India’s ‘Cockroach’ Protesters Plan Fresh Rally Despite Police Crackdown

India’s youth-led “Cockroach” movement is preparing to return to the streets of New Delhi despite a sweeping police crackdown that saw thousands of people detained and several organisers jailed, as anger grows over alleged irregularities in the country’s voter registration process.

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a youth protest movement, has called for supporters to gather at Central Park in Connaught Place on Friday, October 16, under the slogan Lehra Do Tiranga, meaning “Wave the Tricolour”. Founder Abhijeet Dipke has vowed to continue the campaign despite the risk of arrest.

The planned rally follows the authorities’ disruption of a major demonstration on October 10. Police imposed tight security restrictions across central Delhi, erected barricades, closed metro stations and detained thousands of demonstrators attempting to reach the planned protest site at Jantar Mantar. Journalists, students and opposition figures were also among those detained.

The movement is demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over revisions to India’s electoral rolls. Critics say the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise has removed more than 130 million names from voter lists, potentially disenfranchising eligible voters and disproportionately affecting vulnerable communities.

The Election Commission and the government reject allegations that the exercise is designed to benefit Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying it is intended to remove duplicate and ineligible entries.