Abhijeet Dipke, the founder of the youth-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), has been arrested by Delhi Police ahead of a protest in the national capital, according to media reports published on Saturday, October 17.
Dipke was arrested last Friday before a planned rally in central Delhi. The protest was organised to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over a controversial revision of electoral rolls.
It’s also the opinion of the opposition parties and student organisations that the voter-list revision unfairly benefits the BJP.
Dipke was taken into preventive arrest following concerns of a breach of peace according to NDTV and other media. He is expected to be presented before a Special Executive Magistrate, and his lawyers had raised questions on his location after his arrest, they said.
The protest, dubbed ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’, saw people carry the Indian national flag to Connaught Place in central Delhi. But despite Dipke’s detention and restrictions by the authorities, demonstrators rallied to voice their concerns about electoral processes and the right to demonstrate.
Police had warned Dipke against going to the rally and placed him in custody. The action came at a time of increased security in Delhi with police and paramilitary personnel stationed in central places to keep things calm.
The protests have centered on changes to electoral rolls that critics say could affect millions of voters. More than 130 million names were reported to have been removed in the revision process, among others.
But the Election Commission has denied allegations of political bias. It has said that voters whose names have been wrongly removed can apply for re-enrolment. And the BJP is fighting back against charges that the electoral system is being manipulated for political purposes, saying its opponents are questioning the legitimacy of the processes.
Student activist Neha Bora, who was also arrested during Friday’s protests, was released on Saturday, according to media reports. She called for action over the electoral-roll revision and reiterated demands for the election chief to be removed.
The latest arrests have raised the political debate about public protests, electoral transparency and how to manage demonstrations in the capital. Opposition parties and student groups have criticised the detentions, and the authorities have cited concerns about maintaining public order.
The Cockroach Janta Party has attracted attention through protests and campaigns on public issues. Its activities have also brought the group into conflict with authorities over demonstrations at restricted locations.
Dipke’s arrest is just the latest turn in an ongoing debate on voter-list changes and demands that the election chief step down.
The situation is still politically sensitive and the political situation is likely to remain in the news: questions about the legal proceedings against the detained activists and the next move in the protest campaign.
The allegations about the electoral rolls remain disputed, and the Election Commission’s position differs sharply from that of the protesters. There is still further development on Dipke’s case.
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