The United Nations Human Rights office issued a statement on Saturday expressing concern over reports of mass detentions in India. The UN body highlighted the detainment of protest leaders, civil society members, lawyers, journalists, and demonstrators during large-scale protests held in Delhi and Mumbai. The organisation urged Indian authorities to respect the right to peaceful assembly, exercise “utmost restraint” when dealing with protesters, and immediately release those who have been arbitrarily detained.
The protests were organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which had called for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The party cited alleged irregularities in electoral rolls during the Special Intensive Revision process. The group had planned a mobilisation at Jantar Mantar, which was met with an extensive security operation involving over 30,000 police and paramilitary personnel. Authorities restricted movement across the national capital by erecting barricades, conducting checks at border points, and closing several metro stations.
According to reports, more than 7,000 people were detained across Delhi, while approximately 400 individuals were taken into custody in Mumbai. Among those detained in Delhi were CJP convener Abhijit Dipke and party members Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, who were apprehended at the airport. Additionally, YouTuber Dhruv Rathee was detained from his residence in Gurugram. Police stated that while some protesters managed to reach the protest site, others were stopped at locations such as the Safdarjung Flyover and Kerala House.
The situation escalated when a group allegedly threw stones near Akashwani Bhawan, resulting in injuries to two police personnel. Officials noted that police were expected to register multiple FIRs following the incident. In its statement, the UN Human Rights office emphasised that any restrictions on peaceful demonstrations must adhere to strict tests of necessity and proportionality, further advocating for meaningful dialogue between the authorities and the demonstrators to address their grievances.
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