India's 'Cockroach' movement plans flag protest after crackdown

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 16 Oct, 07:50 · Archive

India's youth-led 'Cockroach Janta Party' plans to gather in New Delhi to wave the national flag after authorities shut down a central park.

The youth-led 'Cockroach Janta Party' called supporters to gather at Central Park in Connaught Place, New Delhi's central business district, on Friday evening to wave the Indian national flag. The protest aims to support two movement leaders, Ashutosh and Saurav, who have been detained and held in jail for five days after demonstrating at a banned protest site.

The movement has held near-daily demonstrations this month demanding the resignation of India's chief election commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, over a revision of voter lists. More than 130 million names have been removed from electoral rolls in the exercise. Critics say the removals have disproportionately affected ethnic and religious minorities, particularly Muslims. Election authorities say the move was intended to eliminate duplicate, deceased and fraudulent entries, and that wrongly deleted voters can re-enrol.

Authorities have heightened security ahead of the planned gathering. The New Delhi Municipal Corporation shut down Central Park for two days, citing 'administrative reasons', and Delhi Police issued prohibitory orders in and around Connaught Place. However, a deputy commissioner of police said Delhi Police may consider making arrangements to permit a select group to gather for the purpose of carrying the national flag and singing the national anthem. The Delhi High Court declined to stop the protest on Thursday.

How it is being reported

• Indian authorities heighten security, close park ahead of 'cockroach' movement rallyAuthorities have closed a central park in the Indian capital ahead of the latest protest by the youth-led "Cockroach Janta Party". The group has held near-daily demonstrations calling for the national election authority chief's resignation over the removal of more than 130 million people from voter lists.France 24 · 16 Oct, 07:39
• India's 'Cockroaches' to march again after protest crackdownThe Cockroach Janta Party has called on people to gather at New Delhi's central business district to wave the Indian national flag as it asserts a right to protest. DW has more.DW News · 16 Oct, 07:04

In this story: India · 'Cockroach Janta Party' · Connaught Place · Delhi · Gyanesh Kumar · Narendra Modi · Bharatiya Janata Party

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem