CJP Reports Mass Detentions Ahead of Delhi Voter List Protest

India's Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) reports that authorities have detained thousands of its supporters nationwide ahead of a planned march in New Delhi this Saturday.

The CJP, an emerging political force among young voters, claims that "at least 10,000" people from the movement and affiliated student groups have been detained. According to Al Jazeera and The Guardian, the group is protesting the removal of more than 130 million names from India's voter lists and demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. CJP national spokesman Deepak Baliyan was reportedly among those taken into custody on Thursday.

Online Khabar reported that Delhi Police have denied permission for the march at Jantar Mantar, citing the movement's failure to provide the required 10-day notice. Joint Commissioner Nupur Prasad stated that the group previously ignored legal directions during a past protest. To secure the capital, authorities are deploying approximately 70 companies of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), totaling about seven thousand personnel.

Logistical restrictions have also been announced, with 57 metro station gates scheduled to close and train services at New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin stations cancelled for 10 hours. Despite the lack of a permit and the reported detentions, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke posted on X that he would reach Delhi to march regardless of the government's actions.

The opposition alleges that the voter list revisions disproportionately target their supporters, while the government and election commission maintain the process is a neutral effort to remove duplicate entries. The CJP claims a group of students traveling from Pune to join the Delhi rally were among those intercepted and taken to an unknown location by bus.

Background

The CJP formed in mid-May after Chief Justice Surya Kant sparked outrage by referring to unemployed youth as "cockroaches." The movement recently gained political momentum after organizing protests that led to the education minister's resignation over exam paper leaks.