India Protests Over Voter Roll Deletions and Arrests

In India, tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets to protest the deletion of 130 million names from the voter rolls, which officials say is part of a government initiative. The majority of those removed are believed to be opposed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling BJP party.

The protests are led by students and the youth-led Cockroach movement, with support from opposition party leaders. They are demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and an overhaul of the electoral system.

On Saturday, the Modi government implemented a lockdown in New Delhi, canceling trains, shutting down metro stations, and suspending mobile internet. Tens of thousands of security forces were deployed, and at least 7,000 people were detained, including protest leaders, lawyers, and journalists.

Several Cockroach movement leaders were arrested upon arrival in Delhi. Saurav Das, one of the leaders, stated that protests would continue nationwide until accountability is achieved.

The United Nations human rights spokesperson expressed concern over the mass detentions, but the Indian Mission in Geneva called the concerns 'misplaced' and 'unwarranted interference.' India's government asserted that it is the world's largest democracy.

Protesters and journalists reported excessive use of force by police and paramilitary forces, including detentions in unmarked buses, mistreatment of women, and the confiscation of phones and footage. Journalists and opposition leaders were targeted in particular.