Indian police round up dozens of protesters

Indian police detained dozens of youth protestors in New Delhi on Saturday during the second consecutive day of demonstrations demanding the chief election commissioner's resignation over alleged voter-roll irregularities. The demonstrations have been backed by key opposition parties, including the popular Gen Z-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) online movement, who say voter-roll changes give an advantage to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. There was a heavy police presence around Jantar Mantar, a government-designated protest site in the heart of New Delhi, which remained sealed off behind police barricades on Saturday. Local media reports said over 100 protestors demanding Election Commission of India (ECI) chief Gyanesh Kumar's resignation were detained. "Delhi Police must stop its crackdown on protesting students and activists," CJP chief Abhijeet Dipke said in a social media post on Saturday. Dipke's CJP has called for a "massive mobilisation of young Indians" in New Delhi on October 10. Other opposition parties and activists have also backed protest call. "Every attempt to suppress peaceful protesters will only bring more people to the streets and strengthen the march to Jantar Mantar," Dipke added. "Dissent is a democratic right. It cannot be crushed through intimidation or force". Delhi police did not comment on the reported detentions. But...