Indian authorities heighten security, close park ahead of 'cockroach' movement rally

Indian authorities closed a central New Delhi park Friday as the country's "cockroach" movement called for a rally in ​the capital's central ‌business district, its latest in a series of protests demanding the ⁠resignation of India's election chief. The youth-led "Cockroach Janta Party", opposition groups and student organisations have held almost daily protests this month demanding chief ‌election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation over a revision of voter lists that critics say favours ⁠Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party. More than 130 million names have been removed from electoral lists under the revision exercise. Critics say the removals have disproportionately affected ethnic and religious minorities, particularly Muslims. Members of Modi's Hindu nationalist party have long alleged that large numbers of undocumented Muslim migrants from neighbouring Bangladesh have fraudulently entered India's electoral rolls. Election authorities say the move was intended to eliminate duplicate, deceased and fraudulent entries, and that wrongly deleted voters can re-enroll. The BJP has accused rivals of trying ‌to undermine democracy by wrongly questioning legitimate electoral processes. Watch moreHow far will 'Cockroach' movement go? India's youth-led protests defy Modi government CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke called Friday's flag protest in support of two CJP leaders detained and sent to jail this week for five days for demonstrating at ‌a protest site in violation of a ban. CJP and left-wing students groups have urged supporters to gather at the Central Park in ​New Delhi's busy Connaught Place shopping and food district on Friday evening to wave and hoist the national flag. "Why are you so afraid of cockroaches?" Dipke said Thursday. "I want to tell Narendra Modi that we are not afraid ... if waving the Indian national flag lands you in jail, we are ready," he added. Delhi Police, however, urged people not to join "such assemblies", and the civic authority announced ​late on Thursday that the park itself would be closed for two days "due to administrative reasons". Police ​said they can facilitate a group of select people to carry ​the national flag and sing the national anthem at a "suitable place". Traders in the area petitioned the Supreme Court to prevent the protest, ​which they say "would cause severe loss", and demanded compensation for losses suffered during a similar rally planned over the weekend that was foiled by a security crackdown. The cockroach movement has emerged as one of the biggest political challenges faced by Modi and his BJP in his 12 years in power. A ⁠weeks-long sit-in by its supporters earlier this year forced Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation over exam paper leaks. The latest demonstrations ⁠erupted after the ​Indian Express newspaper reported that Kumar's two deputies raised concerns internally about voter list changes, registration procedures and digital systems. (FRANCE 24 with Reuters and AFP)