Founder of India’s ‘Cockroach’ movement detained amid police crackdown

Indian police have detained the founder of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), student leaders and supporters, as hundreds of people poured into New Delhi to join a protest over the jailing of two activists.

CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke was detained on Friday as he was leaving a house in central Delhi. Officers dragged him into a police car and drove away after a brief argument, witnesses said.

“Abhijeet is detained by Delhi Police,” CJP posted on X. “This government is so scared of the youth waving national flag.”

Student activist Neha Bora, a prominent face of the protests, was also detained as she tried to reach  Connaught Place, a gathering point for protests during the ‘cockroach’ demonstrations.

Senior police officer Sachin Sharma told the Reuters news agency that Dipke and Bora had been taken into preventive detention.

The latest arrests come amid a police crackdown after near-daily protests demanding the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar, India’s election chief.

Kumar is at the centre of a controversial revision of voter lists which critics say favours Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The BJP accuses rivals of trying to undermine democracy by wrongly questioning legitimate electoral processes.

‘Not afraid’

Thousands of additional police officers were deployed in the Indian capital earlier on Friday, as the Indian government appeared to prepare for further confrontations.

CJP supporters had been called to gather in New Delhi’s Central Park at 5pm (11:30am GMT). The rally was called after two of the movement’s leaders were jailed for five days this week for allegedly trespassing at a protest site.

Earlier on Friday, police met Dipke and warned him against going ahead with the protest. Authorities also closed the park, citing “administrative reasons” and set up metal barricades at key intersections.

Despite that, nearly 500 ⁠⁠protesters managed to reach Connaught Place in groups and protested in about half a dozen places around Central Park, ⁠⁠waving flags and shouting slogans. A few were detained and taken away in a police vehicle.

Prior to his arrest, Dipke suggested that police may try to arrest him, but declared he and his supporters were “not afraid” and were “ready” to go to jail.

In a social media post, Dipke accused the government of hypocrisy and denounced police crackdowns against the movement.

Members of the government may never have come to power had they experienced similar protest restrictions, he asserted.

“The very party that is in power today spent decades organising protests, taking to the streets and questioning the governments of the day when it was in opposition,” Dipke said.

“Had the same restrictions, intimidation and police crackdowns been used against them, many of those who occupy positions of power today might never have reached where they are.”

Modi under pressure

The rally is just the latest to face a crackdown by the authorities.

The CJP has held almost daily demonstrations this month demanding electoral reforms and the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Kumar.

He oversaw the removal of more than 130 million names from the electoral roll and is accused by the CJP of voter fraud. Election authorities said the changes were made to remove duplicate, deceased and fraudulent entries.

The CJP was founded in May amid anger over the leaking of exam papers and the poor prospects facing India’s youth.

The movement swiftly became a conduit for India’s Gen Z, many of whom feel disenfranchised during an unemployment crisis under Modi’s right-wing government. The movement has since forced the resignation of the education minister.

With the political opposition quick to support the protests, Modi has come under intense pressure, with some analysts saying he is now facing the worst crisis since becoming PM in 2014.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said ‌‌the ‌‌demonstrations were the main opposition Congress party’s attempt to “seize power”.

“Instead of channelling the energy of the youth toward nation-building, they are being used as pawns in the politics of anarchy,” he said at a media briefing on Friday.