Indian authorities tighten security in New Delhi ahead of ‘Cockroach’ movement’s rally

Abhijeet Dipke, the founder of the Cockroach Janta Party, was detained in his Delhi residence on Friday, just before he was scheduled to leave for a flag-waving protest rally. This marked his second detention in a week. Dipke had previously been arrested in Delhi upon his arrival from Mumbai, protesting against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over accusations of voter-list manipulation during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Two other CJP members, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, were also jailed for five days after entering Jantar Mantar with the national flag on October 13. Authorities had previously revoked Jantar Mantar's status as a protest site the day before.

Dipke had urged supporters to congregate at Central Park in Connaught Place. However, municipal authorities announced the park would be closed for two days due to "administrative" reasons. Over 10,000 security personnel were deployed across the city, with yellow barricades positioned at major intersections. Police warned against unauthorized marches.

Before his detention, Delhi Police issued a notice demanding Dipke's compliance with Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). Deputy Commissioner of Police, New Delhi, Sachin Sharma told ANI that the notice was issued under the Delhi Police Act, and restrictions remained in effect across the district. Sharma appealed to all to adhere to the law.

The police informed Dipke that while waving the national flag was not illegal, holding an unauthorized march and assembling a crowd would violate the restrictions. They also reminded him of guidelines for the respectful treatment of the flag.

The CJP campaign has become a rallying point for opposition discontent over the electoral roll revision. Protests accuse the procedure of favoring Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party. The Election Commission of India denies any wrongdoing, stating that the revision aims to eliminate duplicate, deceased, and fraudulent entries from voter lists.

Critics argue that the deletions have disenfranchised eligible voters, particularly minorities. BJP members have accused undocumented migrants from Bangladesh of fraudulently obtaining places on India's electoral rolls.

Despite the arrest, Dipke expressed no intention of backing down. "Why are you so afraid of cockroaches?" he said, urging Modi to understand that they are not intimidated. Even if waving the Indian flag leads to jail, they remain ready. The government dismissed the opposition's allegations, accusing them of attempting to undermine democratic institutions and incite unrest. The controversy has sparked debates about the voter-roll revision process and public demonstration restrictions.