Jantar Mantar protests: Police detain ex-BJP MLA's daughter
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New Delhi: The Delhi Police detained several political leaders, activists and protesters ahead of a demonstration demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation, including Yashaswinee Raje Singh, daughter of former Uttar Pradesh BJP MLA Vikram Singh. The crackdown prevented the planned protest at Jantar Mantar from beginning, with authorities sealing off the site and deploying more than 35,000 security personnel.
Yashaswinee said she was detained near Bangla Sahib while sitting in a park and was being held at Keshav Puram police station. She had previously supported the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) during student protests over alleged examination paper leaks earlier this year.
CJP founder and convenor Abhijeet Dipke and co-convenors Saurav Das and Ashutosh Rank were detained immediately after arriving at Delhi airport. Several CPI(M) leaders, including M.A. Baby, former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, M.V. Govindan, A. Vijayaraghavan, K.K. Shailaja, John Brittas, K.N. Balagopal, Brinda Karat and P.K. Sreemathy, were also taken into custody after reaching Jantar Mantar, according to the party.
All India Students’ Association national president Neha Bora was detained near Safdarjung Airport. Jantar Mantar was completely sealed off, with even journalists denied entry, while security personnel barricaded the adjoining roads to prevent demonstrators from assembling.
Tushar Gandhi.
In Mumbai, Mahatma Gandhi’s great-grandson Tushar Gandhi was also detained. His daughter, Kasturi Gandhi, alleged that police took him to the D.N. Nagar police station in Andheri West. She shared an account from the driver who witnessed the incident, saying that Tushar had sent a message requesting his medication.
Mamata Banerjee staged a silent demonstration with her mouth bandaged to demand the CEC’s resignation.
Separately, West Bengal’s former chief minister Mamata Banerjee and five Trinamool Congress MPs were detained during a protest near South Avenue. Banerjee staged a silent demonstration with her mouth bandaged to demand the CEC’s resignation. She later criticised the police action and said the INDIA bloc would continue its fight.
The protests were organised over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, with demonstrators demanding accountability from the Election Commission.