Delhi protests: Top CJP leaders among over 7,000 detained amid security clampdown
Over 30,000 security personnel were deployed as police detained CJP leaders, four former CMs and Dhruv Rathee, triggering Opposition charges of an Emergency-like crackdown
An unprecedented security clampdown across Delhi on Saturday saw more than 7,000 protesters detained, including CJP leader Abhijit Dipke, four former chief ministers and YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, as police prevented large gatherings at Jantar Mantar to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The crackdown drew sharp criticism from Opposition leaders, who likened it to the Emergency, while the BJP dismissed the protest as a "flop show".
Leaders decry ‘Super Emergency’
Opposition parties likened the situation to one worse than the Emergency, with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi urging the youth to "keep protesting" and asserting that "we are going to ensure that this regime and the people who have attacked the Constitution are defeated".
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Several opposition leaders, including former chief ministers Arvind Kejriwal (AAP), Mamata Banerjee (TMC), Pinarayi Vijayan (CPI-M) and Manik Sarkar (CPI-M), were detained from multiple locations across the capital as they tried to join the protest called by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP).
"This has gone beyond an Emergency; it has become a Super Emergency," Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Banerjee said. Several detained leaders claimed that they were driven around in police vehicles for hours.
CPI(M) general secretary MA Baby, veteran Left leader Brinda Karat, CPI(ML) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, activist Yogendra Yadav, lawyer Prashant Bhushan and All India Students' Association (AISA) president Neha were also detained.
Rahul, who was in Chennai for his Chhatron Ki Goonj event, also said the "core characteristic" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the RSS is "cowardice". The Congress, which has been holding protests demanding the resignation of the CEC over alleged vote theft, however, maintained its distance from the CJP protest.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge lashed out at the Modi government over the detentions by Delhi police, saying it has turned the "mother of democracy" into a "muzzled democracy". The Congress chief alleged that the cowardice of the BJP-RSS is on full display today.
CJP leaders detained on arrival
Dipke and two CJP leaders, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, were detained by Delhi Police from inside the aircraft as soon as their flight from Mumbai landed in the national capital. In a video shared by the CJP, Dipke could be heard telling police officers who entered the aircraft, "We are here to be arrested, come and arrest us."
Before the detention, police personnel told the CJP leaders that they did not have permission to hold their protest at Jantar Mantar. Dipke said CJP leaders were being detained as if they were criminals. He said that even former prime minister Indira Gandhi did not do this, adding that it amounted to dictatorship.
Rathee, who lives abroad and had come to join the CJP protest against CEC Kumar, was detained by police from his residence in Gurugram's Sector 56 on Saturday.
In a pre-recorded video message released soon after his detention, CJP leader Dipke said the organisation's in-charge, Ajinkya Shinde, would lead its protest at Jantar Mantar. The CJP asserted that the protest would continue nationwide, with or without its leaders.
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Police informed Dipke about the death of his grandmother in Maharashtra and offered possible facilitation for his journey to his hometown on humanitarian grounds. Dipke's paternal grandmother, Savitribai Shankarrao Dipke, 85, died at her home in Santuk Pimpri village in Maharashtra's Hingoli district around 11.30 am on Saturday following a prolonged illness, family sources said.
Delhi under unprecedented security
New Delhi virtually turned khaki on Saturday, with the deployment of over 30,000 police and paramilitary personnel ahead of the CJP protest. Waves of barricades lining the streets, the closure of 45 metro stations and intensive checks at the city's border points, railway stations, bus terminals, hotels and other sensitive locations left the capital gridlocked.
More than 120 companies of Central Armed Police Forces assisted Delhi Police in managing the security situation. Personnel were deployed at strategic locations, while mock drills were conducted at several places to assess preparedness and response mechanisms.
Authorities also monitored social media platforms for attempts to mobilise people for the protest. More than 200 content creators were reportedly under scrutiny as police examined online posts and messages linked to the proposed gathering.
Wangchuk warns of fresh protest
Activist Sonam Wangchuk said he would consider launching a peaceful protest, including a hunger strike or a march in Leh or Delhi, if the detainees were not released within 24 hours.
Wangchuk had joined the earlier 36-day agitation of the CJP at Jantar Mantar on the NEET paper leak issue that had ended on July 25 after the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as Union Education Minister. The stir had seen massive chaos during a march to Parliament on July 20 as security personnel tried to stop the protesters.
Hitting out at the Opposition, the BJP said that the protest meant to take the city "hostage" turned out to be a "flop show", accusing Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi of spreading anarchy in cahoots with foreign powers, likening him to historical figure Mir Jafar.
It was a victory of democracy over "mob rule", BJP leader Sambit Patra said, as hundreds of youths and several politicians who headed to Jantar Mantar were detained by Delhi Police.
Police detain protesters across Delhi
A large number of police personnel detained groups of protesters from several places, including Hanuman Temple, Akashwani Bhawan, Safdarjung Flyover and Kerala House. The police also picked up a few protesters who managed to reach Jantar Mantar. The massive security arrangements by Delhi Police thwarted attempts by protesters to reach Jantar Mantar.
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Around 1 pm, scores of protesters hurled stones at security personnel near Akashwani Bhawan on Imtiaz Ali Marg after jumping barricades, injuring two police personnel. The protesters were quickly detained by security personnel. In the evening, a similar incident happened near Hanuman Temple in Connaught Place, where some protesters threw stones at security personnel. A total of seven personnel sustained injuries during the detention of protesters.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Anant Mittal also sustained injuries to his hand during the detention of Left leaders, including AISA's Neha. Police are likely to file multiple FIRs in connection with the alleged assault on police personnel during the protest, a senior officer said
Several journalists claimed that they were detained. Reporters alleged that they were detained despite displaying their press identity cards, and that their official phones were seized by police personnel before they were taken to detention buses along with other protesters. Visuals circulating showed journalists displaying their press identity cards from inside the buses.