The Cockroach Janata Party movement said at least 10,000 people had been detained during protests demanding the resignation of India’s chief election commissioner. The figure could not be independently verified. The Associated Press and Reuters report demonstrations in several cities amid a dispute over voter-list revisions.
Movement spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka said those detained included members of CJP demonstrations, student organizations, grassroots groups affiliated with the movement and political parties. The group said its national spokesperson, Deepak Baliyan, was among those taken into custody. Al Jazeera said it could not immediately verify the reported total, although videos posted on social media showed activists being taken away in police vans.
Thousands of movement supporters and student groups protested in Bengaluru on Thursday, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. CJP has called a march to the designated protest site at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Saturday. The Associated Press said the demonstrations center on a revision of voter rolls that has removed more than 130 million names.
Opposition parties accuse the Election Commission of making changes that benefit Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. The commission and government deny a political motive. They say the revision is intended to remove duplicate and ineligible entries while keeping eligible voters registered.
Police also briefly detained opposition leader Rahul Gandhi during a protest in New Delhi on Wednesday. His Congress Party accused officers of using excessive force. Police said the allegations were intended to defame them, while BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia called the opposition irresponsible and anarchic.