Opposition leaders and journalists have accused police of using harsh tactics during weekend demonstrations in India’s capital. Authorities then locked down central New Delhi on Monday ahead of a new rally aimed at the country’s election chief.
Thousands of security personnel had already been deployed across the centre of the city for three days running. Heavy metal barricades went up, and several key metro stations were closed ahead of a march led by opposition leader Rahul Gandhi.
Voter roll revision at the heart of the unrest
The protests were sparked by alleged misconduct in a nationwide revision of voter rolls, which critics say could favour Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party. The Election Commission of India, which oversees voting in the world’s most populous nation, has denied any wrongdoing.
Critics say the revision has disproportionately affected minorities, particularly Muslims. Election authorities, however, say its purpose was to strip out duplicate, deceased and fraudulent entries. Media reports put the number of names removed from electoral lists at more than 133 million.
Mass detentions and claims of police misconduct
Attention has increasingly turned to the police response after a chaotic weekend, according to local media. Thousands of protesters were reportedly detained, including members of the youth-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) movement and three of its top leaders. Most of those held have since been released.
Opposition figures say the mass detentions were designed to stifle dissent. John Brittas, a parliamentarian from the Communist Party of India (Marxist), alleged that police manhandled, dragged and assaulted him during Sunday’s demonstrations. He said the episode amounted to an attack on democratic freedoms and the rule of law.
Police did not respond to questions about the detentions or their actions at a news conference on Sunday. Several journalists covering the protests said they were detained even though they had prominently displayed their press cards. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said at least 16 journalists were held during the weekend and called the actions unacceptable.
Gandhi urges march as CJP vows to continue
Gandhi, the leader of the Congress party, urged supporters to join a march to the Supreme Court. On social media on Sunday, he told them there was nothing to fear and that the authorities could do little to them.
Hundreds of yellow metal barricades were placed on roads leading into central Delhi, while six major metro stations remained shut. The CJP, which has millions of social media followers, has pledged to continue its protests until Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar steps down.
