Indian police detain CJP founder before New Delhi voter-roll protest
In short
Indian police detained Abijito Dipuke (アビジート・ディプケ), founder of Gokiburi Jinminto (ゴキブリ人民党, CJP), on October 10 before a planned New Delhi protest over alleged voter-roll irregularities. Japanese reports gave differing estimates of the number of other people detained.
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Indian police detained Abijito Dipuke (アビジート・ディプケ), the founder of the youth-centred group Gokiburi Jinminto (ゴキブリ人民党, CJP), on October 10 before a planned protest in New Delhi, Japanese outlets reported. The 31-year-old was travelling to a rally demanding the resignation of the election commission chief over alleged irregularities in updates to voter rolls. Sankei and Tokyo Shimbun reported that police detained him aboard an aircraft arriving from Mumbai, along with other CJP members. [ 1 , 3 ]
Reports differed on the scale of the detentions. Tokyo Shimbun cited local reports that about 5,000 people attempting to attend the rally were detained, including opposition leader Arvind Kejriwal, a former head of Delhi's government. Asahi's article reported more than 3,000 detentions, although its headline referred to more than 500. Mainichi's October 11 report put the estimate at about 6,000. Asahi and Mainichi said police had not authorised the rally and described internet shutdowns and closures of metro station entrances around the protest area. [ 3 , 7 , 9 ]
CJP called for the commission chief's resignation and an independent investigation, according to Mainichi. The outlet reported complaints that voters had been improperly removed during the electoral-roll revision process that began in 2025. Jiji Press said the election commission denied wrongdoing and reported that opposition leaders had asked the president on October 9 to halt the revision and remove the commission chief. Several outlets recalled that CJP had held protests over university entrance-exam irregularities from June and that the education minister resigned in July. [ 3 , 6 , 7 , 9 ]
Why it matters
The protest sought the election commission chief's resignation over allegations that voters had been improperly removed from electoral rolls. Jiji Press reported that the commission denies wrongdoing.
Key facts
- Police detained the CJP founder on an aircraft after his arrival in New Delhi. [ 1 , 3 , 7 ]
- CJP called for a protest seeking the election commission chief's resignation over voter-roll allegations. [ 3 , 6 , 9 ]
- Asahi and Mainichi reported internet restrictions and the closure of metro station entrances near the protest area. [ 7 , 9 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- The number of other people detained is disputed across reports. Tokyo Shimbun reported about 5,000; Asahi's article said more than 3,000 despite a headline saying more than 500; Mainichi later reported about 6,000, each citing local reporting.