The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has renewed its call for a protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi today at 10:00 am, demanding the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. This fresh call comes after a day of extensive police action, including mass detentions and severe traffic disruptions across the national capital.
Renewed Calls Amidst Crackdown
The CJP's latest protest initiative follows Saturday's intense crackdowns by Delhi police, which saw over 2,500 individuals detained. Among those taken into custody were political leaders, activists, lawyers, and students, all rounded up in an effort to prevent large gatherings at the protest site.
Adding to the disruption, prominent CJP founders Abhijeet Dipke, Ashutosh Ranka, and Saurav Das were detained directly from their aircraft upon landing at Indira Gandhi International Airport on Saturday. Party representatives reported that the leadership remained out of contact for more than 12 hours following these arrests.
Despite the absence of key organizers, hundreds of demonstrators attempted to reach Jantar Mantar throughout Saturday. These efforts led to widespread traffic diversions, the closure of several metro station gates, and a heavy deployment of security forces across central Delhi.
Ajinkya Shinde, CJP national organisation in-charge, reiterated the party's unwavering stance after Saturday's events. "We will not step back until Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar tenders his resignation," Shinde stated, accusing authorities of illegally restricting movement and suppressing peaceful assembly.
Delhi Traffic Paralyzed for Second Day
Central Delhi is currently experiencing a second consecutive day of severe traffic disruptions. Stringent restrictions and diversions have been put in place following the CJP's renewed protest call, exacerbating commuter challenges.
According to advisories from the Delhi Traffic Police, diversions began at 6:00 am around critical intersections. These include Jantar Mantar, Connaught Place, Mandi House, Patel Chowk, and various stretches within Lutyens' Delhi. Affected routes encompass the Ashoka Road-Jantar Mantar Road roundabout, Tolstoy Marg-Janpath crossing, Jai Singh Road-Sansad Marg crossing, Rail Bhawan roundabout, and Gol Dak Khana.
Commuters are strongly advised to avoid these heavily impacted corridors and plan alternative routes to mitigate delays. The security clampdown is also a response to announcements by student organizations like the Students' Federation of India (SFI), which have pledged to continue demonstrations until their demands are met.