Delhi’s roads are packed with protestors, while the Delhi Police detain demonstrators, including journalists and opposition leaders. When people reach their limit after years of frustration and feel that their voices are not being heard, the nation takes to the streets to demand justice. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke alleged that students, opposition leaders and protesters were being detained for raising questions about electoral irregularities and demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Thursday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah of targeting citizens who were protesting against alleged electoral irregularities. He claimed that the government was protecting Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar while taking action against those demanding his resignation.
Speaking at a press conference in Delhi, Dipke questioned the alleged deletion of more than 13 crore voters from electoral rolls. He claimed that such large-scale deletions could influence election results. “The margin of victory in 2024 was just 2 per cent. Over 13 crore voters deleted,” he said, questioning whether the exercise was intended to benefit the ruling party.
Dipke Questions Restrictions on Protests in Delhi
Dipke accused the authorities of using police and security forces to stop peaceful demonstrations. He alleged that students, opposition leaders and ordinary citizens were being detained for questioning the Election Commission. Referring to reported detentions involving opposition leaders, including Mamata Banerjee, Arvind Kejriwal and Pinarayi Vijayan, he questioned why such strict security measures were being imposed across Delhi.
He also criticised restrictions on metro and railway services, claiming that they were intended to prevent people from reaching protest locations. Dipke further questioned the government’s political intentions, saying that the slogan of “One Nation, One Election” appeared to be moving towards “One Nation, One Party, One Leader.”
CJP Leaders Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das Sent to Judicial Custody
His remarks came after CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were sent to five days of judicial custody following their detention during a protest at Jantar Mantar. The two, along with CJP member Ajinkya Shinde, were detained on Tuesday after allegedly crossing police barricades and raising slogans demanding Kumar’s resignation. Police booked them on charges including obstructing public officials from performing their duties.
While Das and Ranka were sent to Tihar Jail, Shinde was released on a personal bond. The detentions drew criticism from opposition leaders, including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who expressed support for the protesters.
Tiranga March Announced For October 16
Dipke also criticised the detention of protesters carrying the national flag. He questioned why peacefully holding the Tricolour had become a reason for police action. “When did holding the tiranga become a crime,” he asked. He announced a ‘Lehra do Tiranga’ march at Central Park in Connaught Place on Friday, October 16, at 5 pm. He urged citizens and political parties to participate and defend their democratic rights.
Student Leaders Raise Concerns Over Journalists’ Safety
At the same press conference, All India Students’ Association (AISA) national president Neha Bora accused Delhi Police of mistreating journalists covering the demonstrations. She alleged that journalists from The Caravan and The Quint were beaten, detained and prevented from reporting. She also claimed that cameras were confiscated and journalists were threatened. Neha Bora further alleged that a woman journalist had faced sexual harassment by a police officer and that a counter-complaint was registered when she approached the police.
Students’ Federation of India (SFI) leader Aishe Ghosh also criticised the authorities and called for public unity. “We don’t have hopes with the BJP, we have hopes with our citizens,” she said, urging people to protect democratic values. The protests have continued amid growing demands for Kumar’s resignation over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. However, the Election Commission has defended the revision exercise, while the BJP has rejected allegations of political bias. The claims made by Dipke and student leaders remain allegations and have not been independently established.