• Cockroach Janta Party leaders were detained after entering Jantar Mantar, a site recently de-designated for protests.
• Leaders claim their actions symbolize the "reclaiming" of the protest site despite government restrictions.
• Demonstrators are demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged voter roll irregularities.
• Video footage shows leaders chanting slogans and waving the national flag before their detention.
• The CJP maintains that the spirit of protest cannot be snuffed out by changing designated sites.

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were detained by Delhi Police on Tuesday after they attempted to enter Jantar Mantar, a site recently removed from the list of designated protest locations. The detention came just two days after both leaders were released under conditions to maintain peace and good behavior for a year, following prior arrests for protesting against election irregularities. In a post, Das declared, "Jantar Mantar has been reclaimed!" urging youth to persist in their activism against the government, according to Indiatimes and BBC.

The CJP plans to continue its protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, accusing him of favoring the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during a controversial voter list revision process. During the incursion into Jantar Mantar, police sealed off the area and witnessed CJP members climbing over barricades to access the site. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke remarked, "You cannot denotify the resistance," reinforcing the party's stance against the government's actions, according to Indiatimes and Al Jazeera.

As the police detained CJP leaders, Saurav Das shared a video from the detention bus, affirming their earlier claim of having successfully entered Jantar Mantar. In the video, he emphasized, "Jantar Mantar is a designated protest site," expressing determination to continue the demonstration until demands are met. The party asserts that their ability to mobilize protests transcends changes to official protest sites, highlighting their commitment to their cause to urge for electoral accountability, according to Indiatimes and BBC.

Amid heightened security across Delhi, protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar are garnering increased public support with opposition parties joining the call for accountability. The debates surrounding voter list revisions have stirred significant unrest, wherein CJP members and supporters rallied nearly daily throughout the month. The Indian government’s attempts to designate new protest sites rather than reinstating Jantar Mantar has only fueled more dissent among youth activists, according to Al Jazeera and Indiatimes.