Kya aap Emergency dekh sakte hain?: CJP takes jibe at PM Modi as police detain hundreds ahead of Delhi march

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The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Saturday took jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi with an 'Emergency' jibe after police detained protesters, activists, journalists and lawyers ahead of its 'Delhi Chalo' march. Hundreds were stopped across the Indian capital as organisers pressed ahead with plans to gather at Jantar Mantar and demand Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation over disputed voter-roll revisions.

"Kya aap Emergency dekh sakte hain, fraands?" the CJP asked in a satirical response to the detentions. The remark invoked India's 1975-77 Emergency, when civil liberties were severely curtailed and opposition leaders were jailed under then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

Police have detained about 200 more protesters in Connaught Place while attempting to reach Jantar Mantar, News Agency ANI reported earlier, quoting Delhi Police sources. Earlier, police had reported detaining roughly 500 people travelling in groups towards the demonstration.

Police also said nearly 50 people with criminal antecedents were taken into preventive custody, separate from those identified as protesters. The New Delhi district was divided into 20 operational zones, with temporary detention centres established for each. Stadiums were also designated for holding detainees.

Police said the march had not received permission. Authorities cited public order concerns and said the organisers' application was filed too close to the protest date. Prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita were in force. Roadblocks, metro closures and restrictions on mobile internet disrupted movement in central Delhi.

CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, who travelled from Mumbai, was detained after his flight landed at Delhi airport. Party leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were also held. In a video shared on Instagram, Dipke alleged that officers had boarded the aircraft before passengers disembarked.

"Not even Indira Gandhi did this during the Emergency," he said, accusing the authorities of treating peaceful protesters like criminals. "We are not afraid of you," he added.

CJP legal affairs head Ratna Singh also alleged that police surrounded her car outside her home and tried to detain her without producing written authorisation. She said officers told her they had "orders from above" but did not explain who had issued them.

Four reporters covering the demonstration had been detained. Lawyers protesting near the Supreme Court were also taken into custody, according to a statement by the Supreme Court Bar Association president. Police had not immediately responded to those specific allegations.

Content creator Dhruv Rathee was detained at his Gurugram residence. The CJP accused the government of trying to silence young people who questioned it.

The latest march is part of a campaign against alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. CJP and opposition parties say legitimate voters have been removed and accuse the Election Commission of favouring the BJP. The commission and the BJP deny the allegations. The commission says the exercise is intended to identify deceased, duplicate and ineligible voters and that wrongful deletions can be corrected.

The youth-led CJP began as an online satirical movement in May and later organised protests over examination irregularities. It has since joined student organisations and opposition parties in demanding greater scrutiny of electoral rolls and accountability from the Election Commission.

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