NEW DELHI, India — Hundreds of protesters were detained in New Delhi during a demonstration organised by the Gen-Z-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which is demanding electoral reforms and the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over allegations of irregularities in voter lists.
The group said its founder, Abhijeet Dipke, and two other leaders, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, were detained aboard a flight from Mumbai shortly after arriving in Delhi on Saturday. The CJP claimed the three were taken to an undisclosed location. Delhi Police had not publicly commented on the reported detentions at the time of reporting.
READ MORE : Fear grips parents as children join protest at Jantar Mantar amid army deployment
Authorities deployed a heavy security presence across the capital, erected barricades and restricted access to several areas ahead of the planned demonstration. Police had refused permission for the protest at Jantar Mantar, a prominent protest venue in central Delhi.
Despite the restrictions, the CJP maintained that its demonstration would proceed. However, many protesters were unable to reach the designated area because of roadblocks and security deployments. Buses carrying detained demonstrators were seen leaving the protest area, while announcements across the city urged the public to cooperate with police.
The group’s newly designated leader, Ajinkya Shinde, released a video urging supporters to continue their demonstration despite the restrictions. “Wherever they stop you will become your Jantar Mantar,” he told protesters, referring to the police barriers preventing access to the planned venue.
Student activist Neha Bora, who was also reportedly detained, urged demonstrators to “hold the line”.
Several protesters said they had anticipated detention before leaving for the demonstration. One participant, Sabika Muzaffar, told the BBC that she and her mother had memorised their lawyer’s telephone number on the way to the protest site.
She described participating in the demonstration as her way of defending India’s democracy. Muzaffar was reportedly taken away by police shortly after speaking to the broadcaster.
Transport disruptions were also reported, with several trains to and from major Delhi railway stations cancelled and dozens of metro stations closed from Friday night, according to the account provided.
CJP Demands Resignation of Chief Election Commissioner
The demonstration comes amid growing political controversy over a nationwide exercise to revise India’s electoral rolls, conducted by the Election Commission under Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The CJP and opposition parties have accused the poll body of favouring Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) through the voter-list revision process. They have also alleged that eligible voters have been wrongly removed from electoral rolls.
The Election Commission has rejected allegations of political bias, describing the exercise as a routine effort to identify and remove the names of deceased, duplicate and otherwise ineligible voters. Nevertheless, the revision process has faced criticism in several states, where people have raised concerns about alleged wrongful deletions.
The CJP is demanding Kumar’s resignation and broader electoral reforms ahead of crucial state elections. The organisation is not registered as a political party in India.
From Viral Social Media Post to Youth Protest Movement
The CJP emerged in May after Dipke, a former worker associated with the opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), posted a question on X: “What if all cockroaches come together?”
The post was a response to remarks attributed to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, who had likened some unemployed young people to “cockroaches”. The judge later said his comments had been misinterpreted.
Dipke, who had recently completed a master’s degree at Boston University, helped turn the viral post into a youth-led movement that tapped into public anger over unemployment, examination paper leaks and government accountability.
The group subsequently became prominent during weeks of demonstrations demanding education reforms and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. In July, Dipke watched from the stage as a five-week protest campaign ended in celebrations following the minister’s resignation.
The latest demonstration marks another phase in the movement’s campaign, shifting its focus towards electoral transparency, voter-list revisions and accountability within India’s election administration.
With security restrictions preventing protesters from reaching Jantar Mantar and hundreds reportedly detained, the confrontation has renewed attention on the right to peaceful assembly and the wider debate over electoral reforms in India.
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