According to Reuters and AP reports, on October 10 local time, the police in Delhi, the capital of India, detained more than 2,000 protesters. At the same time, thousands of security forces blocked parts of New Delhi to prevent a gathering demanding the resignation of the chairman of India's election committee.
On that day, the Indian ‘Cockroach People’s Party’ originally planned to gather thousands of people at the Jantar Mantar Observatory in the center of New Delhi. However, before the demonstration began, the area was sealed off by security forces.
Currently, thousands of police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed throughout New Delhi. Mobile internet services in the central business district have been suspended, and dozens of subway stations and markets have been closed.
An official from India's Ministry of Home Affairs, who wished to remain anonymous, told Reuters that over 2,000 people are detained in New Delhi.
Local media reports that approximately 400 protestors have been detained in Mumbai, India, which is considered the financial center of India.
Modi's spokesperson in the Indian People's Party, Sambit Patra, addressed the protestors as "lawless extremists." Patra added: “Their failure has been completely destroyed.”
Indian police arrest thousands of protesters, video screenshot
The core of this protest campaign is the ‘special enhancement amendment’ proposed by the Indian Election Commission. The opposition claims that this amendment deprives millions of eligible voters of their right to vote, and benefits the ruling party led by Modi. Protesters demand that Chief Election Commissioner Jairam Kohli resign, and that this reform be stopped, as it has so far removed over 130 million names from the voter lists.
Indian police stated on the 9th that they refused to approve the protest activity due to the application being submitted too late.
Before the protest started, the Indian police were on high alert and took strict security measures to prevent the protest from escalating. Earlier on the 10th, the Indian police detained Abhijit Dipsek, the founder of the ‘Cockroach People’s Party’.
According to the Associated Press, the scale of the Indian police’s restrictive measures is ‘rare’, highlighting the determination of the Indian government to stop this rapidly growing protest movement. This movement has mobilized thousands of young people, gained support from the opposition, and increased scrutiny of the Modi government.
