NEW DELHI — Leaders of a youth-led movement in India, known as the “cockroach” group, affirmed on Sunday their commitment to ongoing protests against the election commissioner. This follows their release from detention, as authorities attempted to prevent major demonstrations in the capital.
These rallies in the capital are the result of weeks of opposition mobilization stemming from allegations of misconduct during a nationwide voter roll revision. Critics claim that this revision could benefit Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling party.
The Election Commission of India, which manages elections in the world’s most populous nation, has denied any wrongdoing.
Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), and two other leaders were released on Sunday. They had been detained the previous day upon arriving in New Delhi to protest at Jantar Mantar, a central location in the city.
According to the group and media reports, thousands of protesters have been detained since Saturday.
“We will not back down,” said Saurav Das, another top CJP leader, after his release.
He urged the public to carry out peaceful protests, vowing to continue until Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar resigns.
On Sunday, smaller rallies took place in Delhi. Dozens of protesters were detained near Jantar Mantar, which remained blocked, as witnessed by AFP journalists.
Police have not commented on the detentions.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) stated that at least 16 journalists were also detained, calling the police actions “unacceptable.”
“Covering events of public interest is not a crime,” RSF said in a statement. “It is their job.”
In July, protests organized by the CJP over exam irregularities forced the resignation of the education minister, marking a rare climbdown by Modi’s administration.
The Importance of Participation
Prior to Saturday’s rally, authorities conducted an extensive security operation in the capital, closing metro stations and over 200 trains, and imposing bans on public gatherings in various areas.
Thousands of police and paramilitary personnel remained deployed on Sunday, but metro stations reopened and previously restricted mobile services were restored.
“I was detained for 10 hours yesterday,” said Aarti, 37, who gave only one name. “I have come again today because it is important to show up.”
The protest leaders were released under the condition that they maintain peace for one year, according to Ratna Singh, the head lawyer of CJP, in a social media post.
The Supreme Court, addressing petitions against Saturday’s detentions and other security measures, instructed authorities to ensure that peaceful protesters are not detained unlawfully.
“Detention must occur only after following legal procedures,” Justice Joymalya Bagchi stated in oral observations.
The court further ordered authorities to prevent any disruption to Internet connectivity, as occurred on Saturday.
A National Embarrassment
The CJP has become one of the most formidable political challenges to Modi during his third term, amassing millions of social media followers since its launch in May as a satirical entity.
Shortly after his release, Dipke of CJP criticized Modi, labeling him as “an embarrassment to India.”
“This country has never witnessed a greater coward and bully,” he posted on social media.
The voter roll revision led to the removal of over 133 million names from electoral lists, as reported by media.
Critics argue that this measure has disproportionately impacted minority communities, especially Muslims, which could advantage Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party.
Election authorities state that the initiative was intended to remove duplicate, deceased, and fraudulent entries.
The detention of protesters on Saturday sparked intense criticism, with accusations that Modi’s government is suppressing dissent.
The UN human rights office demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all individuals “arbitrarily detained” in Delhi, a remark that the Indian government deemed “misplaced.”
Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the opposition Congress party, announced plans to march to the Supreme Court on Monday alongside “every individual who believes in democracy.”
“There is nothing to fear,” he stated on social media. “These cowards are incapable of affecting us in any way.”
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