Delhi crackdown on student protests sparks nationwide criticism and fear of silencing

On Saturday, Delhi Police detained thousands of people attempting to reach Jantar Mantar, seized journalists, and placed the capital under a lockdown to prevent a protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, which has struck off 13 crore names. Leaders of the student group Cockroach Janata Party were arrested on the aircraft that brought them to the city, and protestors were forced onto buses before reaching the venue.

Citizens from Indore, Kolkata, Pune, Guwahati and other locations condemned the actions as a severe erosion of democratic space, with some describing it as an undeclared emergency. The crackdown coincided with reports of voters being removed from rolls in Madhya Pradesh and other states, prompting personal appeals for restoration. While some legal voices warned that protests must respect public order, many participants expressed optimism that the widespread turnout signals a shift toward greater civic engagement.