India detains ‘Cockroach Janta Party’ founder and tightens security for Delhi protests

The youth-led Cockroach Janta Party and opposition groups accuse the Election Commission of manipulating voter rolls to benefit Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP, a charge the poll panel denies.

The arrests could fuel further protests over voter-list revisions that opposition parties say favour Modi’s BJP, allegations rejected by the election commission.

Indian police detained Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke ahead of a protest.

Police detained India’s ‘cockroach’ movement founder Abhijeet Dipke on Friday, live images from his group showed, ahead of a protest called by him in capital Delhi’s central business district, the latest rally to demand the resignation of India’s election chief. The youth-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), opposition groups, and student organisations have held almost daily protests this month demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over a revision of voter lists that critics say favours Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). More than 130 million voters were deleted during the revision but the Election Commission has denied favouring any party and said wrongly deleted voters can re-enrol. The BJP has accused rivals of trying to undermine democracy by wrongly questioning legitimate electoral processes. Dipke called Friday’s protest in support of two CJP leaders detained and sent to jail this week for five days for demonstrating at a protest site in violation of a ban. The group and left-wing student organisations had urged supporters to gather at the Central Park in New Delhi’s busy Connaught Place shopping and food district on Friday evening to wave and hoist the national flag. The live video on CJP’s Instagram handle showed Dipke coming out of a house and walking towards the street, where police officers stopped him and, after a brief argument, hauled him into a police car and drove away. “We are detaining you right now,” a police officer could be heard telling Dipke. “I have not broken any law right now…how can you detain me?” Dipke asked the police officers as he was taken away. There was no immediate comment from the police on the detention. Earlier on Friday, police met Dipke and warned him against going ahead with the protest. Park closed ahead of protest Authorities closed the central New Delhi park before the protest over the voter-roll revision, which critics say has disenfranchised millions. Dipke urged supporters to rally at Central Park after two of his colleagues were detained for breaching security barricades at Jantar Mantar, where they had gone to wave the national flag. Earlier this week, police removed authorisation for Jantar Mantar as a designated protest site. On Friday, thousands of security personnel were deployed in parts of the city, with yellow-coloured metal barricades put up at key intersections. Earlier, Dipke said he was undeterred despite the possibility of being arrested ahead of Friday’s protest. “Why are you so afraid of cockroaches?” Dipke said. “I want to tell Narendra Modi that we are not afraid… if waving the Indian national flag lands you in jail, we are ready,” he said Thursday. Delhi’s municipal authorities said they were closing the Central Park for two days for “administrative” reasons. Delhi Police have barred public gatherings around Connaught Place citing concerns about public order and safety. Violation of the orders would “attract suitable legal action”, police said Thursday, but added that they would allow “selected persons” to gather at a “suitable place”. In recent days, the Indian capital has seen street protests over a large-scale voter roll revision exercise overseen by chief election commissioner Kumar. Critics say the removals have disproportionately affected minorities, particularly Muslims. Election authorities say the move was intended to eliminate duplicate, deceased and fraudulent entries. Members of Modi’s Hindu nationalist BJP have long alleged that large numbers of undocumented Muslim migrants from neighbouring Bangladesh have fraudulently entered India’s electoral rolls. On Friday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh dismissed the allegations, saying the sole agenda of the opposition parties was “to destroy democratic institutions and create unrest in the country”. “Their fight is not for electoral reform… not for Gyanesh Kumar, not for the bright future of the country’s youth,” he said at a news conference. “Rather, this is their conspiracy to seize power by creating anarchy in the country.”

Movement is demanding the resignation of election chief Gyanesh Kumar

Police detained India’s ‘cockroach’ movement founder Abhijeet Dipke on Friday, live images ‌from his group showed, ahead of a protest called by him in capital New Delhi’s central business district, the latest rally to demand the resignation of India’s election chief. The youth-led ‘Cockroach Janta Party’ (CJP), opposition groups and student organisations have held almost daily protests this month demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over a revision of voter lists...

