India detains Cockroach Janata Party founder ahead of Delhi protest

Indian police detained scores of protesters, including the founder of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), Abhijeet Dipke, on Saturday as authorities tightened security in New Delhi ahead of a demonstration demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The protest, organised by the youth-led CJP, is aimed at opposing a revision of voter lists that critics allege favours Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Around 200 protesters were detained in central Delhi, a police source told Reuters. Those detained outside the capital included YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, who supports the movement, a police spokesperson said.

CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were also detained after their flight landed in Delhi, the movement said in a statement.

Authorities deployed thousands of security personnel across the capital, while metro stations and markets were shut and mobile internet services suspended in some areas. Police also set up barricades and checkpoints and conducted searches of vehicles entering the city.

The protesters had planned to gather at Jantar Mantar, a designated protest site in New Delhi, at 10am on Saturday. However, police said they had not granted permission for the demonstration and warned that anyone violating the restrictions would face legal action.

The CJP rejected the decision and said it would proceed with the protest, describing it as a fundamental right.

Dipke questioned the security restrictions before leaving Mumbai for Delhi, saying the closure of transport services, internet restrictions and roadblocks reflected the government's fear of public dissent.

The demonstration, promoted by the CJP as an effort to “Save Democracy”, follows reports of disagreements within the Election Commission over revisions to voter lists. The Indian Express reported that officials working under Kumar had questioned aspects of the exercise, which reportedly resulted in the removal of around 130 million names from electoral rolls.

Opposition parties have alleged that the deletions affected the outcomes of some recent state elections won by the BJP and raised concerns about the electoral process. The BJP has rejected the allegations, saying its electoral success reflects Modi's popularity and India's economic growth.

The Election Commission has also denied allegations of wrongdoing. It has said the reported figure represents voter entries flagged during the draft revision process, which is still under way, and that people whose names were wrongly removed can register again.

The protests come months before a series of state elections scheduled to begin in early 2027, including a contest in Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state, which is governed by the BJP.