An Indian court in New Delhi ordered the release of two “cockroach” movement leaders, Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das, late on Wednesday. Reuters reported that the Cockroach Janta Party figures were detained following a demonstration at the historic Jantar Mantar observatory in violation of a ban.
Court Orders Release After Capital Protests
The legal website Live Law confirmed the release order for Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das. The two men spent days behind bars following a demonstration in central Delhi.
On October 13, a group of 14 protesters scaled barricades to enter the Jantar Mantar observatory. The site had been removed from the list of designated protest venues just a day prior. Once inside, the group unfurled the national flag and chanted slogans demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Police detained the demonstrators immediately, and a local court initially remanded them to five days in prison. On Monday, authorities extended that detention by an additional two days.
A separate arrest took place on Friday, when CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke attempted to lead another protest rally in New Delhi. Police detained him, though authorities released him a day later.
Voter List Disputes Fuel Youth Agitation
The youth-led Cockroach Janta Party has joined forces with opposition parties and left-wing student organisations throughout October. Their demonstrations center on a recent revision of voter lists. Protesters argue that the changes unfairly favor Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party.
The Election Commission has denied favoring any political faction. Officials maintain that voters who were wrongly deleted from the registries retain the ability to re-enrol. Meanwhile, the ruling BJP has countered that its political rivals are attempting to undermine Indian democracy by questioning legitimate electoral processes.
| Date | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|
| October 13 | 14 protesters scale barricades, unfurl national flag, and demand CEC resignation | Jantar Mantar, New Delhi |
| Friday | CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke detained and released a day later | New Delhi |
| Wednesday | Court orders release of CJP leaders Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das | New Delhi |
