Intensifying protests for the resignation of the Indian National Election Commission... Threats to Prime Minister Modi's long-term rule

(Jakarta = Yonhap News) Correspondent Hyun-gyu Son = Protests calling for the resignation of the National Election Commission Chairman are growing stronger as suspicions are raised that the list of more than 130 million voters in India has been deleted and changed to favor the ruling party.

An online political movement group centered around India's Generation Z (born between 1995 and 2007) is leading this protest, and even the opposition party is joining in, threatening Prime Minister Narendra Modi's long-term rule.

◇ Removal of 130 million voters, more than the population of Japan, from the register of voters

Last month, the Indian media outlet Indian Express first reported on the suspicions related to the National Election Commission's voter list.

According to this media report, while the National Election Commission was deleting millions of people from the draft voter list, two election commissioners reportedly expressed opposition to the reorganization, saying that some decisions and orders were made without their knowledge.

The National Election Commission's revision of the voter list resulted in the deletion of the names of 133 million people, which is more than the entire population of Japan.

This reportedly includes 28 million deaths, 63 million migrants, and 30 million people whose whereabouts are unknown.

Suspicions were raised that a large number of opposition party supporters were deleted from the list during this process, and concerns were raised that the People's Party of India (BJP), the ruling party in the federal parliament led by Prime Minister Modi, may have gained an advantage in future elections.

However, the Indian National Election Commission refuted that there was no inappropriate behavior, saying that differences of opinion among election commissioners were a normal occurrence that could occur in any organization.

At the same time, he explained that the correction of the voter list excludes duplicate registrants, the deceased, and false registrants, and that voters' names that have been incorrectly deleted can be re-registered.

Despite the National Election Commission's explanation, thousands of members of India's Generation Z political movement group 'Cockroach People's Party' (CJP) held their first protest on the 2nd in western Mumbai, the economic center, calling for the resignation of Election Commission Chairman Gyanesh Kumar.

Afterwards, the Indian National Development Alliance (INDIA), a political coalition of about 20 opposition parties, including the Indian National Congress (INC), the main opposition party in the Indian Federal Assembly, also participated in the protest.

INC demanded the resignation of Election Commissioner Kumar, as well as Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.

Former INC leader Rahul Gandhi said, "There is nothing to fear. These cowards can do nothing to us."

◇ 2,400 protesters detained… 16 journalists were also arrested and released.

The protests intensified further on the 10th and 11th last weekend. When CJP attempted to hold a large-scale protest in the capital New Delhi, the Indian government deployed 60,000 police officers and other people to virtually blockade the entire Delhi metropolitan area.

Indian police installed barricades and concrete blocks at major entrances to the city to prevent vehicle traffic and strengthened checks and searches. In addition, 45 subway stations were closed and mobile communication networks were blocked at protest sites and downtown areas.

Indian police said that 2,400 people were arrested and detained on the 10th alone, and most were released the same night.

However, CJP claimed that more than 10,000 protesters were arrested by police across the country.

Journalists covering the protest site were also arrested by the police one after another. Reuters reported that several of them were holding microphones and wearing press cards around their necks.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF), an international press freedom advocacy group based in France, criticized the police action as unacceptable, saying at least 16 journalists were detained.

He then emphasized that “covering public interest is not a crime,” and “it is their job.”

Sporadic protests took place in Delhi on the 11th, and small-scale protests involving dozens of people also took place in Mumbai and Kolkata.

Abita Ruheza, who was detained for participating in the protest, criticized the government for turning Delhi into a fortress.

He told Reuters, “The government has been depriving the people of their rights one by one, and is turning into a dictatorship.” He asked, “Is this how democracy works?”

Three leaders, including CJP founder Abhijit Deepke (31), co-founder Saurabh Das, and CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka, who were trying to participate in the New Delhi protest, were arrested at the Delhi factory on the 10th.

They were released a day later, on the 11th, on the condition that they not harm peace for the next year, but announced that they would continue their protests until Election Commission Chairman Kumar resigns.

In a post posted on social media (SNS)

He added, “We have not signed a pledge not to protest,” and added, “We will take to the streets again.”

◇ “The biggest political challenge in Modi’s 12 years in power”

The CJP, which led the protest, was formed a day after then-Chief Justice Surya Kant's controversial remarks comparing unemployed young people to cockroaches in May became known.

Just ahead of the 'National Medical College (Undergraduate) Entrance Eligibility (NEET) Test', suspicions about question leaks arose, and CJP led protests for nearly two months in the capital, New Delhi, calling for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

India's Generation Z responded enthusiastically to this organization. Currently, the number of followers on CJP's Instagram account exceeds 25 million. This is much more than the ruling party, the BJP, which has 15 million people.

In July, violence broke out as thousands of CJP protesters attempted to march from New Delhi to the federal parliament and clashed with police who used tear gas and batons.

Afterwards, as protests spread to the eastern state of West Bengal and the southern state of Telangana, Minister Pradhan eventually resigned. He was the first minister in the Modi cabinet to resign due to large-scale protests.

At the time, CJP's protest was evaluated as having brought to public attention the issues of insufficient jobs and unfair educational opportunities.

Although India is the world's fastest-growing major economy, the unemployment rate among youth aged 15 to 24 is high at around 20%. In particular, it is reported that about one-third of bachelor's and master's degree holders are unemployed.

After the CJP's protest, Prime Minister Modi tried to appease young people by promising that the government would provide free online lectures for various entrance exams.

However, foreign media pointed out that the CJP's protest demanding the resignation of the Election Commission Chairman, which took place again after two months, was the biggest political challenge in the last 12 years that Prime Minister Modi was in power.

Previously, in 2019, protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) took place in India, and more than 20 people were killed.

The British Guardian pointed out, "The Modi government has shown an extremely intolerant attitude toward dissent while in power, but nationwide protests like this one have been rare," and added, "This protest could pose a serious political challenge."

As legislative elections in major states, including India's most populous northern state of Uttar Pradesh, are scheduled to be held next year, these protests are expected to place greater political burden on Prime Minister Modi and the ruling party.

AFP news agency reported that Deepke, a Boston University graduate and CJP founder, has emerged as a symbol of opposition in India.

“The large-scale crackdown on protesters and the blockade of Delhi are not signs of strength, but of a leader who fears the people,” said Diepke, adding, “Prime Minister Modi has already admitted defeat before the protests even begin.”