India’s capital Delhi steps up security for ‘cockroach’ movement rally

Security was stepped up and police warned of traffic disruptions in the Indian capital of Delhi on Friday as the “cockroach” movement called for a rally in the central business district , its latest in a series of protests demanding the resignation of India’s election chief.

The youth-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), opposition groups, and student organisations have held almost daily protests this month demanding chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over a revision of voter lists that critics say favours Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

More than 130-million voters were deleted during the revision, but the election commission has denied favouring any party and said wrongly deleted voters can re-enrol. The BJP has accused rivals of trying to undermine democracy by wrongly questioning legitimate electoral processes.

CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke called Friday’s flag protest in support of two CJP leaders detained and sent to jail this week for five days for demonstrating at a protest site in violation of a ban.

CJP and left-wing student groups have urged supporters to gather at Central Park in New Delhi’s busy Connaught Place shopping and food district on Friday evening to wave and hoist the national flag.

Delhi Police, however, urged people not to join “such assemblies”, and the civic authority announced late on Thursday that the park would be closed for two days “due to administrative reasons”.

Police said they can facilitate a group of select people to carry the national flag and sing the national anthem at a “suitable place”.

Traders in the area petitioned the Supreme Court to prevent the protest, which they say “would cause severe loss”, and demanded compensation for losses suffered during a similar rally planned over the weekend that was foiled by a security crackdown.

The cockroach movement has emerged as one of the biggest political challenges faced by Modi and his BJP in his 12 years in power.

A weeks-long sit-in by its supporters earlier this year forced education minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation over exam paper leaks.

The latest demonstrations erupted after The Indian Express newspaper reported that Kumar’s two deputies raised concerns internally about voter list changes, registration procedures and digital systems.