The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) had made an alternative plan in advance so that its movement would not flag after its top leaders were detained. A party statement issued before the detentions said that if Abhijit Dipke, Sourav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were detained or arrested, Ajinkya Shinde would lead the movement. Under that instruction the Jantar Mantar protest is now being taken forward under Shinde’s leadership.
The CJP’s convener, Abhijit Dipke, Sourav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were taken into custody on Saturday. Just before, an angry Dipke said: “Even during the Emergency, Indira Gandhi did not do this. We are ready to be arrested.”
In a video message released late on Friday night, Dipke had said he feared he might be arrested at the airport itself. He told the country plainly that the protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi must not stop in any circumstances, even if he or his colleagues were detained.
Tight security has been in force across the capital since Friday night because of the CJP’s programme. At least 45 Delhi metro stations have been kept closed, Section 144 orders have been imposed in various areas and internet services have been suspended in many places. All mail and express trains to Delhi were also cancelled from dawn until noon on Saturday. About 1,000 people have been taken into custody.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report