Security forces in Delhi have detained hundreds of protesters associated with the Gen-Z led movement known as the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). The demonstrators, who advocate for significant electoral reforms, attempted to assemble at Jantar Mantar despite the authorities explicitly denying permission for the event. In anticipation of the march, massive security cordons were established across the capital, featuring extensive road blocks and the deployment of tens of thousands of personnel. The CJP’s founder Dipke said: “If you think you can stop us by threatening us with jail or trying to intimidate us with the fear of imprisonment, you are mistaken, before arriving in Delhi. Asking people to co-operate with the police, announcements could be heard across the city.
Detention Details
- Founder status: Abhijeet Dipke, along with leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, were taken into custody upon their arrival from Mumbai on Saturday.
- Current state: The group claims the leaders have been transported to an undisclosed facility, while Delhi Police have offered no official comment on the arrests.
- Protest guidance: With primary leadership detained, designated spokesperson Ajinkya Shinde has instructed supporters that any location where police intervene should be treated as their protest site.
The CJP, which is not an officially registered political party, has gained momentum ahead of upcoming state elections. Central to their platform is a demand for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The movement alleges that the Election Commission is manipulating voter lists to benefit the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusations that both the commission and the government have consistently denied. The commission maintains that its national effort to update electoral rolls is a standard procedure to remove deceased, duplicate, or ineligible voters, though the process has faced widespread criticism in several states where thousands claim they were erroneously purged from registers. The exercise has been shrouded in controversy, with tens of thousands of people alleging they have been wrongly removed, but in many states. The CJP – and opposition parties – accuse Kumar of favouring Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the way the electoral rolls are being updated.
The movement’s moniker emerged from a sarcastic response to comments made by Chief Justice Surya Kant, who once likened unemployed youth to “cockroaches.” While the judge later clarified his remarks were misinterpreted, the term was adopted by Dipke—a Boston University graduate and former Aam Aadmi Party worker—following a viral post he published in May. The CJP successfully campaigned throughout the summer, focusing on unemployment and education, eventually claiming success when the Education Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, resigned in July.
As authorities moved to disperse crowds using police buses, the impact of the security operation was felt citywide. Metro stations were shuttered from Friday night, and several rail services were canceled. Despite the risks, participants remained resolute. Protester Sabika Muzaffar, who was eventually taken away by police, described preparing for the march by memorizing her lawyer’s contact information, characterizing her presence as a fundamental defense of democracy. Student activist Neha Bora also reached out to the demonstrators, urging them to remain steadfast in their mission despite the heavy police presence and the ongoing crackdown on their movement. According to one protester, Sabika Muzaffar,, She and her mother expected to be detained. Instead of reciting hymns and verses as we usually do, my mother and I were rote learning our lawyer’s number,” she said, on the way to the protest site.
