India detains leader of ‘cockroach’ movement

Indian police apprehended Abhijeet Dipke, the 31-year-old leader of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), on Friday in anticipation of further protests advocating for the removal of the nation's election chief. The youth-led movement announced the news on social media. Dipke was apprehended mere moments before a protest organized by the online movement in Central Park, a bustling commercial area located in the heart of New Delhi.

Dipke, in a statement on social media, declared, "Abhijeet is detained by Delhi Police!!! This government is so scared of the youth waving national flag!!!" The CJP, along with opposition parties, has been advocating for the resignation of India's chief election commissioner due to a large-scale voter roll revision, which they claim favors prime minister Narendra Modi's ruling party. The Election Commission of India, responsible for conducting elections in the world's most populous nation, has denied any wrongdoing.

Dipke had previously urged supporters to carry national flags and assemble at Central Park following the detention of two of his colleagues for breaching security barricades at Jantar Mantar, a protest site that police had declared off-limits this week. A significant police presence was in place in central Delhi on Friday, with authorities warning protesters to stay away due to orders restricting public gatherings.

Over the past week, New Delhi has witnessed several street protests against the electoral roll revision, overseen by chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. According to figures reported by Indian media and cited by opposition parties in court filings, more than 133 million names were removed from electoral lists during the exercise.

Critics argue that the removals disproportionately affected minorities, particularly Muslims. Election authorities maintain that the move was aimed at eliminating duplicate, deceased, and fraudulent entries.