Delhi Protest: Opp Leaders Detained As Of 2:30 PM, Public Hit By Disruptions!

The crackdown on protesters opposing Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar intensified through Saturday afternoon, with several opposition leaders, activists and lawyers reportedly detained as authorities enforced extensive security restrictions across Delhi. The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), whose planned demonstration at Jantar Mantar was denied permission, vowed to continue its protest despite the detention of its key leadership.

The restrictions also affected patients travelling to hospitals, students, workers, commuters and businesses, triggering criticism from opposition parties and civil society groups over their impact on everyday life and the right to peaceful assembly.

Opposition Leaders Detained As Political Confrontation Escalates

Mamata Banerjee and Derek O’Brien were also reportedly detained at around 2:30 PM. CPI(M) leaders, including general secretary M. A. Baby, Brinda Karat and K. K. Shailaja, were detained while marching from Kerala House towards Jantar Mantar. John Brittas and former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan were also reportedly have been detained later.

Karat accused the government of fearing public dissent, saying that while people had earlier been afraid of the government, the situation had now reversed. She alleged that authorities were undermining voting rights and demanded Kumar’s resignation.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge accused the Modi government of turning the “Mother of Democracy” into a “Muzzled Democracy”. He said the detention of young people, students, lawyers, journalists and activists would not weaken the country’s democratic spirit. Kharge pledged that the Congress and the united Opposition would fight to defend the Constitution and citizens’ rights.

Congress leaders Shashi Tharoor and K. C. Venugopal also condemned the restrictions. Tharoor described Delhi as a “war zone”, citing checkpoints, concrete barriers, spike strips and the deployment of 22,000 security personnel. He criticised train cancellations, metro closures, detentions and reported internet restrictions, arguing that the government should provide answers rather than use force.

Venugopal accused the Centre of turning the capital into a lockdown zone and suppressing a peaceful Satyagraha through mass detentions and heavy security deployment.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh demanded Kumar’s resignation and called for the suspension of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, alleging that it had disenfranchised nearly 14 crore Indians. He argued that action was necessary to restore public confidence in the electoral system.

Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi chief Prakash Ambedkar also backed the CJP protest, accusing the government of using transport restrictions to suppress dissent. He urged Dipke not to withdraw from the movement, even if jailed.

CJP Vows To Continue Demonstration

With founder Abhijeet Dipke and fellow activists Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka in detention, CJP announced that its organisation in charge, Ajinkya Shinde, would lead the demonstration at Jantar Mantar. The party said Dipke had anticipated the possibility of arrest and recorded a video message the previous night.

Economist Jean Drèze, speaking at the protest, questioned the scale of the security deployment. He argued that the government was not simply concerned about violence but feared people recognising that their voting rights were being taken away.

Meanwhile, two police personnel were reportedly injured after stones were pelted near Akashwani Bhawan, according to officials cited by PTI. Several people were detained as police attempted to prevent the CJP march. Protesters separately alleged that the police crackdown involved excessive force and violated constitutional rights.

The Supreme Court Bar Association expressed concern over reports that senior and junior advocates, particularly women, had been subjected to force and detention while peacefully protesting near the Supreme Court. It urged the Chief Justice of India to intervene, ensure detainees’ safety and access to legal assistance, investigate the use of force and secure the release of those held without lawful grounds.

Dipke also suffered a personal loss during the day. His 85-year-old paternal grandmother, Savitribai Dipke, died at their native village in Maharashtra after reportedly being unwell for several days. The news came hours after his detention in Delhi.

Transport Restrictions Disrupt Daily Life

The shutdown of metro services and widespread railway cancellations left passengers stranded at stations for hours, with families, students and daily commuters struggling to obtain information or make alternative arrangements.

Patients travelling to Delhi hospitals faced particularly difficult journeys. Reports said people paid ₹1,000 for an auto ride that would normally cost ₹350 to ₹400. AIIMS reportedly saw a sharp decline in footfall from its usual 15,000 daily visitors, while demand for app based rides increased.

A passenger on the Mumbai to Delhi flight carrying Dipke also criticised the disruption after landing, arguing that protests inside aircraft inconvenienced ordinary travellers and questioning whether demonstrations were the best way to address alleged voter list irregularities.

As of 2:30 PM, the confrontation had widened beyond the proposed CJP demonstration, becoming a broader political dispute over electoral integrity, civil liberties, public order and the impact of the security clampdown on Delhi’s residents.

Tags Jantar mantar