In brief
Senior leaders of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) Stepa Ashutosh Ranka, Saurav Das and founder Abhijeet Dipke were taken into police custody after scaling barricades at the iconic Jantar Mantar protest zone in New Delhi. The arrests followed the party’s attempt to stage a peaceful demonstration over a controversial revision of electoral rolls that it claims favours the ruling party. The incident came as Delhi police had newly declared Jantar Mantar a non‑protest venue, replacing it with three alternative sites, a move that opponents argue curbs citizens’ right to protest. While the CJP charged the voter‑roll changes with undermining democratic participation, the Election Commission insists the revisions are necessary to remove duplicates. The detentions have intensified calls for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and highlighted growing tension over electoral transparency.
Three senior members of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) were taken into police custody early Tuesday after they scaled barricades at Jantar Mantar, the historic protest ground in New Delhi, and shouted slogans demanding the resignation of the Election Commissioner.
The arrest followed a video shared by party founder Abhijeet Dipke that showed Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das being dragged by police from the symbolic venue, where demonstrators had long staged protests.
The CJP, which has emerged from a satirical online movement that gained traction after a 2023 court comment referring to young job‑seekers as “cockroaches”, has sparked a series of actions over the past year. Its members now complain that a revision of India’s electoral rolls has unfairly excluded millions of voters, a charge the Election Commission and the government deny.
Delhi police announced that Jantar Mantar would no longer be a designated protest site, identifying three alternative venues for demonstrations. The CJP had visited the police to request permission to hold a peaceful protest at the historic ground, but officials denied the request, prompting the party’s confrontation.
The detentions were part of a broader crackdown on protesters. Police mobilised thousands of officers, closed several metro stations and disrupted train services to prevent demonstrations from reaching government buildings. Journalists and activists were also briefly arrested during the weekend’s lockdowns.
After the arrests, Ranka appeared on an Instagram Live from a police bus, unfazed by his detention, and vowed that the CJP would not relent in its demands. The party has since called for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, adding to an escalating protest movement that saw thousands march in Delhi to the Supreme Court over the voting‑roll issue.
The CJP’s actions are the latest episode in an earlier wave of student‑led protests on education and workplace discrimination, which culminated in the resignation of federal Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The party’s evolution from parody to political pressure hinges on the country’s perceived lack of accountability amid growing youth discontent.
