Youth protests continue in New Delhi after mass detentions
Thousands of demonstrators were released following a Supreme Court ruling, but youth groups say they will keep demanding the resignation of the chief election commissioner.
Youth-led demonstrations persisted in New Delhi on Sunday after a large-scale crackdown saw the detention of leaders of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and several opposition figures. The Supreme Court ordered the release of thousands of protesters it deemed illegally held, and police confirmed that all detainees had been freed.
CJP leader Abhijeet Dipke, who was released on Sunday, used his social-media account to criticize Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling him a “bully”. The movement’s co-convenor Saurav Das said the authorities had turned the capital into a “fortress” and vowed that the youth would continue to demand accountability, including the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over a controversial revision of voter lists.
Security forces had deployed tens of thousands of police and paramilitary personnel, suspended train services, and blocked major roads to prevent access to Jantar Mantar, a traditional protest site near the parliament. Checkpoints, barricades and anti-riot vehicles were positioned throughout the city, and mobile internet services were temporarily halted.
In addition to CJP members, the crackdown detained YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, All India Students’ Association president Neha Bora, and several journalists. All have since been released, though some media outlets reported that equipment was seized.
The protests, which began after a newspaper investigation revealed that two election commissioners had questioned the removal of roughly 130 million names from voter rolls, have drawn criticism from international human-rights groups. The United Nations Human Rights Office called for respect for the right to peaceful assembly, while Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch expressed concern over the detentions.
Opposition parties, including the INDIA Bloc led by the Indian National Congress, have joined the demonstrations, demanding Kumar’s resignation. Congress general secretary K C Venugopal said the bloc would not back down, and party leaders have called for continued protests on Monday.
Analysts note that the government's hardline response may deepen public discontent and prolong the unrest, suggesting that dialogue could be necessary to de-escalate the situation.