CPI(M) MP John Brittas, student leaders detained during second day of CJP protest
Several protesters, including CPI(M) MP John Brittas, were detained by security personnel while marching towards Jantar Mantar from Connaught Place’s Inner Circle and Rajiv Chowk in Delhi on Sunday, as the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP)-called protest entered its second day.
Visuals showed protesters marching towards Jantar Mantar and raising slogans of “Gyanesh Kumar isteefa do” (Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, resign).
Security personnel moved in to detain them. Several protesters were seen resisting as they were dragged and pulled towards police buses.
The area remained under tight security to prevent protesters from reaching Jantar Mantar. The CJP had vowed to continue its agitation, announcing another demonstration at the protest site at 10 am on Sunday after authorities prevented protesters from reaching the site on Saturday.
Brittas was among those detained on Sunday, police sources said. He had also been detained during Saturday’s protest.
Several protesters detained on Sunday alleged that they were manhandled by security personnel.
Members of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and other student organisations were also detained while marching towards Jantar Mantar from Rajiv Chowk.
In a statement, the SFI said its All India President Adarsh M Saji, Delhi State Secretary Sooraj Elamon, Central Executive Committee member Abhijith Manilal and hundreds of its members were attacked and detained at Rajiv Chowk.
“In the video, you can see blood coming out of Adarsh’s forehead. These will not be forgotten. We will keep coming out on the streets. The protests will be multiplied in all corners of the country!” the statement said.
In a video, Saji was seen questioning the police action, saying the protesters did not understand what their crime was, as they were demonstrating peacefully.
Another protester, alleging that several people had been injured due to police “manhandling”, said they would now “turn the entire national capital into Jantar Mantar”.
The detentions came after the CJP renewed its call for a protest at Jantar Mantar on Sunday, even as police maintained extensive security arrangements. More than 30,000 police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed across the city.
On Saturday, CJP leaders, including Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, were detained amid a major security clampdown in Delhi. More than 7,000 protesters were detained at multiple locations as police prevented them from reaching Jantar Mantar.
Several opposition leaders, including former chief ministers Arvind Kejriwal, Mamata Banerjee, Pinarayi Vijayan and Manik Sarkar, were also detained while attempting to join the protest.
The CJP and opposition parties have been demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.