Top news of the day: Lawyers, journalists, Mamata, Kejriwal, Dipke detained over anti-CEC protest; contempt plea filed in Supreme Court over continued transit shutdown in Delhi, and more
Delhi Police detained over 500 protesters, including prominent political figures like Arvind Kejriwal, ahead of a planned demonstration against the Chief Election Commissioner. The protest, organized by the Cockroach Janta Party, demands the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar.
Why it matters
Mass detentions of political figures and activists raise significant concerns regarding civil liberties and the right to protest in a democracy.
The All India Students’ Association alleged that Delhi Police has illegally taken away the phones of Neha Bora , President of AISA and Nirma, an AISA activist, at Maidan Garhi detention centre. Activist and scientist Sonam Wangchuk said that he will be “compelled” to consider an Anshan Fast or Padyatra March if detained protestors are not released by tomorrow.
Even as the Delhi Police — who denied permission for the demonstration — detained founder Abhijeet Dipke and other CJP leaders, including Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka as soon as they landed in Delhi, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) said the protest against CEC Gyanesh Kumar and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls will carry on with or without its leadership.
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