Delhi Protest: CJP Leaders Detained Ahead of Jantar Mantar March

NEW DELHI: A major political confrontation unfolded in the national capital on Saturday as police detained protest organisers and supporters ahead of a planned demonstration at Jantar Mantar, escalating tensions over alleged irregularities in voter lists. The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) is demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and a halt to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

CJP founder Abhijit Dipke, along with leaders Ashutosh Rank and Sourav Das, was detained after arriving at Delhi airport, according to reports. Several other protesters and political figures were also taken into custody as security restrictions tightened across central Delhi. Reuters reported that authorities detained numerous demonstrators and leaders amid a major security 

Opposition Leaders, Supporters Detained

The detentions extended beyond the CJP leadership. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and other opposition figures were reported among those detained while attempting to join the agitation. Aam Aadmi Party leader Gopal Rai was also taken into custody, according to the updates provided by protest organisers and media reports.

Police barricades and road restrictions disrupted access to the protest area. Some demonstrators reportedly attempted to push past barricades, while reports also indicated injuries among protesters and a police sub-inspector.

The authorities have stepped up security to prevent a gathering that could disrupt movement in central Delhi.

CJP Names New Protest Leader

Before his detention, Dipke released a recorded video naming Ajinkya Shinde as the person who would lead the movement in his absence.

The CJP alleges that voter-list revisions have involved serious irregularities. The Election Commission has defended the revision process as an exercise to verify electoral rolls, while the BJP has rejected allegations of political manipulation. 

Political War of Words Intensifies

BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra criticised the opposition over the protest and questioned why Rahul Gandhi had not provided evidence to support his allegations of vote rigging.

Patra described the agitation as an attempt to disrupt the capital and said the opposition’s claims were misleading.

The political confrontation comes amid growing disputes over voter-list revisions and demands for accountability from the Election Commission.

Dipke Informed of Grandmother’s Death

The protest took a personal turn after Delhi Police informed Dipke that his 85-year-old grandmother, Savitribai Shankar Dipke, had died in Maharashtra’s Hingoli district after an illness.

According to reports, his family was preparing to travel to the village for the funeral. It remained unclear when he would be permitted to leave custody.

The incident has added another dimension to the unfolding confrontation, with the CJP insisting that its movement will continue despite the detention of its founder.

The immediate question is whether the protesters will be allowed to assemble and press their demands, or whether the security restrictions will prevent the rally from taking place.