Police detain 'Cockroach' founder before Delhi rally

. Police detain All India Students Association President Neha Bora in New Delhi. Photo: REUTERS Indian police detained the founder of the youth-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), Abhijeet Dipke, student leaders and supporters on Friday as hundreds protested in New Delhi, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over disputed voter-list revisions. The CJP, opposition groups and student organisations have staged near-daily demonstrations this month, alleging that changes to electoral rolls favour Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The Election Commission denies political bias and says wrongly deleted voters can re-enrol. Dipke was detained while leaving a house in central Delhi, while student activist Neha Bora was taken into preventive custody as she tried to reach the protest venue. Police said Dipke had been warned earlier against proceeding with the demonstration. Authorities closed Central Park in the Connaught Place commercial district for two days, deploying hundreds of police officers in riot gear. Nevertheless, nearly 500 protesters gathered in groups at several locations, waving Indian flags and chanting slogans. Some were detained. The demonstrations followed reports that more than 130 million names had been removed from voter lists since last year. The Election Commission said the deletions included 28 million deceased people, 63 million who had relocated and 30 million who could not be traced. Opposition parties allege the changes disproportionately affect Muslims and other minorities. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh accused the opposition Congress party of using young people for political ends, saying they were being turned into "pawns in the politics of anarchy". Protests also took place in Mumbai, Bengaluru and Patna. The latest demonstrations add to mounting pressure on the election chief, whose resignation protesters have demanded throughout the month. The commission and the BJP rejected the charges hurled by protesters.