Jantar Mantar Protest: Modi’s Police Continue Crackdown; Senior Leaders Detained
New Delhi: Pinarayi Vijayan arrested ahead of the Jantar Mantar protests. The arrest comes following the arrest other senior CPI(M) leaders earlier in the day for showing their solidarity to the protests in Jantar Mantar.
Opposition leader and former CM Pinarayi was arrested on his way to Jantar Mantar. John Brittas MP and K N Balagopal were also arrested along with Pinarayi Vijayan.
Before his arrest, Pinarayi said that Modi's government can't suppress the voice of teh people and that their voice will grow louder. “This is a challenge to democracy. There is an attempt to turn the country into a police state. Nothing can suppress the people’s movement. Democracy supporters are flocking to Jantar Mantar. The government has already begun to fear the protest. Such measures are part of that fear,” he said.
Prominent social media influencer Dhruv Rathee was taken into custody ahead of the Cockroach Janata Party’s (CJP) Jantar Mantar 2.0 protest. The CJP confirmed that Delhi Police took Rathee into custody from his residence in Gurugram at around 7.45 am.
Police reached Rathee’s home in the Kendriya Vihar Society in Gurugram and asked him not to travel to Delhi to participate in the CJP protest. He was taken into custody after refusing to comply with the request, according to the account. There were also attempts to stop Abhijit Deepke, who arrived at Delhi airport from Mumbai.
Delhi Under Heavy Security
More than 20,000 security personnel have been deployed at Jantar Mantar ahead of the protest. The demonstration by the “Cockroaches”, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, is scheduled to begin in the morning. The CJP has instructed its members to reach Jantar Mantar by around 10 am.
The CJP is holding its second protest, encouraged by what it considers a successful campaign that led to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan stepping down over the NEET question paper leak issue.
AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal criticised the government over the detention of the CJP leaders, describing the arrests as evidence of what he called an “unprecedented level of fear”.
In a post on X, Kejriwal accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government of authoritarianism and alleged that the election had been won through “vote chori”. He also accused the government of attempting to suppress democracy to protect what he described as electoral fraud.
Security was tightened outside the residence of CJP convenor Abhijeet Dipke in Maharashtra’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in view of the planned protest in the national capital.
Dipke and CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were detained by Delhi Police inside their flight shortly after it landed in Delhi earlier in the day.
SFI Members, Lawyers Detained in Delhi Ahead of CJP Protest
More than 400 members of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) were detained in Delhi ahead of the protest by left wing youth and student organisations against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over irregularities in electoral rolls, SFI National President Adarsh M Saji said.
Several student activists and lawyers marching from the Supreme Court towards Jantar Mantar were also detained ahead of the demonstration.
Around 300 DYFI Workers Detained During March From AKG Bhavan
A group of around 300 DYFI workers, led by A A Rahim, made an unexpected move to march from AKG Bhavan.
Police were initially caught off guard by the workers’ move but brought in additional personnel and arrested them at the next point along the route. The workers are being taken away in six buses after being detained.
Heavy traffic jams across Delhi as Police tighten security ahead of the protests against CEC Gyanesh Kumar.
CITU Workers Storm Jantar Mantar Protest Site After CPI(M) Leaders Arrested
CITU workers stormed the Jantar Mantar protest site after CPI(M) leaders were arrested. The workers, who arrived in a procession, rushed into Jantar Mantar following the arrests. Delhi Police are attempting to stop and detain them.
There were also attempts by central security forces to use force against protesters, with several people allegedly being targeted with batons.
Abhijit Deepke Taken Into Custody. Delhi Police Detain Him Aboard Aircraft. All Key Leaders Held
Opposition Leader Pinarayi Vijayan Taken Into Custody. Police Escort Him Away in Vehicle
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