ജന്തർ മന്തർ പ്രതിഷേധം: ഗുജറാത്തിൽ ആക്ടിവിസ്റ്റുകളെ പോലീസ് തടഞ്ഞു, രാജ്ധാനി എക്സ്പ്രസ് റദ്ദാക്കി

Several activists from Gujarat, who were planning to join the Cockroach Janata Party protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, were detained on Saturday either at police stations or in their houses. Some of them alleged that police made them give undertakings that they would not go to Delhi for the CJP protest.

The Western Railway, meanwhile, cancelled Swarna Jayanti Rajdhani Express (October 9) that leaves from Ahmedabad's Sabarmati railway station at 7.20 pm and reaches Delhi at 7.30 am, citing "operational reasons".

A section of these activists has planned a protest in Ahmedabad on Saturday in solidarity with the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and their demand for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. This protest is yet to get police permission.

Another group called 'Support Bharat' has announced a protest in Ahmedabad on Sunday against the CJP. Support Bharat, which called itself a new GenZ group with over 500 members, claimed that it has received police permission for its protest against the CJP.

Planning to go to Delhi, activist & friends detained in Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad-based social worker Ashwin Vaghela and 54 others had planned to head to Delhi on Friday to participate in the protests called by the CJP and other groups at Jantar Mantar on October 10.

In fact, they had made plans to travel through different modes of transport, but, on October 9, the Ahmedabad city police detained Vaghela and three other leaders of his group in his house.

"I was in the Naroda area on Thursday evening when the police came at 5 pm and took me to the Crime Branch office. They detained me till 9 pm and then dropped me at Gomtipur police station and told us we would be released the next day," Vaghela said.

However, once news of these detentions spread, a crowd gathered at Gomtipur police station and sat in protest. "The police asked us to give in writing that we would not go to Delhi for the CJP protest, only then they would let us go home. But I told them that we were going to go to the Delhi protest anyway. We were at the police station till 2 am and have been under house arrest since then."

This was the situation across homes and workplaces of several activists in Gujarat as police either took them to the police stations or placed them in detention at home, guarded by two or more personnel, allegedly to stop them from travelling to Delhi. Reports of similar action by the police have been reported from multiple states in the country.

SFI leader and HC advocate under 'house arrest', GHCAA backs her

Leuva, who is the all-India vice-president of the Students' Federation of India (SFI), and one of the organisers of the Ahmedabad protest, faced multiple police hurdles to even reach the city as she was put under house arrest on Thursday evening itself.

Leuva and her colleague Nitish Mohan were at the Gujarat High Court on Friday evening to make a representation against the "illegal detentions".

Nitish Mohan said, "On October 8 at 11 pm, two female and one male personnel from Prantij police station of Sabarkantha came to Satyesha's relative's house, where she was staying and sat outside the house through the night. However, on October 9 morning, Satyesha had to come to Ahmedabad to give her statement to Ellisbridge police regarding permission for the protest planned outside MJ Library on October 10."

Meanwhile, the Gujarat High Court Advocates Association (GHCAA) passed a resolution to support Leuva, who practises in the High Court, demanding a legislation protecting lawyers from arbitrary police action.

At an urgent general body meeting on October 9, the GHCAA took up the matter following a requisition submitted by advocate Vishal Thakker. Its resolution authorises the GHCAA leadership to approach the Chief Justice of the Gujarat High Court and the state's Law and Justice Minister, while also seeking support from district bar associations across Gujarat.

According to the association, the police gave no written order or notice explaining the reasons behind the restriction on movement to Leuva.

The GHCAA has asked the Director General of Police, Gujarat, and the Superintendent of Police, Sabarkantha, to explain the circumstances and legal basis of the action and sought disciplinary action against offices for not following due process. It notes that advocates may have to appear in proceedings against the State, police or public authorities, and says restrictions on their liberty must conform to constitutional protections, including those under Articles 14, 19 and 21.

GHCAA President Senior Advocate Yatin Oza said, "We are in support of Satyesha Leuva... The government cannot stop citizens from agitating ; it may disagree but it cannot take away the right to agitate or protest. We will plan the action in the days to come."

According to Nitish Mohan, the police personnel followed Leuva on board the bus to Ahmedabad. "One female and one male police staff came and sat with her in the bus... When they reached Chiloda circle in Gandhinagar, they made her get off the bus," said Nitish Mohan.

Leuva and others then went to the Ellisbridge police station and then to the Gujarat High Court to make their representations.

On October 9 afternoon, advocate Subodh Kumud went to the Ellisbridge police station to support a law student, who was under detention. The Gujarat HC is hearing a petition Kumud has filed after he was denied permission to organise a protest in Ahmedabad against the NEET-UG paper leaks at the peak of the CJP agitation in Delhi. Kumud said, "Several others have reported getting calls from the police asking them about their intentions regarding the Delhi protest."

Activist held ahead of office event, let off after 'written statement'

Activist Dev Desai, who was under house arrest as of Friday afternoon, said crime branch officials came to his house around 8:30 am on Friday asking him whether he was travelling to Delhi. "They asked me to cooperate and stay in the house otherwise, they would have to take me to the Crime Branch office. The two men are stationed outside my home," he said.

Entrepreneur and activist Sneh Bhavsar, who was planning an event in his office in Ahmedabad on Friday, was detained from his home early morning. "About five police personnel came to my house at about 7:40 am and didn't give any reason as to why they had to take me to the Gujarat University police station. They kept asking me if I knew why I had been picked up but I told them I had no idea," Bhavsar said.

Bhavsar added, "My friends came and gave them proof that I was planning a programme in my office. Then they sent some police to my office and they intimidated my employees, and then around 4:15 pm, they took a written statement from me that I would not go to Delhi for the protests and then released me."

The Indian Express reached out to JCP (Crime) Sharad Singhal as well as DCP (Crime) Ajit Rajian, but both remained unavailable for comment.

SHRC moved

Activist and advocate Shamshad Pathan wrote to the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) on behalf of the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), Gujarat Chapter, drawing attention to the "illegal detentions" and raised questions on personal liberty.

He said, "These matters should be examined based on police records, relevant orders and statements of the affected individuals and their families."