Protesters in India have taken to the streets over a controversial revision of the country’s voter rolls.

Indian authorities have increased security in New Delhi and closed a central park ahead of a flag-waving protest by the youth "Cockroach" movement

Indian authorities have increased security in New Delhi and closed a central park ahead of a flag-waving protest by the youth "Cockroach" movement

Cockroach Janta Party standoff with government extended as youth-led movement calls protest over jailing of activists.

Authorities have closed a central park in the Indian capital ahead of the latest protest by the youth-led "Cockroach Janta Party". The group has held near-daily demonstrations calling for the national election authority chief's resignation over the removal of more than 130 million people from voter lists.

Authorities closed a central New Delhi park Friday before a fresh protest seeking the removal of India’s election chief over a voter-roll revision that critics say has disenfranchised millions. Organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), the campaign has become the focal point of opposition anger over allegations that the revised rolls favour Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling party. The Election Commission of India, which oversees voting in the world’s most populous nation, has denied any wrongdoing. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke urged supporters to rally at the capital’s Central Park after two of his colleagues were detained for breaching security barricades at Jantar Mantar, where they had gone to wave the national flag. Earlier this week, police removed authorisation for Jantar Mantar as a designated protest site. On Friday, thousands of security personnel were deployed in parts of the city, with yellow-coloured metal barricades put up at key intersections. Dipke said he was undeterred despite the possibility of being arrested ahead of Friday’s protest. “Why are you so afraid of cockroaches?” Dipke said. “I want to tell Narendra Modi that we are not afraid… if waving the Indian national flag lands you in jail, we are ready,” he said Thursday. Delhi’s municipal authorities said they were closing the Central Park for two days for “administrative” reasons. Delhi Police have barred public gatherings around Connaught Place citing concerns about public order and safety. Violation of the orders would “attract suitable legal action”, police said Thursday, but added that they would allow “selected persons” to gather at a “suitable place”. In recent days, the Indian capital has seen street protests over a large-scale voter roll revision exercise overseen by chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. More than 130 million names have been removed from electoral lists under the revision exercise, according to media reports. Critics say the removals have disproportionately affected minorities, particularly Muslims. Election authorities say the move was intended to eliminate duplicate, deceased and fraudulent entries. Members of Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party have long alleged that large numbers of undocumented Muslim migrants from neighbouring Bangladesh have fraudulently entered India’s electoral rolls. On Friday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh dismissed the allegations, saying the sole agenda of the opposition parties was “to destroy democratic institutions and create unrest in the country”. “Their fight is not for electoral reform… not for Gyanesh Kumar, not for the bright future of the country’s youth,” he said at a news conference. “Rather, this is their conspiracy to seize power by creating anarchy in the country.”

The rally on Friday (Oct 16) is in support of the two Cockroach Janta Party leaders detained and sent to jail this week for demonstrating at a protest site, said founder Abhijeet Dipke.

The Cockroach Janta Party has called on people to gather at New Delhi's central business district to wave the Indian national flag as it asserts a right to protest. DW has more.

Protesters have held near-daily demonstrations demanding India’s election chief resign over voter list revisions that critics say favour Narendra Modi’s BJP.

Authorities in New Delhi are bracing for another confrontation on Friday over India’s contentious voter-roll revision, with police set to restrict a planned demonstration by the youth-led Cockroach Janta Party.

The youth-led movement plans a fresh Delhi protest after mass detentions last week and the jailing of two leaders.

Modi’s government faces a growing challenge as Cockroach movement proves durable.

It all started as a bit of online satire by a few young people fed up by corruption. Clearly though, the Cockroach movement's no longer a laughing matter for India’s government which has shut transport and blocked rallying points in the capital to quell the momentum of youth-led mobilization that's already down the education minister over rampant school exam cheating and is now spearheading the protests against the culling of names from voter rolls, with the electoral commission chief accused of bias. 

