"Attempts to disrupt law and order must be stopped:" West Bengal Minister Dilip Ghosh on CJP protest

Kolkata: Reacting to the call of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest at Jantar Mantar, West Bengal Minister Dilip Ghosh on Saturday said attempts to create a disturbance in Delhi could cause inconvenience to the public.

"The attempts to create a disturbance in Delhi could cause inconvenience to the public. The government has made arrangements in advance to ensure that people, including Delhi residents, do not face problems and that outsiders do not create law-and-order issues," Ghosh told reporters.

He added that while protest is a democratic right, law and order must be maintained.


Also Read: Delhi CJP Protest Today: What's happening at Jantar Mantar? Here's what we know so far

"Nobody is prohibited from protesting, as India is a democracy and everyone has the right to express their views through protests. However, attempts to disrupt law and order must be stopped," he said.

Meanwhile, Security checking was intensified at the Singhu Border (Delhi-Haryana border) on Saturday ahead of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest on Saturday.

Police also conducted intensive vehicle checking at the Tulsi Niketan border in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. Heavy traffic jams were reported at the spot.

Meanwhile, the Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel carried out a flag march from Mandi House Circle.

Security has tightened at the IGI Airport, Terminal 3 ahead of CJP activist Abhijeet Dipke's arrival for the Jantar Mantar 2.0 protest.

Earlier in the day, the Delhi Police conducted flag marches across the Connaught Place area and detained several demonstrators near Janpath.

The national capital turned into a high-security fortress ahead of the CJP protest demanding the sacking of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.

Over 35,000 Delhi Police and paramilitary personnel were mobilised across the capital under directives from the Union Home Ministry.

Also Read: Delhi Protest Today: 35,000 security personnel, bodycams, drones, six detention centers, face recognition, traffic diversions, and metro closures; Inside Delhi Police's security plan

Having denied permission for the gathering citing past instances of violence, Delhi Police directed on-ground teams to detain anyone attempting to demonstrate, assigning six stadiums and community centres-including Chhatrasal and Rajiv Gandhi stadiums-as temporary holding facilities. While CAPF personnel were directed not to carry firearms, police teams were armed with batons, with instructions to avoid verbal confrontations.

To ensure transparency and prevent confrontation, on-duty Delhi Police personnel have been equipped with uniform-mounted body cameras capable of recording footage even in low-light conditions.

"These body cams are to protect us and others. In situations of manhandling, allegations are levelled against Delhi Police. So, these body cams will prove whether we did anything to anyone or not. This will record everything," an on-duty police official said earlier.

More than 35,000 Delhi Police and paramilitary personnel are deployed across the national capital ahead of the protest, amid heightened security arrangements and a directive from the Union Home Secretary to states and Union Territories to maintain the law and order situation.

As a precautionary security measure, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has closed entry and exit gates at select metro stations in central Delhi, while commuters have been advised to use alternative routes amid heavy security curbs across the vicinity.