Delhi Turned into a Fortress
Delhi has been heavily fortified, with tens of thousands of security personnel on the streets, ahead of a large demonstration called for Saturday by the prominent Gen Z-led "cockroach" movement. Those taking part want changes to the electoral system and the departure of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, who they accuse of tampering with voter rolls. The Election Commission has rejected that claim, and Kumar has so far said nothing about the calls for him to step down.[S1]
According to police, no permission was granted for the demonstration, and every route into Jantar Mantar, where the protest is meant to be held, has been sealed off using large metal barricades. The closures have snarled traffic throughout central Delhi, forcing diversions away from multiple major roads. One trip that usually takes a quarter of an hour stretched to over 60 minutes on Friday morning.[S1]
Metal barriers and ropes have been put up around the Jantar Mantar protest area, keeping people out. Early arrivals were halted and questioned by officers and paramilitary troops stationed there. Loudspeakers at a roundabout close by kept urging the public to cooperate with the police.[S1]
Police Defend Restrictions, Organisers Vow to March
Delhi Police issued a statement on X arguing that the restrictions were needed to protect public safety and stop overcrowding at Jantar Mantar, a site that holds only 1,000 people at any one time. In addition, a number of trains heading to Delhi have been called off, and police have instructed that dozens of metro stations be closed so protesters cannot assemble.[S1]
Abhijeet Dipke, who founded the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), the satirical online group behind the demonstrations, insisted the CJP would head to Jantar Mantar on Saturday morning regardless of the obstacles. In a post on X directed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said supporters were ready to be imprisoned or even shot.[S1]
The CJP's summer campaign for education reforms marked its first serious test of Modi's administration. It won a significant win by pushing education minister Dharmendra Pradhan to step down in July. Last week the group took to the streets again, holding a rally in Mumbai to demand CEC Kumar's resignation, and on Thursday it staged a large gathering in the southern city of Bengaluru, formerly Bangalore.[S1]
Electoral Roll Revision at the Centre of the Row
Over recent days, student organisations and opposition parties have also staged demonstrations in the capital. Saturday's action is being described as the largest in recent memory, drawing backing from multiple opposition parties, farmers' groups and student organisations. CJP leaders claim the authorities have been stopping many of their backers from getting into Delhi.[S1]
More than 30,000 police and paramilitary members have been stationed in the capital, and officials have urged residents to avoid protest areas. At a press conference, police official Nupur Prasad said permission for Jantar Mantar was refused partly because the CJP gave "short notice". She noted that applications for events there must be filed at least 10 days ahead, and that the CJP had previously ignored "lawful directions". She concluded that given non-compliance with procedures, past disregard for legal directions, and current public safety, law and order, and traffic concerns, the request was denied.[S1]
The CJP disputes the refusal, arguing that the law only requires them to notify police rather than obtain approval to assemble. The dispute centres on a contentious overhaul of the electoral rolls called the Special Intensive Revision, or SIR, launched last year. The Election Commission describes it as a way to clear duplicate and ineligible entries, and 130 million names have been removed so far. Opposition parties and activists counter that many were legitimate voters and that CEC Kumar is steering the exercise to benefit Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Both the BJP and the Election Commission deny this.[S1]
Tensions between the opposition and the Election Commission have risen sharply in recent days. Beginning Tuesday, Delhi saw three consecutive days of dramatic confrontations as police dispersed demonstrations led by opposition figure Rahul Gandhi and other MPs over the issue. Footage of officers pushing Gandhi onto a bus and blocking him from exiting through a window later spread widely online.[S1]
