Jantar Mantar 2.0: CJP Detentions, Police Crackdown And Political War

Delhi Police detained more than 500 people on Saturday as authorities tightened security across the national capital to prevent a planned protest by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and other groups against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The demonstration was scheduled to take place at Jantar Mantar, but police denied permission, citing serious law-and-order concerns and potential inconvenience to residents.

The crackdown triggered a political confrontation, with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) accusing the BJP-led Centre of imposing a “black emergency”, while the BJP alleged that opposition-linked groups were attempting to destabilise the country.

Mass Detentions And Security Restrictions

Delhi Police said approximately 500 people arriving in groups from different locations had been detained by Saturday morning. Around 50 individuals with criminal backgrounds were also apprehended to prevent possible disruptions. New Delhi was divided into 20 security zones, each with a designated detention centre. Police said detention facilities had been established in stadiums across the capital.

Authorities expected approximately 7,000 protesters to arrive. Personnel were instructed to exercise restraint, avoid reacting to provocation and maintain discipline. Police said unauthorised gatherings would not be permitted and participants could be detained and taken to designated centres.

Thousands of personnel were deployed with body cameras, while drones monitored sensitive areas, including the roundabout near Hotel Le Méridien. Traffic diversions around Jantar Mantar, Parliament Street and other sensitive locations came into force at 6 am.

Police denied CJP permission for the demonstration, saying the party had not submitted a formal application within the prescribed timeline of at least 10 days. Officials also cited previous alleged violations of protest conditions, including demonstrations exceeding permitted time limits.

Political Leaders And Activists Detained

Among those reportedly detained was YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, whom CJP said police picked up from his Gurugram residence around 8 am. According to the party, approximately 50 personnel in civilian clothing arrived at his home.

CJP’s legal affairs head, Ratna Singh, was also reportedly detained from her residence. Content creator Kavya Karnatac was among several women detained in Dhaula Kuan, with visuals showing police personnel escorting or dragging protesters into a bus.

At Indira Gandhi International Airport, police personnel entered the aircraft carrying CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke and fellow activists Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka after it landed. Visuals showed officers asking Dipke to cooperate. He responded that he had come prepared to be arrested, while police maintained that the action was not an arrest and asked him to cooperate.

Earlier, travelling from Mumbai, Dipke accused the government of using police and security forces to prevent citizens from protesting. He questioned the restrictions on rail and metro services, alleged internet disruptions and claimed authorities were visiting homes to discourage participation. He invoked Article 19 of the Constitution, arguing that peaceful protest was a fundamental right.

CJP declared that its protest, which it called “Jantar Mantar 2.0”, had begun despite the restrictions. The party accused authorities of intimidation and demanded Kumar’s resignation over alleged electoral irregularities.

There are reports that even journalists have been detained, as Lok Singh, an independent journalist posted on his instagram account. However, this hasn’t been verified independently.

Transport Curbs And Supreme Court Plea

Railway cancellations expanded sharply ahead of the protest. Northern Railway initially announced the cancellation of 38 Mail and Express trains, subsequently revising the figures several times. By Friday evening, more than 250 incoming, outgoing and local passenger trains had reportedly been cancelled. Authorities cited traffic congestion and warned that further changes were possible, advising passengers to check train status through railway helplines.

Restrictions on metro services also became controversial. A contempt plea was filed in the Supreme Court alleging that the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation’s decision to close entry and exit gates at 45 stations violated the court’s October 9 order concerning transport restrictions.

The petitioner, advocate Shailendra Mani Tripathi, sought contempt action against Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar and DMRC Chairperson D. Thara, along with the withdrawal of blanket restrictions.

BJP And Opposition Trade Accusations

AAP leaders condemned the crackdown. MLA Gopal Rai accused the Centre of effectively imposing a “black emergency” to protect the Chief Election Commissioner. Delhi AAP president Saurabh Bharadwaj said young people should be engaged through dialogue rather than force and maintained that the movement was intended to be non-violent.

BJP national president Nitin Nabin, however, accused two opposition-linked groups, one led by Rahul Gandhi and another associated with Arvind Kejriwal’s allies, of attempting to destabilise the country. He described the situation as “dangerous” and alleged that the groups’ motives were clear to the public.

Meanwhile, CJP co-convenor Saurav Das alleged that his phone number had been leaked through documents circulated by Delhi Police and subsequently shared by media organisations. He claimed to have received more than 300 calls and numerous WhatsApp messages within an hour.

Separately, All India Imam Organisation head Umar Ahmed Ilyasi appealed to Muslims, particularly young people, not to participate in the demonstration, arguing that political parties could exploit their participation.

As of Saturday morning, authorities continued to enforce restrictions across the capital, while the political dispute over the proposed protest, electoral accountability and the limits on peaceful assembly intensified.

Tags Cjp Jantar mantar