In India, over 130 million voter registrations have been deleted, prompting large-scale anti-government protests that have spread for more than ten days, calling for the resignation of Election Commission Chairman Ganesh Kumar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
On October 12, thousands of supporters from opposition parties and the youth political movement 'Cockroach People's Party (CJP)' held demonstrations in the capital, New Delhi, demanding an end to the voter list revisions and the resignation of Kumar.
The protesters attempted to march toward the Supreme Court, where they plan to submit an official petition demanding Kumar's resignation to Chief Justice Suryakant. Previously, Chief Justice Suryakant suggested that instead of a direct meeting with the opposition, they should submit a petition.
This situation was triggered last month when local media outlet Indian Express first reported allegations regarding the Election Commission's handling of voter lists. According to the report, a staggering 133 million names were deleted during the voter list revision process, exceeding the entire population of Japan.
Opposition supporters allege that many names were targeted for deletion, suggesting that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by Modi, is manipulating the situation to gain an advantage in upcoming elections. In response, the Election Commission of India stated, "This is merely a routine internal disagreement, and there has been no inappropriate conduct."
However, public anger has fueled protests that began on October 2 in Mumbai, spreading to major cities like New Delhi and Kolkata over the weekend. Demonstrators have voiced their demands for Modi's resignation, stating, "After enduring injustices for the past 12 years, we want this government to step down. If we lose our voting rights, we have nothing left."
The Indian government has taken a hardline approach. Since last weekend, authorities have erected concrete blocks and barricades on major entry points into New Delhi, completely restricting vehicle access and deploying water cannons. Additionally, they have moved to exclude the previously designated protest site at Jantar Mantar from approved areas, effectively blocking gatherings.
In response, Rahul Gandhi, former leader of the Indian National Congress (INC), the main opposition party, held a press conference criticizing Modi for protecting Chairman Kumar, stating, "People trying to enter Delhi are being blocked."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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