Some 41,000 security personnel deployed. Forty-five metro stations closed. All mail and express trains cancelled. Section 144 in various areas. Internet services shut.
Police are carrying out an unprecedented round-up in the Indian capital, New Delhi, over a protest programme of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). More than a thousand people have been detained, among them the popular YouTuber Dhruv Rathee and the CJP’s convener, Abhijit Dipke, as they prepared to join a protest rally at Jantar Mantar.
New Delhi has in effect come to a standstill over the protest. Young people have been stopped from entering Delhi from all the neighbouring states.
The CJP and various political and student organisations called Saturday’s programme to demand Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation as chief election commissioner.
NDTV reported that the CJP’s convener, Abhijit Dipke, arrived at Delhi airport on a flight from Mumbai on Saturday morning. As soon as the aircraft landed at 10:19am, a large number of police, including women officers, who were already waiting there surrounded him and his colleagues.
The CJP leaders had begun a live broadcast on Instagram before leaving the aircraft. It showed a heated argument between police and the leaders. “We came to Delhi knowing we would be arrested. We are not afraid,” Dipke said on the broadcast. Police then detained him, Sourav Das and Ashutosh Ranka. Delhi police have confirmed the detentions.
Condemning the tough action by Delhi police, the CJP said in a statement that stopping its leaders before they could reach Jantar Mantar for a peaceful protest was a premeditated step by the government and a clear violation of citizens’ freedom of movement. It demanded the immediate and unconditional release of its leaders.
Earlier, police detained Dhruv Rathee at his home in Gurugram as he prepared to join the protest. Police said he was taken into custody for disregarding a request not to go to Delhi.
Ratna Singh, who provides legal support to the CJP, was also detained in the morning on her way to join a protest march by lawyers. In all, about 1,000 people are reported to have been detained in various places between Friday night and Saturday afternoon.
Delhi at a standstill
To thwart the CJP’s announced programme, the capital was placed under a blanket of tight security from Friday night. About 41,000 security personnel have been deployed. At least 45 Delhi metro stations have been kept closed. Section 144 prohibitory orders have been imposed in several areas, and internet services have been shut in many. All mail and express trains to Delhi were cancelled from dawn until noon on Saturday. Police are making continuous loudspeaker announcements at Jantar Mantar and nearby.
Amid the tension, the BJP’s national president, Nitin Nabin, attacked the opposition sharply at a press conference on Saturday morning. He alleged that a particular quarter was trying to disturb the peace and order of the capital.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report