NEW DELHI BOOSTS SECURITY AS COCKROACH JANTA PARTY PLANS PROTEST OVER JAILED ACTIVISTS

Fri 16 October 2026:

Authorities close Central Park and deploy extra police ahead of Friday rally demanding election chief’s resignation

Authorities have strengthened security measures across New Delhi after the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) announced a fresh protest against the imprisonment of two of its activists.

Thousands of additional police officers were deployed in the capital on Friday as the government appeared to ready itself for possible further clashes. The youth-led CJP has staged a series of demonstrations in recent weeks calling for India’s election chief to step down, and earlier actions have faced a firm response from the authorities.

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Park Closed and Barricades Erected

CJP supporters were urged to assemble in New Delhi’s Central Park at 5pm (11:30am GMT). The call came after two of the movement’s leaders were sentenced to five days in jail this week for allegedly trespassing at a protest location.

Officials have shut the park, citing “administrative reasons”, and installed metal barricades at major intersections.

Founder Says Supporters Are ‘Not Afraid’

CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke indicated that police might attempt to detain him before the gathering but insisted that he and his backers are “not afraid” and are “ready” to go to jail.

In a social media message, Dipke charged the government with hypocrisy and criticised police actions against the movement. He argued that members of the current government might never have taken office if they had faced comparable limits on protests.

“The very party that is in power today spent decades organising protests, taking to the streets and questioning the governments of the day when it was in opposition,” Dipke said.

“Had the same restrictions, intimidation and police crackdowns been used against them, many of those who occupy positions of power today might never have reached where they are.”

Ongoing Campaign and Wider Context

The planned rally is the latest to encounter a crackdown. The CJP has organised nearly daily demonstrations this month seeking electoral reforms and the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The commissioner supervised the deletion of more than 130 million names from the voter rolls and is accused by the CJP of enabling voter fraud. Election officials maintained that the removals targeted duplicate, deceased and fraudulent entries.

The CJP was established in May amid public anger over leaked examination papers and limited opportunities for India’s young people. The movement quickly attracted members of the country’s Gen Z, many of whom feel excluded amid high unemployment under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s right-wing government. It has already prompted the education minister to resign.

With opposition parties rapidly backing the protests, Modi has faced intense scrutiny, and some analysts describe the situation as the most serious challenge he has confronted since taking office in 2014.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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