Delhi Police detained CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke and other leaders on Saturday ahead of a planned protest at Jantar Mantar. The party said its nationwide agitation demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar would continue. "When the state uses mass detentions to silence democratic dissent, the public must take charge."
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Saturday alleged a crackdown on its leaders and supporters ahead of its proposed protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, saying its nationwide agitation demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar would continue despite the detentions.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke and co-convenors Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were detained by Delhi Police after their flight from Mumbai landed at Indira Gandhi International Airport, according to reports. The detentions came amid heightened security arrangements in the national capital ahead of the planned demonstration.
"This is not something even Indira Gandhi did during Emergency; this is a worse situation than that and we are all prepared for arrest," he said.
Co-convenor Saurav Das alleged that the authorities were attempting to stop a constitutional movement through force.
The party maintained that the planned nationwide protest would proceed with or without its leadership, reiterating its demand for the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
CJP legal cell head Ratna Singh was also detained from her Delhi residence, while party spokesperson Mehr was picked up from her home early on Saturday, according to the statement.
The party further claimed that more than 1,000 volunteers, activists and other citizens had been detained across the National Capital Region, including at borders, transit hubs and surrounding streets. It alleged that local stadiums had been converted into temporary detention centres.
The figures and claims about detention facilities were made by the party and were not independently established in the supplied statement.
Delhi Police denied permission for the proposed protest, citing security considerations and procedural requirements. Authorities also imposed restrictions and stepped up security arrangements across parts of the capital ahead of the demonstration.
It argued that the detention of its leaders would not change its central demand: Kumar should resign as chief election commissioner.
"When the state uses mass detentions to silence democratic dissent, the public must take charge to save democracy," the party said in its statement.
The CJP reiterated that its nationwide protest would continue despite the detention of its founder and other leaders.