A fresh wave of protests by India’s youth-led Cockroach movement has been met with a brutal crackdown by Narendra Modi’s government and the closure of a historic protest site in Delhi. Two of the movement’s leaders have been imprisoned for five days for violating suppression measures. The protests, which began over frustration about education and unemployment, are now focused on voting rights. Modi’s government denies claims that it is seeking to disenfranchise millions of voters. But its treatment of protesters has been criticised by the UN and Amnesty International and raised concerns that the country is sliding further into autocracy. Lucy Hough speaks to the south Asia correspondent Hannah Ellis-Petersen – watch on YouTube Continue reading...

A fresh wave of protests by India’s youth-led Cockroach movement has been met with a brutal crackdown by Narendra Modi’s government and the closure of a historic protest site in Delhi. Two of the movement’s leaders have been imprisoned for five days for violating suppression measures. The protests, which began over frustration about education and unemployment, are now focused on voting rights. Modi’s government denies claims that it is seeking to disenfranchise millions of voters. But its treatment of protesters has been criticised by the UN and Amnesty International and raised concerns that the country is sliding further into autocracy. Lucy Hough speaks to the south Asia correspondent Hannah Ellis-Petersen – watch on YouTube Continue reading...

CJP activists and opposition parties have defied a security crackdown to demand the resignation of India's chief election commissioner.

Two leaders of India’s youth-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) were remanded in custody for five days on Wednesday, as police ratcheted up efforts to clamp down on anti-election commission protests. CJP activists and opposition parties have defied a security crackdown to demand the resignation of India’s chief election commissioner, accusing the poll body of manipulating voter rolls to benefit Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling party. The commission, which oversees voting in the world’s most populous nation, has denied any wrongdoing. Delhi police said CJP leaders Ashutosh Ranka, 30, and Saurav Das, 27, were taken into custody for their “alleged repeated attempts to disturb public peace and violate the law”. At the end of the five-day remand period, they could have their detention extended, be granted bail or be released. On Tuesday, the pair jumped security barricades to wave the national flag at Jantar Mantar, a decades-old protest site that police have barred people from using. “Their alleged attempts to instigate others through social media to engage in similar unlawful activities were also taken into consideration,” police added. Parliamentary opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, from the Congress party, backed the men, who were detained after entering the site. Jantar Mantar, in the heart of the capital, has been sealed off for days with yellow metal barricades and guarded by security personnel. Delhi Police said on Monday it had removed the site from the list of designated protest venues. ‘Stand up’ “Waving the Tricolour at Jantar Mantar in a peaceful protest is not a crime,” Gandhi said in a post on social media. “Jailing youth for it is an act of cowardice.” The Congress and CJP have both organised protests over the voter roll revision. Gandhi said on Wednesday that “all protests are one”. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke praised the men, saying they “knew they could be thrown behind bars” but went ahead to wave the national flag. “They’ve shown the entire country that the only way to stand up to a bully like Modi is to never bow down, no matter the consequences,” he said in a post on X. Das has worked as a journalist, while Ranka, an engineer, studied at the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology and the London School of Economics. Rights advocates and critics say Modi’s government has eroded democratic freedoms during more than a decade in power, citing pressure on journalists, civil society groups and political opponents – allegations the government rejects. Human Rights Watch said Wednesday the Indian government must uphold the right of citizens to protest peacefully. “The Modi government should stop throwing young protesters in jail and instead engage with them to address concerns over the right to vote and fairness of elections,” it said in a statement. One of the protesters, who gave only her first name, said Wednesday she was taken to a detention centre where she was beaten by police. ‘Unacceptable’ “They punched me here,” said Atira, pointing to her face at a news conference in Delhi, standing next to Gandhi. “I begged them to stop, but then they started kicking me in my private parts, lower abdomen, and back. They didn’t consider me as a human.” AFP could not immediately verify her claim. Journalists in New Delhi marched on Tuesday to protest the detention of reporters during demonstrations. The Press Club of India said any attacks on journalists doing their jobs were “unacceptable”. The electoral list revision, which began last year, has led to more than 133 million names being removed from voter rolls, according to media reports. Critics say the exercise has disproportionately affected minorities, particularly Muslims. Election authorities say the move was intended to eliminate duplicate, deceased and fraudulent entries. Members of Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have long alleged that large numbers of undocumented Muslim migrants from neighbouring Bangladesh have fraudulently entered India’s electoral rolls. Home Minister Amit Shah, Modi’s powerful right-hand man, dismissed the protests as localised and accused Gandhi of pursuing an “action plan to protect infiltrators”. “The people of India are not going to fall for your deception,” he said, predicting a “resounding majority” for government in the next general election, due in 2029.

