India's youth-led Cockroach Janta Party has vowed to intensify protests against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government after its founder, Abhijeet Dipke, and two close associates were released from police custody by a court order.
Dipke, who had been detained inside an airliner shortly after landing in New Delhi to join demonstrations, emerged wearing a shirt featuring Mahatma Gandhi and declared that protesters would "hit the streets again." Delhi police had denied permission for the Saturday demonstration, which demanded the resignation of India's elections chief, and had tightened security across the Indian capital of more than 20mn people.
The trio, who call themselves "cockroaches," were released on the condition they maintain "peace and good behaviour" for a year, though Dipke said he had not "signed any bond" agreeing not to protest. Delhi was turned into a fortress over the weekend with barricades and tens of thousands of police and paramilitary personnel following a week of protests over a controversial voter verification drive.
Dipke told journalists that "Narendra Modi is the biggest coward this country has ever seen." The prime minister has yet to comment on the protests.
Source: Financial Times Companies · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing