Thousands detained as demonstrations were blocked

Protests against the revision of India's electoral rolls began on 25 September, shortly after the Indian Express published an investigation into alleged irregularities in the process. The demonstrations were organised by the Cockroach movement (CJP), whose supporters are largely young and many belong to Gen Z, together with the National Students' Union of India and the Indian Youth Congress. Delhi police refused permission for the demonstration planned for the weekend of 10 October and deployed tens of thousands of police officers and soldiers to stop it. Barricades sealed off the area, more than 40 metro stations closed and internet access was almost entirely cut. Police said demonstrating was not permitted and detained thousands of people, many of whom were later released, while the movement says thousands of its supporters were arrested. Among those taken in were journalists and opposition politicians, including four former state premiers and Rahul Gandhi, and some movement leaders were seized aboard flights they had taken to Delhi.

Two leaders sentenced to five days

On Tuesday, 13 October, Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das were detained after climbing over barricades to reach the grounds of Jantar Mantar, a central New Delhi observatory that has long been used for protests. Police said the site was no longer an official protest venue and accused the two of trespassing and defying prohibitory orders. Reports published on 14 October say both were sentenced to five days in jail, while three others detained with them were released the following day. Das and Ranka had been held earlier, before planned demonstrations at Jantar Mantar, and were freed on a judge's order. Police also accuse activist Ajinkya Shinde of criminal trespass, disturbing public order, violating a protest ban and obstructing officials, and Das, Ranka and Shinde deny all of the accusations. Rahul Gandhi, the opposition leader in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of parliament, called the arrests "an act of cowardice" in a post on X, writing:

“Jantar Mantar belongs to the people of India. We will reclaim it.”

Allegations of police violence

Gandhi accused Delhi police of assaulting students and Youth Congress activists during the protests and showed injured activists at a press conference. One complaint concerns a woman student at the University of Delhi, from Kerala, who reportedly lost hearing in one ear after being struck by police. That claim has not been independently verified, and Delhi police had not responded to the specific complaints when the reporting was published. Other protesters described beatings, mistreatment and the deletion of video evidence from their phones. A 26-year-old journalist told Human Rights Watch that he saw supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the largest Hindu nationalist party and the party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, chase protesters alongside police at least three times, and that officers did not intervene to stop the violence. The UN and Amnesty International have also criticised the treatment of protesters.

The voter roll dispute

The Election Commission says the revision is needed to remove duplicate entries and voters who have died or do not meet eligibility criteria. Critics counter that more than 130 million names have been removed since last year, that millions of eligible voters could lose their vote, and that minorities, particularly Muslims, are affected most. Opponents see the exercise as an attempt to secure future electoral gains for the ruling party. Protesters are demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, while Modi's government denies that it is seeking to disenfranchise millions of voters. Abhijeet Dipke, the founder of the Cockroach movement, criticised Modi in a post on X:

“If you're so determined to crush dissent, have the courage to officially declare an emergency instead of hiding behind these cowardly tactics.”

How the movement grew

The movement grew out of student-led protests earlier this year over alleged exam irregularities and demands for education reform. It later widened into a campaign about unemployment, exams and the state's duty to account for its actions. Its name goes back to a remark by India's chief justice, who compared jobless young people to parasites, and many young Indians embraced the comment by adopting the cockroach as a symbol of endurance. Protests led by the group preceded the July resignation of Modi's education minister, a rare setback for a leader who has governed for more than 12 years. The current demonstrations have shifted their focus from education and jobs toward voting rights.