An Indian court ordered that two leaders of the youth-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) be detained in jail for five days, the party and police said on Wednesday, a day after they scaled barricades to enter a historic site popular for protests and chanted slogans demanding the election chief's resignation.

Two Cockroach Janta Party leaders have been jailed for five days after entering a banned protest site in India's Delhi.

Two leaders of India's "cockroach" youth movement will serve five days in jail after being detained during a protest. 

Two leaders of India’s youth-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) were remanded in custody for five days on Wednesday, as police ratcheted up efforts to clamp down on anti-election commission protests. CJP activists and opposition parties have defied a security crackdown to demand the resignation of India’s chief election commissioner, accusing the poll body of manipulating voter rolls to benefit Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling party. The commission, which oversees voting in the world’s most...

NEW DELHI — An Indian court ordered that two leaders of the youth-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) be detained in jail for five days, the party and police said on Wednesday, a day after they scaled barricades to enter a historic site popular for protests and chanted slogans demanding the election chief's resignation. The detentions risk triggering fresh protests by youth supporters at a time when opposition groups and student bodies are holding almost daily demonstrations to demand commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation over voter list revisions that critics say favour Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The Election Commission has denied favouring any party and said wrongly deleted voters can re-enrol, while the BJP has accused rivals of trying to undermine democracy by wrongly questioning legitimate electoral processes. CJP leaders Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das were among about a dozen people who jumped barricades on Tuesday to enter the grounds of the Jantar Mantar open air observatory in Delhi's central business district. Police said this week that the sit

Two leaders of India’s “Cockroach” youth movement have been sentenced by a local court to five days in jail after climbing barricades to protest in New Delhi

Detentions risk triggering protests by youth supporters; opposition groups, student bodies holding demonstrations

Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das will spend spend five days in prison for entering Delhi’s Jantar Mantar – a historic protest site that has been closed by authoritiesTwo leaders of India’s youth-led Cockroach movement have been sent to jail for five days for violating a ban on protests at a site in central Delhi.A court ordered that Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das, leaders of the Cockroach Janata party (CJP) movement, spend five days in Delhi’s Tihar prison for jumping over police barricades, holding up slogans and waving the Indian flag at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. Continue reading...

Three of India's Cockroach movement leaders will spend five days in jail over charges of trespassing into what was until recently a designated protest site. In other news, Marco Rubio is set to visit India. DW has more.

The leaders of India's youth-led Cockroach Janta Party, Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das, were detained on Tuesday (Oct 13) for entering Jantar Mantar. 

This came a day after they scaled barricades to enter a historic site popular for protests and chanted slogans demanding the election chief's resignation

The youth leaders were sent to custody on charges of trespassing at Jantar Mantar, a now denotified protest site.

Leaders of India’s youth-led “Cockroach” movement were arrested early Wednesday, the first such move by authorities since protests erupted, in an escalation of tensions over a contentious overhaul of the country’s voter rolls.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi defends his country as a “mother of democracy” amid widespread protests.

Nearly 150 journalists gathered at the Press Club of India in New Delhi to march in protest against the detention of reporters covering events over the weekend.

Thousands detained, leaders arrested on arrival, and a capital under lockdown: the youth-led protests against the election chief have the attention of the Indian government. But experts say toppling it is another matter.

