Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were detained by Delhi Police on Tuesday after they jumped over a gate to enter Jantar Mantar, seeking to protest against the removal of the site’s official designation as a protest venue. Other party members, including Ajinkya Shinde, were also detained, according to the party.
The incident occurred a day after authorities announced that Jantar Mantar would no longer be a designated site for protests and sit-ins. Videos shared by CJP members showed several activists climbing over a gate and police barricades while carrying the national flag and raising slogans, including “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” and “Inquilab Zindabad.” Police personnel subsequently moved in and detained the protesters.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke shared footage of the incident on social media and criticised the decision to remove Jantar Mantar’s protest-site status. “You cannot denotify the resistance,” he wrote, challenging the Centre’s decision. The party described the action as an attempt to reclaim the venue and assert its members’ right to demonstrate there.
Protest Over Chief Election Commissioner
The demonstration is part of the ongoing protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities linked to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Opposition groups and activists have raised concerns about voter deletions and the potential impact on electoral participation. The Election Commission and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party have rejected allegations of political bias in the voter-list revision process.
Following the change in Jantar Mantar’s status, authorities identified three alternative locations for demonstrations in Delhi: Ramlila Ground, Burari Ground and CBD Ground in east Delhi. Security around Jantar Mantar had also been strengthened amid repeated protest calls and detentions in the capital.
CJP leaders maintained that the removal of the venue’s official designation would not end their campaign. The latest detentions add to tensions surrounding the protests, which have focused on electoral-roll revisions and demands for accountability from the country’s election authorities.
