The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has alleged that authorities are conducting mass arrests in anticipation of its protest scheduled for October 10 in New Delhi. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke accused the Modi government of intimidation. According to CJP spokesperson Deepak Baliyan and other party leaders, several members were arrested across the country, including Baliyan himself, who was detained by Rajasthan police but released later the same evening. CJP Co-Convener Ashutosh Ranka stated that at least 10,000 individuals were detained nationwide on October 9.
Dipke claimed that a group of CJP volunteers from Telangana was arrested by Madhya Pradesh police while traveling on a train in Bhopal. Additionally, students from Pune heading to the protest were reportedly detained and taken to an unknown location. There have been no official statements from the police regarding these allegations.
CJP leaders have expressed their concerns about the detentions, comparing the situation to a state of emergency. Dipke remarked, "Why not just declare EMERGENCY?" in response to a video showing the detained students. The last emergency declaration in India occurred during the mid-1970s under former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, a period characterized by the suspension of civil liberties and media censorship.
Another CJP spokesperson, Saurav Das, criticized the Modi government, stating, "We are under a State of Emergency." Dipke announced plans to arrive in Delhi on Saturday to participate in the march to Jantar Mantar, asserting that the intimidation tactics will not deter the youth of India.
Thousands are expected to gather at Jantar Mantar to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the contentious revision of voter lists, which has seen approximately 130 million names removed from electoral rolls. Critics, including opposition leaders, argue that this exercise disproportionately affects minority voters and question the independence of the Election Commission of India (ECI). Both the ECI and the BJP have denied these allegations.
Protests against the removal of millions of voters from India's electoral rolls have intensified, with opposition parties, led by Rahul Gandhi, mobilizing demonstrations in the capital. Reports indicate that parts of central Delhi are under heightened security, with thousands of additional paramilitary personnel deployed in response to the protests. In related news, major Indian IT companies, including Infosys, Tata, Wipro, and HCL, have been suspended from the United States green card program.