NEW DELHI: Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Tuesday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi after party leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were sent to five days of judicial custody, alleging that the action was aimed at suppressing dissent.Dipke claimed that the two leaders’ only fault was unfurling the Tricolour at Jantar Mantar and challenged Modi to formally declare an Emergency if the government intended to curb protests.In a post on X, Dipke accused the government of using coercive measures against those demonstrating against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.“Ashu and Saurav have been sent to 5 days judicial custody. Their fault? Unfurling tricolour at Jantar Mantar. Show some guts, @narendramodi. If you’re so determined to crush dissent, have the courage to officially declare an Emergency instead of hiding behind these cowardly tactics,” he posted.
Why were CJP leaders Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka sent to judicial custody?
Das and Ranka were sent to five days of judicial custody after being detained early Tuesday for allegedly breaching barricades and entering Jantar Mantar, which was recently denotified as a designated protest site.The two allegedly raised slogans demanding Kumar’s resignation.Police registered a case against them on charges including trespassing, violating prohibitory orders, breaching a peace bond and obstructing a public servant from discharging official duties.Das and Ranka had signed bonds undertaking to maintain peace for a year after being detained during an earlier protest in the capital on Saturday, officials said.
CJP objects to Jantar Mantar being denotified as protest site
The latest action comes amid a continuing standoff between the CJP and Delhi Police over the venue for demonstrations against alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.On October 11, Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar issued an order designating Ramlila Maidan, Burari Ground and CBD Ground as venues for protests and demonstrations, following which Jantar Mantar was removed from the list of designated protest sites.The CJP has criticised the decision, arguing that shifting demonstrations away from the political centre of the national capital would diminish the visibility of public dissent.The party has continued to demand Kumar’s resignation over alleged irregularities in the SIR exercise.(With agency inputs)
