorities have initiated mass detentions of individuals associated with the "Cockroach" youth movement and other allied groups ahead of a planned protest in Delhi. The movement and opposition parties are demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is manipulating voter lists to its advantage.
Activists from across the country, including members of the Gen Z-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), have been arrested, according to the movement and its leaders who shared videos on social media platform X showing individuals being taken away in vans. Reuters could not immediately verify these claims or videos. The CJP stated that students from Pune heading to the October 10 protest in Delhi were also detained and taken to an unknown location.
Ashutosh Ranka, a spokesperson for the movement, posted on X that "At least 10000 people have been detained across the country across (Cockroach Janta Party), various student orgs, Kisaan and Dalit Sangathans, political parties. THIS IS EMERGENCY." CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke questioned the authorities' actions, asking, "Why not just declare EMERGENCY?"
The protests represent a new political challenge for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government. Opposition parties and the CJP have accused the BJP of colluding with appointees, including Kumar, to manipulate voter lists. The Election Commission and the BJP have denied these allegations. Earlier, hundreds of CJP supporters protested in Bengaluru, holding posters with slogans like "Every name counts, Every vote matters" and "Stop the Murder of Democracy."
Separately, the opposition Congress Party accused police of using "brute force" to briefly detain party leader Rahul Gandhi, his sister Priyanka Vadra, and other lawmakers on Wednesday as they attempted to reach the Jantar Mantar protest site in New Delhi. Delhi Police stated that these allegations were being used to "defame" the force. BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia dismissed the claims as baseless and lacking evidence.