Abhijit Deepke, the founder of the 'Cockroach' Party (Cockroach Janta Party), was arrested following widespread protests against the Election Commission of India for participating in a demonstration in New Delhi. This arrest was made as a preventive measure to avoid public disorder, and Deepke will be presented to a special executive court.
Details of Deepke's Arrest
Deepke was arrested by the police on Friday while heading to the protest site. He intended to raise the voices of the protesters in the demonstration titled 'Wave the Tricolor'. Videos released from the incident show that the police informed Deepke that he was under 'preventive detention'. The party described Deepke's arrest as 'theft' in a statement and expressed concern over the lack of information regarding his whereabouts.
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Reactions to the Arrest and Social Protests
Following Deepke's arrest, Neha Bora, president of the All India Students' Association (AISA), who was also arrested during recent protests in New Delhi, called for the release of Deepke and other protesters. Criticizing the action, she called it illegal and wrong, stating that the protesters are 'ordinary citizens demanding accountability and their right to vote.' Bora added, 'Keeping people in a police station for one night makes no sense.'
Protests in India have intensified, especially since the beginning of October, with various groups including youth and opposition parties calling for the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar, the head of the Election Commission of India. They believe that changes in the electoral rolls have been made in favor of the ruling parties and that this action is somewhat designed for future electoral gains. Criticism of the Election Commission of India for its neutrality has also intensified.
India's Defense Minister, Rajnath Singh, criticized opposition parties in a press conference, accusing them of trying to achieve a 'regime change' similar to what happened in Bangladesh. He also referred to the use of youth in wrongful policies and disorder.
Meanwhile, despite heavy security presence, hundreds of protesters continued to demonstrate in New Delhi, holding the national flag of India. The police reported that around 150 protesters have been arrested during this demonstration. These protests began following the joint arrest of Deepke and two of his colleagues on October 10, who were held for nearly 24 hours.
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