1 day ago
Activists Condemn Delhi Police Crackdown as Jantar Mantar Protests Continue
People gathered in Delhi to protest and ask Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to resign.
They also raised concerns about changes to electoral rolls.
Police detained many protesters on Friday, and later reports said the number was about 1,000.
Aishe Ghosh and Abhijeet Dipke criticised the police response.
Ghosh said the protest movement would continue.
People came back to protest on Saturday, and police detained some of them again.
The Election Commission said its decisions follow the law and that members can have different views during their work.
The dispute is about both the police response and the election-related concerns raised by protesters.
Aishe Ghosh and Abhijeet Dipke criticised Delhi Police over its action against protesters at Jantar Mantar.
Protesters were demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation and raising concerns about the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
Hundreds were detained on Friday; later media reports put the number at around 1,000.
Protesters returned on Saturday, when police again detained several people, including Neha Bora and Yogendra Yadav.
The Election Commission said differences within its three-member panel are part of institutional deliberations and that its revision orders follow legal procedures.
- Who
- Protesters, including Aishe Ghosh, Neha Bora and Yogendra Yadav; Delhi Police; and the Election Commission.
- What
- Protests demanding Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation and raising concerns about electoral-roll revision continued after police detained demonstrators.
- Where
- Jantar Mantar, Delhi; a separate Cockroach Janta Party demonstration took place at Shivaji Park, Mumbai.
- When
- Friday and Saturday; Dipke also called for a protest on October 10 if Kumar does not resign.
- Why
- Protesters demanded the Chief Election Commissioner’s resignation and raised concerns about the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
Protesters and critics
Police and election authorities
Police response to demonstrations
Protesters and critics
Ghosh and Dipke condemned the police action, describing it as brutality and suppression of peaceful dissent.
Police and election authorities
The articles report the detentions but do not include a response from Delhi Police.
Electoral-roll revision
Protesters and critics
Protesters raised concerns about the Special Intensive Revision and demanded Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.
Police and election authorities
The Election Commission said its orders on the revision have legal sanction and follow statutory procedures.
Key facts
- Friday detentions
- Hundreds were detained; later media reports put the total at around 1,000.
- Saturday action
- Police again detained several protesters, including Neha Bora and Yogendra Yadav.
- Main demand
- Protesters called for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to resign.
- Election issue
- Demonstrators raised concerns about the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
- Aishe Ghosh
- The former JNU Students’ Union president said the protest movement had entered a new phase.
- Abhijeet Dipke
- The Cockroach Janta Party founder criticised Delhi Police and called for another protest on October 10 if Kumar does not resign.
- Election Commission response
- It said differing views in its three-member panel are part of institutional deliberations and its orders follow statutory procedures.
Quotes
Abhijeet Dipke
Founder of the Cockroach Janta Party
“By crushing dissent and cracking down on peaceful protesters, Delhi Police is bringing nothing but shame to the institution and the country”
telegraphindia.com
“Jantar Mantar 2.0 has just begun, it's only going to be over with the removal of Gyanesh Kumar”
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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