After thousands of protesters were detained in New Delhi, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has asked "cockroaches" in Delhi to stay put in the capital. To those outside Delhi, the CJP said train services had resumed, and they would be told of the next plan soon.
The CJP leadership has told supporters outside Delhi that train services have resumed. (AI-edit)
New Delhi,Oct 12, 2026 12:07 IST
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has asked its supporters who are already in Delhi to stay put and those outside the national capital to prepare for another protest, signalling that its agitation against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar is far from over. The message, which also said that the CJP's "next call was on its way", came on Sunday, a day after thousands of protesters were detained as Delhi Police and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel prevented demonstrators from marching to the Jantar Mantar.
The CJP has vowed to continue its campaign against alleged electoral roll irregularities and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, demanding the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar.
On Monday, CJP co-convenor Saurav Das gave Delhi Police a 24-hour ultimatum to allow a protest at Jantar Mantar. "Police tells everyone to approach them 10 days in advance," he said, adding, "We are now saying that they have the choice to tell us the date and time [for protest at Jantar Mantar]. We are giving them 24-hour ultimatum."
Saturday's protest saw central Delhi under heavy security, with barricades, traffic restrictions, train disruptions and metro station closures. Security personnel detained thousands of protesters. CJP leaders Abhijeet Dipke, Ashutosh Ranka, and Das, who flew in from Mumbai, were detained by Delhi Police officers who boarded their aircraft shortly after it landed at New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport on Saturday.
With Jantar Mantar inaccessible, CJP leaders were detained, protesters held scattered protests at Connaught Place, Dilli Haat, Rajghat and other locations. The CJP leaders were subsequently released, but the confrontation has set the stage for another round of protests.
On Saturday, CJP's Das said, "The protests are on. Protests will happen not just in Delhi but the whole country."
Separately, the Congress and other opposition parties had planned a march to the Supreme Court on Monday, demanding Gyanesh Kumar's resignation over alleged "vote theft". Rahul Gandhi has called on opposition parties, students and civil society groups to participate. The Election Commission has denied allegations of political bias in the electoral roll revision.
CJP ASKS COCKROACHES TO STAY BACK IN DELHI
In a post on X on Sunday evening, the CJP said, "Important: All cockroaches currently in Delhi should stay back. Next call on its way!"
"For cockroaches outside Delhi, the trains are running again," it added.
The reference to trains comes after railway services were disrupted on October 9 and 10 as part of security arrangements ahead of the protest in the national capital. Northern Railway announced that services would return to their normal schedules on Sunday.
The CJP has not announced a date for its next major demonstration. Its leaders, however, plan to approach Delhi Police for permission on Monday to hold peaceful protests. They have threatened fresh protests if no date is provided within 24 hours.
CJP LEADERS VOW TO CONTINUE PROTESTS AGAINST CEC GYANESH KUMAR
Following their release, CJP leaders said they would continue exercising their constitutional right to peaceful protest.
The leaders were released after proceedings before an executive magistrate, with a condition against breaching peace for one year. However, they maintained that this did not prohibit peaceful demonstrations.
Dipke denied signing any undertaking that prevented him from protesting. Meanwhile, he has returned to his village in Maharashtra following the death of his grandmother.
The CJP has made its intentions clear in another message on X, saying, "We are not leaving until all of our demands are met."
Ranka said, "We haven't signed any bond that says we won't protest. We will hit the streets again."
With the CJP signalling another round of protests and the Congress planning its own mobilisation, the Election Commission is likely to remain at the centre of political protests in Delhi. Whether the authorities allow the next demonstration or impose restrictions again remains to be seen.
- Ends
(Written by Sushim Mukul)