Activists say they will continue to protest despite thousands of arrests over the weekend

India’s youth-led Cockroach movement is intensifying protests against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. Three leaders were detained after defying a ban at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar protest site. Demonstrators are challenging a voter-list revision they claim favours Modi’s party, while the protests disrupt businesses across the capital.

Leaders of India’s “cockroach” protest movement were detained again on Tuesday, their second detention in days, as a stand-off with authorities deepened over a contentious overhaul of voter rolls. Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das, two prominent faces of the youth-led Cockroach Janta Party, were taken into custody with other members after jumping barricades to enter Jantar Mantar, historically one of New Delhi’s main protest venues. Delhi police on Monday removed Jantar Mantar’s designation as a...

India’s youth-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) said on Tuesday that key leaders had been detained after entering an iconic protest site in New Delhi blocked by police. Opposition parties and supporters of the movement have taken to the streets in recent days, defying a security clampdown to demand the resignation of the head of India’s election commission, accusing it of manipulating voter rolls to benefit Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling party. The Election Commission of India, which oversees the voting process in the world’s most populous nation, has denied any wrongdoing. Delhi Police said on Monday that Jantar Mantar in the heart of the capital had been taken off the list of designated official protest sites. The site has been sealed off for several days by yellow metal barricades and guarded by a heavy police presence. But a video posted online by CJP leader Abhijeet Dipke on Tuesday showed protesters clambering over the barricades, running into the empty space and waving the national flag — before police chased and detained them. View this post on Instagram “CJP sneaks inside to reclaim Jantar Mantar,” the group said in a post on social media, adding that those detained included leaders Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka and Ajinkya Shinde. “All of them have been detained by Delhi Police,” it added. View this post on Instagram Delhi Police had announced three official sites on Monday as alternatives to Jantar Mantar, where protesters have gathered for decades — including CJP demonstrations that led to the education minister stepping down over an examination scandal in July. “You cannot denotify the resistance,” Dipke said, tagging Modi in his post. View this post on Instagram Modi, in comments at a business conference in New Delhi on Tuesday, called India the “mother of democracy”, but did not refer directly to the protests. “In our country, people openly debate a wide range of issues and discuss different perspectives,” he said.

India’s youth-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) said on Tuesday that key leaders had been detained after entering an iconic protest site in New Delhi blocked by police. Opposition parties and supporters of the movement have taken to the streets in recent days, defying a security clampdown to demand the resignation of the head of India’s election commission, accusing it of manipulating voter rolls to benefit Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling party. The Election Commission of India, which oversees the voting process in the world’s most populous nation, has denied any wrongdoing. Delhi Police said on Monday that Jantar Mantar in the heart of the capital had been taken off the list of designated official protest sites. The site has been sealed off for several days by yellow metal barricades and guarded by a heavy police presence. But a video posted online by CJP leader Abhijeet Dipke on Tuesday showed protesters clambering over the barricades, running into the empty space and waving the national flag — before police chased and detained them. “CJP sneaks inside to reclaim Jantar Mantar,” the group said in a post on social media, adding that those detained included leaders Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka and Ajinkya Shinde. View this post on Instagram View this post on Instagram “All of them have been detained by Delhi Police,” it added. Delhi Police had announced three official sites on Monday as alternatives to Jantar Mantar, where protesters have gathered for decades — including CJP demonstrations that led to the education minister stepping down over an examination scandal in July. “You cannot denotify the resistance,” Dipke said, tagging Modi in his post. View this post on Instagram Modi, in comments at a business conference in New Delhi on Tuesday, called India the “mother of democracy”, but did not refer directly to the protests. “In our country, people openly debate a wide range of issues and discuss different perspectives,” he said.

Cockroach Janta Party volunteers detained after entering a popular protest site authorities had declared off-limits.

Protesters want India's election chief to resign over alleged voter roll irregularities.

Protests in India demanding the removal of the chief election commissioner for alleged voter fraud have intensified.

Police have detained the top leaders of India's "cockroach" movement after they entered restricted grounds in their latest protest against the election chief.