A planned Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest in Delhi demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar failed to take shape at Jantar Mantar on Saturday after Delhi Police denied permission, deployed heavy security and detained protesters at several locations.
The demonstration was called over allegations of voter-list manipulation during the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and irregularities involving Form 6, which is used for voter registration. Police cited inadequate notice and concerns about compliance with rules during an earlier protest while refusing permission for the gathering.
Barricades and security personnel prevented protesters from reaching Jantar Mantar. According to the report, around 25,000 police and paramilitary personnel were deployed across the capital, while entry and exit restrictions were imposed at 45 metro stations. Several journalists were also detained, with some alleging that they were taken into custody despite showing press identity cards.
The disruption followed a previous CJP-led mobilisation on July 20, when protesters marched towards Parliament while demanding the resignation of former Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities related to the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test. That agitation continued for more than a month before protesters dispersed following Pradhan’s resignation.
Participants who had attended the July protest returned better prepared for possible police action. Some carried masks, swimming goggles, raincoats and clothes suitable for getting wet, while others prepared posters and digital artwork. The materials referred to alleged illegal detentions, the absence of name tags on police personnel and broader concerns about democratic rights.
The latest gathering was also marked by uncertainty over where protesters could assemble. Participants said information was circulating mainly through social media because Jantar Mantar was inaccessible and groups risked detention if they gathered. Posters carrying slogans including “You can stop us, not democracy” and “Nagrikta par hamla band karo” appeared at different locations.
Although the protest did not develop into a large gathering at Jantar Mantar, returning participants continued displaying posters and political artwork in other parts of the city. The report said the security deployment and restrictions remained the primary measures used to prevent protesters from reaching the designated protest venue.
