The founder of India’s youth-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), Abhijeet Dipke, was released on Saturday, October 17, a day after being detained by police while preparing to lead a protest in New Delhi demanding the resignation of the country’s chief election commissioner.
Dipke was granted conditional bail after signing a peace bond, according to police. The terms of his release were not fully disclosed.
The activist had planned to lead a demonstration called “Lehra Do Tiranga” at Central Park in Connaught Place, central New Delhi. Police had warned him against proceeding with the rally amid restrictions on public gatherings in the area.
Authorities detained Dipke on Friday as he headed towards the protest. Police said the action was intended to prevent a breach of public order.
Student activist Neha Bora, president of the All India Students’ Association, was also detained during the demonstrations. She was released on Saturday and called for the impeachment of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and an end to the government’s special voter-list revision exercise.
The protests are part of a wider campaign involving the CJP, student organisations and opposition parties, which accuse the Election Commission’s revision of electoral rolls of potentially benefiting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
More than 130 million names have reportedly been removed from voter lists during the revision, prompting concerns among opposition groups about the potential impact on citizens’ voting rights.
The Election Commission has denied favouring any political party, saying voters whose names were wrongly deleted can re-enrol. The BJP has accused its opponents of attempting to undermine confidence in the electoral process.
Movement Gains Prominence Through Protests
Dipke and the CJP gained national attention earlier this year after a prolonged sit-in campaign contributed to the resignation of India’s education minister, marking a significant development for a youth-led movement challenging the government.
The movement’s name originated from a satirical response to a controversial comparison involving unemployed young people. Supporters subsequently adopted the cockroach as a symbol of resilience.
Its growing visibility has attracted student activists and opposition politicians, who have joined demonstrations over electoral reforms and other political issues.
Police have detained protesters during several recent rallies in New Delhi, citing restrictions on public assemblies and the need to maintain public order.
Despite the detentions, student groups have called for further demonstrations and pledged to continue pressing for changes to the voter-list revision process.
The latest developments highlight mounting tensions between protest organisers and authorities as opposition groups continue to challenge the Election Commission’s handling of electoral rolls ahead of future political contests.
