CJP to seek fresh date from Delhi Police for anti-CEC protest after mass detentions

New Delhi: The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) will approach the Delhi Police to seek a fresh date for its proposed protest at Jantar Mantar demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, after authorities detained more than 7,000 people and prevented the demonstration from taking place.

CJP leaders Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were detained at Delhi airport shortly after their flight landed. They were subsequently taken to an undisclosed location.

In a pre-recorded video message, Dipke said the organisation’s in-charge, Ajinkya Shinde, would lead the protest at Jantar Mantar. The CJP maintained that its agitation would continue across the country, with or without its leaders.

The police action also led to the detention of several prominent figures, including YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, All India Students’ Association president Neha Bora, leaders of Opposition parties, four former chief ministers, and a large number of journalists, lawyers and citizens.

Protesters were picked up from multiple locations across the capital, including near the Hanuman Temple, Akashwani Bhawan, Safdarjung Flyover and Kerala House. Police personnel were deployed in large numbers at Jantar Mantar, where repeated announcements asked people and mediapersons not to assemble at one spot.

Opposition leaders sharply criticised the crackdown and compared it to the Emergency imposed in 1975. Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee said the situation had gone beyond an Emergency. “This has gone beyond an Emergency; it has become a Super Emergency,” she said.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi called on young people to continue their protest and said the Opposition would work to defeat what he described as a regime that had attacked the Constitution.

“We are going to ensure that this regime and the people who have attacked the Constitution are defeated,” Gandhi said.

Activist Sonam Wangchuk said he would consider launching a peaceful agitation, including a hunger strike or a march in Leh or Delhi, if the detainees were not released within 24 hours.