Leaders of the youth-led protest movement, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), were detained ahead of a large demonstration in Delhi demanding the resignation of India's Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Fresh protests have been called as the movement continues. On Sunday, October 11, reports indicated that more detentions occurred in New Delhi as the election protest entered its second day. Images circulated on Indian media showed several protesters marching towards the protest site at Jantar Mantar. News agency ANI reported that some individuals were detained near Connaught Place, close to the protest area, where student and youth organizations of opposition parties were demonstrating.
The CJP shared videos on X alleging further detentions, with leader Ajinkya Shinde stating, "Detain us, arrest us, do whatever you can! We will not be intimidated. This is just the beginning. We will continue fighting until all our demands are met."
The United Nations Office for the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) expressed concern over the mass detentions of demonstrators, protest leaders, and members of civil society during the protests. The OHCHR called for the immediate release of those arbitrarily detained. In response, India's Foreign Ministry described the UN's remarks as "unwarranted" and an "unacceptable interference in the internal affairs" of the country, asserting that India guarantees the right to peaceful assembly under its Constitution.
The ministry further criticized the OHCHR for selective public positions and accused it of double standards, undermining its credibility.
The CJP announced a press conference in New Delhi at 2 p.m. local time (8:30 a.m. UTC) on Sunday, while it remains uncertain if new protests will occur. On Saturday evening, Shinde called for further demonstrations, including a protest in Mumbai scheduled for 4 p.m.
Reports indicated that approximately 600 protesters were detained during the protests on Saturday, including notable figures such as Tushar Gandhi and Bollywood actor Imran Khan. The CJP leaders, including Abhijeet Dipke, Ashutosh Ranka, and Saurav Das, were released from detention on the condition of maintaining peace for one year.
Social media influencer Dhruv Rathee, detained prior to the protests, was also released overnight with conditions against further participation in protests. The Supreme Court of India is set to hear a contempt petition regarding transportation restrictions imposed during the protests.
The CJP, which began as an online satirical movement, gained prominence in July after pressuring the resignation of a government minister. The group is now focused on the Chief Election Commissioner, with opposition parties, led by Congress' Rahul Gandhi, joining the calls for his resignation.
The CJP's leaders were detained for nearly 24 hours before being released. The movement continues to mobilize support against the Chief Election Commissioner amid ongoing protests in various cities across India.