Opposition reaches Jantar Mantar, demands CEC resignation

NEW DELHI: More than 700 people were detained in Delhi on Friday as Aam Aadmi Party, Left parties, Congress youth and student wings and various student organisations protested near Jantar Mantar demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

AAP leaders Atishi, Saurabh Bharadwaj, Sanjeev Jha and Sanjay Singh, CPI(M) general secretary MA Baby, and activists of AISA, SFI, NSUI and other organisations were among those detained as police prevented protesters from reaching Jantar Mantar. Police also stopped groups of protesters at several points, including Ashoka Road and Firoz Shah Road. Jantar Mantar was turned into a fortress with heavy deployment of Delhi Police, RAF and other paramilitary personnel, multiple layers of barricading and riot-control vehicles. Police said permission had not been granted for the proposed gathering and imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the BNSS across New Delhi district. Public announcements were repeatedly made asking people not to gather at the protest site.

Also Read: ‘Shivaji Park, Shivaji Park’: Abhijeet Dipke takes auto-driver disguise to drum up CJP protest


Delhi Police said the restrictions were imposed to prevent unauthorised assembly and to maintain public order. The force also issued traffic advisories, with movement restricted or diverted around Jantar Mantar, Parliament Street, Tolstoy Marg and adjoining roads.

Delhi Metro temporarily closed entry and exit at several stations in central Delhi, including Rajiv Chowk, Central Secretariat, Patel Chowk and Jantar Mantar, amid the security arrangements. Internet services were also suspended at the protest site and surrounding areas, according to reports.

Also Read: CJP warns of Jantar Mantar 2.0 as thousands attend Mumbai protest seeking CEC's ouster

AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj questioned the denial of permission, saying the party had sought approval for the protest earlier. "We are exercising our democratic right to raise our concerns," he said, questioning why permission was required to demonstrate at Jantar Mantar, a designated protest site.

Sanjay Singh, after being stopped at North Avenue, staged a dharna near the Mahatma Gandhi statue on the Parliament premises against "vote theft". "The end of dictatorship will come, Modi-Gyanesh will have to go," he said.

The CPI(M) also hit out at the police action. "Under the BJP-led Union government, democratic rights are being drastically curtailed, and the denial of permission to protest, even at Jantar Mantar, the designated site for protest, demonstrates how intolerant this government has become," the party's politburo said.