CJP calls Tiranga march at Connaught Place despite Delhi Police curbs

New Delhi: Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke has called for a ‘Lehra do Tiranga’ march at Central Park in Connaught Place today at 5 pm despite the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) announcing the park’s closure for two days and Delhi Police warning against mass gatherings in the area.

The proposed march comes amid an escalating standoff between the CJP and Delhi Police over demonstrations demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The agitation has intensified following the withdrawal of Jantar Mantar’s status as a designated protest site and the remand of CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka to judicial custody.

The NDMC said Central Park would remain closed on Friday and Saturday for administrative reasons. Delhi Police, meanwhile, cited prohibitory orders in force in Connaught Place and adjoining areas, while reiterating that the locality is not a designated venue for protests.

Responding to the restrictions, Dipke questioned the authorities’ objections to a march carrying the national flag.

“Why does Delhi Police have a problem with waving the Tiranga?” he said.

Delhi Police has urged people to stay away from the proposed march but indicated that a limited number of people could be allowed to wave the national flag and sing the national anthem at a suitable location.

The police said trader and market associations in Connaught Place and neighbouring areas had sought protection for their establishments from unruly elements and unlawful assemblies, citing concerns over the potential disruption of business during the festival season.

An officer said demonstrations could instead be held at Ramlila Maidan, Burari Ground or CBD Ground after obtaining the requisite permission.

Dipke alleges surveillance
In a post on X, Dipke alleged that he was being followed and kept under constant surveillance.

“The place I am staying at has been surrounded by undercover cops from all sides. These people are keeping me under constant surveillance. The white Scorpio has also been following me everywhere,” he said.

Earlier on Thursday, Dipke addressed a press conference alongside student union representatives from the All India Students’ Association (AISA), Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and All India Students’ Federation (AISF), as well as political activists Prashant Bhushan, Prakash Raj, Anjali Bharadwaj and Nikhil Dey.

Calling for a united movement to protect electoral rights, he urged political parties and civil society groups to set aside ideological differences.

“If the right to vote is not saved, democracy will not be saved,” Dipke said.

The CJP founder alleged that the government was protecting Gyanesh Kumar over irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The party claims that 13 crore voters, accounting for nearly 14 per cent of the electorate, were deleted during the exercise.

Dipke also questioned the scale of the alleged deletions in the context of the 2024 Lok Sabha election results, arguing that the outcome in several constituencies could be influenced by relatively narrow victory margins.

The allegations concerning voter deletions and electoral irregularities are central to the CJP’s campaign against the Chief Election Commissioner.

Jantar Mantar row escalates
The CJP launched its nationwide campaign in Mumbai on October 2, demanding Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over alleged irregularities in electoral rolls. The agitation moved to Delhi on October 10, when a planned demonstration at Jantar Mantar was met with a major police crackdown.

Dipke, Das and Ranka were detained shortly after their flight from Mumbai landed in Delhi. Opposition leaders, activists and students were also detained at various locations as they attempted to join the protest.

The police action triggered protests by student organisations and opposition parties, with several demonstrations spilling over into other parts of the capital.

On October 11, Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar issued an order withdrawing Jantar Mantar’s status as a designated protest site and identifying Ramlila Maidan, Burari Ground and CBD Ground as alternative venues.

The decision prompted further confrontation. On October 13, Das, Ranka and other CJP members entered the barricaded Jantar Mantar site carrying the national flag and raising slogans demanding Kumar’s resignation. Das and Ranka were subsequently sent to five days of judicial custody for allegedly violating their peace bonds and entering the restricted site.

The dispute has also reached the Supreme Court. On Thursday, the court sought responses from the Centre and Delhi Police on a petition challenging the withdrawal of Jantar Mantar’s status as a designated protest venue. The court indicated that it would examine whether the authorities had adequately considered the site’s continued use for demonstrations.

Meanwhile, the CJP’s agitation has drawn support from opposition leaders and student organisations. INDIA bloc MPs marched towards the Election Commission’s office on October 6 but were stopped by police barricades. Opposition leaders subsequently held meetings and protests, while a delegation met President Droupadi Murmu on October 9 to raise concerns over the SIR exercise.

On October 12, INDIA bloc parties marched towards the Supreme Court to raise concerns over the electoral roll revision.

With the proposed Tiranga march at Connaught Place, the confrontation between the CJP and the authorities is set to continue, even as the party presses its demand for Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation and challenges restrictions on its protests.