More than 2,400 participants and activists of the so-called "Cockroach Party" were detained in Delhi and Mumbai, "Kommersant" reports, citing Reuters. The mass arrests were made against the backdrop of preparations for a protest demanding the resignation of the head of the Indian Election Commission, Gyanesh Kumar.
In Delhi, police detained about 2,000 people who were preparing to go on a demonstration. About 400 more people were arrested in Mumbai. Among those detained is the leader of the "Cockroach Party" Abhijit Deepke. He was arrested at the Delhi airport after arriving from Mumbai. Police have also detained two senior representatives of the movement.
The protesters are demanding the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar, whom they accuse of irregularities during the 2024 elections. The dissatisfaction is part of a wider protest campaign by the movement against the Indian authorities.
In the summer, activists managed to achieve the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. After the mass arrests, representatives of the movement are now warning that they may organize new protests throughout the country.
The “Cockroach Party“ is a youth protest movement, and its unusual name has become one of the recognizable symbols of anti-government demonstrations in India.