Indian authorities clamp down as ‘cockroach’ movement launches new protests

Demonstrators gathering in Mumbai and New Delhi to demand the resignation of Election Commission chief meet stern police response.

Indian security forces have clamped down as the Gen Z-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), other student coalitions and opposition forces gathered for planned protests in New Delhi and Mumbai.

Hundreds of police and paramilitary personnel surrounded a barricaded protest site in the centre of the capital on Friday and bundled demonstrators into buses as they arrived. The CJP warned the government last week that it would launch nationwide protests unless the Election Commission chief resigned amid a voter roll controversy.

Authorities closed at least ۱۱ metro stations around the Jantar Mantar observatory, where the protesters were assembling, and repeatedly issued warnings to disperse from loudspeakers.

Delhi Police earlier imposed Section ۱۶۳, which bars gatherings of more than five people, the use of slogans, speechmaking and other protest activities, The Times of India reported.

Reports about ۳pm (۰۹:۳۰ GMT) suggested that more than ۵۰۰ people – including former Delhi Chief Minister Atishi Marlena, members of the Aam Aadmi opposition party and members of student organisations – had been arrested in New Delhi.

“The right to protest is our fundamental right, and we want answers from the government on vote theft,” demonstrator Rishabh Singh said as police shoved him into a bus, according to the Reuters news agency.

In Mumbai, where protests were planned to begin at ۴pm (۱۰:۳۰ GMT), a crowd slowly grew in Shivaji Park. A heavy police presence patrolled the area, where they also declared a no-parking zone.

The CJP called the latest round of protests after the Indian Express newspaper reported that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s two deputies had formally raised concerns at least ۱۴ times in the past ۱۰ months over revisions to voter lists, registration procedures and digital systems.

Critics said a nationwide voter-verification exercise launched last year led to millions of eligible voters being removed from electoral rolls. They said the changes favour Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

The commission has denied the allegations and said the changes removed duplicate, deceased or ineligible voters.

The CJP said it plans to expand demonstrations nationwide in the coming days.

“We will ultimately end it only when Gyanesh Kumar resigns. He has to go,” Saurav Das, CJP’s convener, said in remarks on Friday that were reported by The Times of India.

“We will ensure that he is removed from that position, all his crimes are undone and he pays for the crimes he has committed against the young generation and against the country.”

Opposition protests led by the Indian National Congress party are also set to demand Kumar’s resignation starting on Tuesday.

India’s “cockroach movement” began with online satire mocking the government before amassing millions of followers on social media. It has since brought thousands onto the streets, including during mass demonstrations in July that led to the resignation of India’s education minister.

Those protests also drew an outsized police response with Amnesty International reporting that authorities used lethal weapons to suppress crowds.