Modi government blocks 57 Delhi metro stations, suspends mobile networks to suppress youth protests demanding election commissioner's resignation

India deployed thousands of police and paramilitary personnel in central New Delhi, set up multi-layer metal barriers, closed 57 metro stations, and suspended mobile networks within a 4-kilometer radius of the protest area until Saturday evening. According to Al Jazeera, these measures were aimed at addressing a large-scale rally organized by the youth political movement "Cockroach Janta Party" (CJP), with protesters demanding the resignation of India's Chief Election Commissioner Kumar.

According to Al Jazeera, the rally will be the largest since the movement's inception, targeting the electoral roll revision led by Kumar. Critics believe the revision allegedly favors the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led by Prime Minister Modi. CJP has positioned the Saturday rally as a "save democracy" action.

Police declined to approve the rally at the usual designated protest site, Jantar Mantar, on the grounds that the application was not submitted in time, and warned that violators of the ban would face a "strong law enforcement response." According to India's ANI news agency, from Friday evening, roads leading to the protest site were blocked by multi-layer metal barriers, 57 metro stations were closed, multiple long-distance trains were cancelled, and mobile network services within a 4-kilometer radius of the protest area were suspended until Saturday evening.

India's Supreme Court stated on Friday that some trains must continue to operate and that a complete shutdown of metro stations was unlikely — a public check by the judiciary on the executive's overreaction.

CJP national head Abhijit Dipuk stated bluntly on social media platform X: "This autocrat would rather paralyze the entire national capital and inconvenience millions of citizens than allow a peaceful protest at a designated location." The organization said at least 10,000 people had been detained nationwide, including protesters traveling to Delhi by train — a figure self-released by CJP that has not been independently verified. All India Students' Association (AISA) national president Neha Bora responded: "You can detain these people, but you cannot detain this movement."

The trigger for the protests is the electoral roll revision led by Kumar. According to The Indian Express, the revision has removed more than 130 million names. The Election Commission claims the move aims to remove duplicate and ineligible voters and prevent "foreign illegal immigrants" from voting; critics argue it has disproportionately affected marginalized groups and minority communities. The Indian Express further disclosed that Kumar's two deputies formally raised objections to the revision at least 14 times over the past 10 months, but the Election Commission and BJP denied the allegations, with the BJP claiming the opposition is "misleading the nation" because it cannot win elections.

CJP originated as online political satire in May this year. At that time, India's Chief Justice Surya Kant compared unemployed youth to "cockroaches," sparking national outrage; the group gained online fame and gradually evolved into a mobilization platform for youth protests. Protests in July this year forced Modi's education minister to resign over an exam paper leak. This unprecedented rally comes as key states such as Uttar Pradesh, which are due to hold elections in early 2027, enter a politically sensitive period.