Rahul Gandhi denounces detention of CJP members after Jantar Mantar protest

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has publicly condemned the arrest and subsequent judicial custody of two Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) members, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka. The two individuals were taken into custody by police for allegedly breaching a prohibited zone at Jantar Mantar while participating in a protest a day earlier.Addressing the development through a social media post on Wednesday, Gandhi criticised the government's response to the demonstrations. He stated that waving the tricolour at Jantar Mantar during a peaceful protest should not be considered a crime. Calling the imprisonment of youth for such actions an act of cowardice, he emphasised that various groups, including students, journalists, and the INDIA bloc, were united by the cause of demanding constitutional rights. He added that the protest site of Jantar Mantar belongs to the people of India and vowed that the opposition would continue to reclaim it.While Gandhi voiced his opposition to the arrests, his remarks did not explicitly mention the Cockroach Janta Party by name. This follows a period where the Congress party had maintained some distance from CJP-led agitations, even as other INDIA bloc allies had previously participated in their demonstrations. Despite this, CJP leader Abhijeet Dipke later expressed gratitude to Gandhi and other opposition figures, such as Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal, for their show of support.The capital has witnessed sporadic protests over the past few days, with the youth wings of the Congress party and several Left-leaning organisations voicing their dissent. These groups have specifically campaigned against the recent denotification of Jantar Mantar as an authorised protest site. Furthermore, activists have highlighted instances of alleged police lathi-charges against Youth Congress members during previous demonstrations in the area.Earlier, at a media briefing held at 10 Janpath, Gandhi met with several Youth Congress and NSUI activists. During this interaction, the activists recounted instances of being beaten and subjected to police action during recent protests. Gandhi advised the group to meticulously document and preserve evidence of these police actions. He reiterated his stance that those responsible, including government officials and the Chief Election Commissioner, would be held accountable.The political situation remains fluid as the INDIA bloc navigates its strategy regarding the Election Commission’s decisions. While no joint protest march was organised by the alliance on Wednesday for the second consecutive day, attention is now shifting toward upcoming actions. Congress circles are closely monitoring the next planned agitation by the CJP, which is set for Friday, to determine whether the broader opposition coalition will join the movement once again.The controversy surrounding the use of Jantar Mantar continues to be a point of contention between the opposition and the authorities. As the legal processes against the arrested members proceed, the broader debate regarding the right to assemble and the designation of protest zones in New Delhi remains a critical issue for the political discourse in the country.