New Delhi: Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder and convener Abhijeet Dipke Thursday alleged CJP members Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka had been put in judicial custody for merely attempting to unfurl the tricolour at Jantar Mantar, questioning how the act could threaten law and order.
Calling on people to gather at Connaught Place’s Central Park at 5pm on Oct 16, Dipke said: “We want to show them that hoisting the tricolour is not a crime. “When you drag people through Delhi’s streets, you are dragging those 13 crore people whose names have been removed from the electoral rolls. Bhushan questioned SIR’s implications for people who frequently changed residences, citing Form 6 declarations and possible imprisonment for incorrect declarations. Alleging Delhi had been shut down to prevent the Oct 10 protest, he said: “People have the right to protest as much as traffic movement has the right.
Because of your sexual harassment or physical assaults,” she said, referring to alleged voter deletions and misconduct against protesters, this movement will not stop.
Bora said the movement drew strength from ordinary households and extended beyond organisational banners. Challenging Modi, home minister Amit Shah and Kumar to answer questions before the media, Raj said: “An answer to our question cannot be another question. “A precedent is being created… if you hoist the tricolour, you will go to jail,” she said.
Dipke was addressing a news conference at Press Club of India alongside AISA’s Neha Bora, SFI’s Aishe Ghosh, AISF’s Viraaj Devang, actor-activist Prakash Raj and senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Prashant Bhushan, among others. The speakers demanded CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation, release of Das and Ranka, and restoration of access to Jantar Mantar for protests. It must be an answer. Saying young people had overcome their fear, he added: “Every street will become Jantar Mantar. It doesn’t have to be curbed; it has to be regulated. Ghosh urged citizens who believed in democracy to unite, alleging arbitrary detentions reflected an Emergency-like situation. Devang alleged students had been dragged through the streets, leaving many injured. He demanded Kumar’s resignation and an end to SIR. ASAP co-incharge Eshna Gupta questioned the scale of police and paramilitary deployment: “Are we at war? Has our country been attacked?”