New Delhi: Delhi Police detained hundreds of people, including YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke and other party leaders, on Saturday ahead of a planned protest at Jantar Mantar demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.
CJP claimed that its leaders Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were detained by Delhi Police from inside their aircraft soon after it landed in the national capital.
The CJP leaders had travelled from Mumbai to Delhi to participate in the proposed demonstration against Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
In a video shared by the party, Dipke can be heard telling police personnel who entered the aircraft, “We are here to be arrested, come and arrest us.”
Before detaining the leaders, police personnel told them that permission had not been granted for the protest at Jantar Mantar.
Dipke said the CJP leaders were being treated like criminals.
Also Read:
Dhruv Rathee detained from Gurugram home
Earlier on Saturday, a team of police personnel reached Rathee's residence in Gurugram and took him into custody ahead of the planned demonstration.
Rathee, who is based in Germany, had arrived in India earlier in the week and expressed solidarity with the CJP's protest seeking Kumar's removal. On October 8, he participated in a protest organised by the party in Bengaluru.
In a statement issued on Saturday morning, CJP claimed that its legal team head, Ratna Singh, and three other lawyers had also been detained without being given any reason for the action.
Also Read:
Speaking from inside a car, Singh said police personnel had visited her residence in the morning but were told she was not there.
“We asked if they have any official notice, they did not have anything. They just said we have orders from above to detain you,” she said.
Singh alleged that police personnel repeatedly asked her to get out of the car and sought to detain her at her residence.
“I am in a way illegally detained on the road,” she said.
Delhi Police said around 500 people had been detained from various locations ahead of the planned protest. CPI(M) leaders from Keralam, including former chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, MP John Brittas, MA Baby and PK Sreemathi, were also reported to have been detained.
Politicians, media personnel and social media influencers were being taken to different detention centres across the city, according to reports.
CJP issues 12-point advisory for protesters
Ahead of the demonstration, CJP issued a 12-point advisory urging participants to remain peaceful, avoid provocation and follow lawful directions.
“Maintain peace at all times. Do not engage in violence, physical confrontations, threats or intimidation, irrespective of provocation,” the advisory said.
The guidelines urged participants not to damage public or private property, engage in stone-pelting or arson, or attempt to breach barricades. Protesters were also advised against carrying sticks, stones, inflammable substances or other objects that could be used to injure people.
The party asked participants to keep access clear for ambulances, fire engines and other emergency vehicles.
Also Read:
It also cautioned protesters against using communal slurs, hate speech or personal attacks against officials, police personnel, journalists or members of the public. Participants were urged not to circulate unverified claims, misleading videos or rumours that could trigger panic or hostility.
“Beware of provocation and infiltration,” the advisory said, asking participants not to join anyone encouraging violence, vandalism or unlawful activity. They were advised to inform a designated CJP coordinator and, where safe, the police about such incidents.
The guidelines further urged protesters to document incidents only when it was safe and lawful to do so, move away from confrontations if tensions escalated, help vulnerable people reach safety and keep emergency contact details handy.
“Follow lawful instructions and know your rights. Remain calm during police interactions. Do not resist physically. If detained, ask for the reason and seek legal assistance,” the party said.
“No individual can be allowed to hijack a peaceful protest. Our conduct must reflect our cause,” it added.
The advisory concluded with the message: “Peaceful protest. Constitutional rights. Responsible citizenship.”
The CJP has called the proposed demonstration against the CEC over allegations of voter-list manipulation during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and changes relating to Form 6, used for voter registration.
