NEW DELHI: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has announced a protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on October 10 against the Election Commission, with Delhi unit chief Saurabh Bharadwaj urging participating organisations to prepare contingency plans in anticipation of possible arrests.In a video message posted on X on Monday, Bharadwaj advised political parties and organisations backing the protest to put alternative leadership arrangements in place. He said second- and third-level leaders should be prepared to take charge if senior leaders or organisers are detained ahead of the demonstration.Bharadwaj also cautioned that district- and assembly-level leaders could potentially be taken into custody a day before the planned protest.Leaders and organisers, he alleged, could face arrests in what he described as false cases before the demonstration. He urged participating groups to ensure that the movement continues even if their top leadership is detained.
‘Bigger than any leader’
“This protest is bigger than any leader, political party or organisation. This is a protest of 140 crore Indians,” Bharadwaj added.The AAP leader also called for backup communication arrangements, warning that organisers should be prepared for a situation in which their usual messaging platforms are blocked or become inaccessible.“When a leader is present in a protest, he talks to the police and authorities and keeps the protest peaceful. But without a leader, it becomes difficult to keep the protest peaceful,” Bharadwaj said.He appealed to the organisations involved to maintain the demonstration as a democratic, constitutional, legal and peaceful movement, including in the event of arrests.Bharadwaj said contingency planning should cover both leadership and communication, with alternative channels available if regular modes of communication are disrupted.“After one leadership, there should be another leadership which gives leadership to the whole protest and keeps it peaceful,” he added.The announcement comes amid a series of protests by the AAP and student organisations, including AISA, NSUI and IYC, over the past few days. The groups have been demanding the resignation of chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process and concerns over voting rights.With agency inputs
