The proposed Tiranga March Delhi gathering at Connaught Place on October 16 faces a permission hurdle after two senior members of the Cockroach Janta Party were arrested and sent to five-day judicial custody for allegedly entering the Jantar Mantar protest site and waving the Tricolour.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke announced the march in a statement posted on X on October 14. He asked supporters to assemble at Central Park in Connaught Place at 5 pm and carry the national flag. Dipke said the gathering would convey that “waving the Tricolour is not a crime”.
Dipke also said he could be arrested after the march but added that this would not deter him. He appealed to people outside Delhi to organise similar Tiranga Marches in their cities.
Police said the organisers had not sought the permission required for a gathering at Central Park. Prohibitory orders under Section 163 are also in force, and police indicated that permission for the proposed event could be difficult to obtain under the prevailing restrictions.
The announcement followed the arrest of CJP members Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka earlier on October 14. According to the report, the two were sent to five-day judicial custody in Tihar Jail. They are therefore expected to miss the proposed Connaught Place gathering.
Police alleged that a group of 14 people, including Das, Ranka and Ajinkya Shinde, entered the Jantar Mantar protest site through a narrow lane behind the Janata Dal (United) office on Monday. The group allegedly climbed over a locked iron gate, unfurled the Tricolour and raised slogans before being detained.
Two separate cases were registered against Das and Ranka, while the other 12 people were released. One case was registered at Connaught Place police station under provisions relating to disobedience of an order issued by a public servant, house trespass and criminal conspiracy. The second case was registered at Parliament Street police station.
Central Park is a major public gathering space in Connaught Place, and any organised event there requires permission from the authorities. The proposed march will therefore depend on whether the organisers obtain approval and whether the gathering can proceed within the restrictions currently in force.
The report did not state whether the organisers had submitted a fresh permission request for the October 16 event. Police and administrative authorities are expected to determine whether the proposed gathering can take place at Central Park under the existing public-order directions.
