Delhi remains under tight lockdown as police detain thousands of protesters challenging Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government over a major election controversy. Security forces sealed off large parts of the capital on Saturday to stop a planned rally demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
More than 2,000 people were detained in Delhi alone, according to a Home Ministry official. Around 400 protesters were also held in Mumbai. Thousands of police and paramilitary personnel flooded the streets. Mobile internet was suspended in the central business district. Dozens of metro stations and markets stayed shut. Barricades and anti-riot vehicles blocked major roads as authorities stopped the demonstration from reaching Jantar Mantar.
The protests target alleged improper changes to voter lists. Critics claim election authorities removed nearly 130 million voter entries in a way that benefits Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. The Cockroach youth movement organised the rally. Its founder Abhijeet Dipke and senior leaders were detained the moment their flight from Mumbai landed in Delhi. Television footage showed Dipke telling officers he was ready to be arrested and was not afraid.
Opposition leaders including Mamata Banerjee, Arvind Kejriwal and Pinarayi Vijayan were also briefly detained. Several journalists covering the events faced short-term detention as well.
The United Nations expressed concern and urged Indian authorities to respect the right to peaceful assembly. India’s mission to the UN rejected the statement as unwarranted interference in internal affairs. It said citizens enjoy the right to protest under the Constitution but subject to reasonable restrictions for public order.
Protests have grown after reports that two election commissioners questioned Kumar’s voter list revisions. The Election Commission and the BJP deny any wrongdoing. They say the removals involved people who had shifted, could not be traced or had died. Eligible voters wrongly removed can still re-enrol.
Opposition parties insist the deletions influenced recent state election results won by the BJP. Rahul Gandhi of the Congress party said the opposition will not back down. The unrest adds pressure on Modi ahead of important state elections due in early 2027.
