Security measures in Delhi were significantly tightened on Saturday as authorities moved to prevent a protest organized by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) at Jantar Mantar. Delhi Police detained several demonstrators, including political leaders and content creators, at various locations across the National Capital Region. Officials stated that these detentions were necessary because the protesters had not secured the required permission to assemble at the site.
The CJP, alongside the INDIA bloc, had been advocating for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, citing allegations of “vote chori.” Prior to the Saturday incident, a delegation from the INDIA bloc met with President Droupadi Murmu to submit a memorandum outlining four specific demands. Key figures associated with the CJP protest, including party founder Abhijeet Dipke, leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, AISA president Neha Bora, and YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, were intercepted by police at different points before they could reach the protest venue.
Addressing the media, BJP national spokesperson and MP Sambit Patra criticized the demonstrations, characterizing them as the actions of “anarchist forces” seeking to spread chaos. Patra stated, “Jantar Mantar’s story is not India’s story,” arguing that the protests do not reflect the state of the nation. He further asserted that “loktantra” (democracy) had triumphed over “bheedtantra” (mobocracy), adding that the attempt to hold the capital captive had collapsed.
To enforce the prohibition on the gathering, Delhi Police transformed parts of the city into a fortress. Measures included the deployment of multiple security agencies, the installation of barricades and spike strips, and the implementation of intensive vehicle checks across major transit points like Dhaula Kuan. The government maintained that despite the efforts of these groups, the capital remained calm as the planned demonstration failed to take off.
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