# India’s Cockroach Protests > Modi faces youth-led protests over electoral roll cuts as cockroach movement grows. - Title: India’s Cockroach Protests · Foreign Policy | Shortify - Summary: Modi faces youth-led protests over electoral roll cuts as cockroach movement grows. Indian police arrested Cockroach movement leaders after they entered… - Keywords: india, modi, cockroach movement, jantar mantar, election commission, youth protests, electoral rolls, Cockroach, Protests, Foreign Policy - Source: Foreign Policy — https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/10/13/india-cockroach-movement-protests-arrests-jantar-mantar-modi - Author: Alexandra Sharp - Published: 2026-10-14T00:00:00+00:00 - Read time: 1 min - Topics: india, modi, cockroach movement, jantar mantar, election commission, youth protests, electoral rolls ## Cockroach Movement Emerges The Cockroach Janta Party formed after Chief Justice Surya Kant compared India’s unemployed youth to 'cockroaches' and 'parasites of society'. > cockroaches and parasites of society ## Election Roll Deletions Spark Protests The Election Commission removed 130 million names from voter lists ahead of state elections, including 30 million untraced and 28 million deceased people. > 130 million names ## Protesters Target Jantar Mantar CJP supporters and opposition allies gathered at Jantar Mantar, an 18th-century monument near Parliament, to protest electoral roll deletions. > Jantar Mantar ## Police Crackdown on Protesters Indian police detained CJP leaders after they defied orders to stay away from Jantar Mantar, despite protests continuing. > defied orders ## Modi Defends Democracy Prime Minister Narendra Modi described India as a 'mother of democracy' during a Bloomberg summit address in New Delhi. > mother of democracy ## UN Condemns Crackdown The UN human rights office demanded India ensure the right to peaceful assembly after police cracked down on thousands of protesters. > right to peaceful assembly ## CJP Calls for Election Commission Resignation The Cockroach movement demanded Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar resign over electoral roll deletions. > resignation ## Protesters Reclaim Jantar Mantar CJP members entered Jantar Mantar to 'reclaim' it from Modi’s control, showing protests will continue despite government crackdowns. > reclaim ## CJP Leader’s Statement CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke stated: 'Delhi is once again flooded with people standing up to save democracy. If Modi thinks taking away Jantar Mantar will put an end to protests, he is mistaken.' > Delhi is once again flooded with people standing up to save democracy ## Government Bans Protests Indian authorities declared protests could no longer be held at Jantar Mantar, an 18th-century monument near Parliament. > Jantar Mantar ## Protesters Adapt Strategy CJP supporters and opposition allies found alternative streets to gather in numbers estimated to top several thousand. > several thousand ## Key takeaway Indian police arrested Cockroach movement leaders after they entered Jantar Mantar despite bans, as youth protest electoral roll deletions.