The crackdown on protest led by the Cockroach Janta Party, who were demanding the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner of India, Gyanesh Kumar, was unwarranted.
The rights to peaceful assembly, protest, and dissent are foundational pillars of a democracy, enabling citizens to express grievances and demand accountability from those in power. These rights are guaranteed by the Constitution of India, and the Supreme Court of India has repeatedly affirmed in various rulings that public demonstrations and agitations are essential for a healthy democracy. However, the opposite was witnessed during last week's protest led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), opposition parties, and student organisations, who were demanding the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner of India, Gyanesh Kumar over alleged electoral roll fraud concerning the Special Intensive Revision. Instead of calling for accountability and ensuring peaceful assembly, the ruling dispensation chose to stifle public voice. Jantar Mantar and large parts of Central Delhi were transformed into a fortress, as thousands of security personnel, including the RAF, CAPF, and BSF, were deployed, and multi-layered barricades were erected ahead of the October 10 protest. Trains were cancelled, CJP leaders were detained, and mobile internet services were suspended for 24 hours—all to prevent participation in democratic agitation. Delhi witnessed brutality, as protesters were assaulted and thousands were taken into preventive detention; even politicians, academics, lawyers, and journalists were not spared. While the clampdown succeeded in disrupting the proposed protest, it did not break the spirit of dissent. Grievances are only growing, and the voice for accountability seems to be getting louder.
The Supreme Court did well by advising the Centre and the police against excessive force in anticipation of last weekend's agitation, stating that a complete prohibition on traffic, including trains and metro services, in anticipation of a law and order problem was unacceptable. However, this directive was not followed on the ground, raising questions about the effectiveness of court orders. The top court had also directed not to illegally detain people gathering peacefully during a special sitting on Sunday. Yet, this has been the police's practice since the Gen Z-led protests in July. It is concerning that the central government and Gyanesh Kumar have failed to realize that ignoring public grievances erodes the credibility of the constitutional body tasked with conducting free and fair election—a cornerstone of any democracy. The Indian government would be wise to heed these grievances, acknowledge any lapses, and take corrective action. Suppressing public voices and stifling dissent will only prove counterproductive. As the saying goes, what goes around comes around. The world’s largest democracy can do better in its response to peaceful protests. The world is watching.