India: Youth Protest Wave Defies Crackdown, Tens of Thousands Detained

After thousands of people — including leaders of the youth-led "Cockroach" movement and opposition politicians — were detained in a sweeping crackdown, India's capital entered a second day of protests. Despite a heavy security presence, student groups and young activists insisted they would continue to take to the streets.

Abhijeet Dipke, leader of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), condemned Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a "bully" shortly after his release on Sunday. Thousands of other protesters, including members of left-wing student groups, were also freed after the Supreme Court called their detention "illegal."

The protest movement erupted after the Indian Express reported that two election commissioners objected to several decisions by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Demonstrators accuse the voter-roll revision of removing millions of names, including Muslims, and say the process has been opaque and tilted in favour of Prime Minister Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Scale of the crackdown

Ahead of Saturday's protest, New Delhi was turned into a fortress, with tens of thousands of police and paramilitary forces deployed. Trains and metro services were suspended, and major roads and market areas were sealed off to keep demonstrators from reaching Jantar Mantar — the designated protest site near India's parliament. Jantar Mantar was completely locked down.

According to local media, more than 30,000 police and paramilitary personnel were deployed across the city of 20 million. Checkpoints were set up on many routes, with buses and vehicles searched. Mobile internet services were suspended in some areas to block online organising efforts.

Police arrested Dipke and his associates Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka on board a plane as they flew from Mumbai to New Delhi. In a video shared on Instagram, Dipke showed officers boarding the aircraft and said: "I have come to be arrested. I am not afraid of you."

YouTuber Dhruv Rathee and Neha Bora, national president of the All India Students' Association (AISA) of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist), were also arrested. Several opposition politicians and former state chief ministers — Mamata Banerjee (West Bengal), Arvind Kejriwal (Delhi) and Pinarayi Vijayan (Kerala) — were also briefly detained, according to television channels.

In Mumbai, India's financial hub, about 600 people were arrested during protests, according to the ANI news agency.

Protesters released

On Sunday, police said all those detained had been released. CJP leaders were freed on condition that they not disturb public order for a year. Speaking at a news conference in New Delhi, Saurav Das accused the police of acting "like mafia" and of "abducting" them on the plane. After his release, Rathee said he had been "kidnapped."

Several journalists from outlets including Scroll.in and Newslaundry were also briefly detained and later released. Newslaundry said some of its reporters' equipment was confiscated. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) expressed deep concern over the detention of journalists.

What those detained experienced

Aban Raza, a 37-year-old visual artist in New Delhi who was arrested on Saturday, told Al Jazeera the experience left her "shocked and angry." She and three others, including economist Jean Dreze, approached near Jantar Mantar on Saturday morning. "As soon as we got close enough, we began unfurling banners calling for Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to resign and for free and fair elections. But within minutes, police swooped in, tore up the banners and dragged us onto a bus," she said.

Raza said some of those detained were not even protesters. "They were just people going about their daily work. One was on his way to a gurdwara, another was going to meet his wife and was picked up. Most were labourers." She was released on Saturday and said she would keep protesting on Sunday.

Will the protests continue?

The youth leaders held their ground, pledging to continue protesting in New Delhi. Saurav Das, released on Sunday, wrote on X: "After Modi-Shah turned Delhi into a fortress and waged war against their own citizens, one thing is clear: Gyanesh Kumar is central to this government's survival." He added: "Our generation will keep demanding accountability. We are not intimidated or silenced. We will return with full force."

The CJP also announced protests in other cities, including Mumbai. Neha Bora, AISA president, began protesting on Sunday in central Delhi but was quickly arrested along with many others.

Is the opposition backing the protests?

The opposition INDIA Bloc, led by the Indian National Congress, joined the protests alongside youth groups, demanding Election Commissioner Kumar's resignation. The alliance is expected to hold a protest in the capital on Monday. Rahul Gandhi, the opposition leader in parliament, was briefly detained last week in connection with election-related protests.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge wrote on X: "The Modi government has turned the 'Mother of Democracy' into a 'Muted Democracy.'"

Government rules out dialogue

The BJP said that of the 130 million names removed from voter rolls, 28 million were deceased, 63 million had moved, 10 million were duplicates and 30 million could not be verified. The ruling party insists that its election successes reflect public support for Modi and economic growth, and accuses the opposition of spreading misinformation.

BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra called the protesters "anarchic elements" and said their "failed spectacle has been completely snuffed out."

International reaction

The UN Human Rights Office voiced concern over the mass arrests, urging authorities to respect the right to peaceful assembly and to engage in meaningful dialogue. Amnesty International said the arrests showed the Indian government's effort to "crack down on dissenting voices." Human Rights Watch said institutions are being subjected to growing authoritarian control.

India's mission to the United Nations in Geneva called these concerns "misplaced" and "unwarranted interference in India's internal affairs," stressing that the right to peaceful protest is guaranteed by the constitution but must comply with reasonable restrictions on public order grounds.