New Delhi: Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) Monday gave Delhi Police 24 hours to set a date for its proposed protest at Jantar Mantar against alleged electoral roll revision irregularities, offering the force the choice to decide when it could be held.
Even Firoz Shah Road, around 10 minutes away, had barricades and police personnel stationed along it. Closer to Parliament Street, access was restricted, with loudspeakers repeatedly warning: “Section 163 of BNSS is in place. In its communication, CJP claimed that over 55,000 police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed across Delhi over the past three days, disrupting normal life.
However, just as the green light was sought, police announced the denotification of Jantar Mantar as a designated protest site, throwing CJP’s plan into uncertainty and prompting it to slam the move. Soon after Jantar Mantar’s denotification was announced, Ranka posted on social media, “Why not declare Mt Everest as the designated protest site?
Ranka said, “We have come to police with a letter giving them the option to suggest a date on which we can hold our protest. Hours before party co-convenors Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka came to Parliament Street police station to submit a letter regarding its demand, barricades and security personnel had taken over adjacent roads. Please abide by law and order. Stay away from barricades on the road. Just outside the police station, security was even tighter, with announcements also spelling out restrictions for media personnel. The DCP came into the room, but left when he saw us sitting there. So, we could not meet him. The additional DCP and SHO are not present. It appears the entire police station has been vacated since CJP members arrived. Anyway, we have submitted the letter. It alleged arbitrary detentions, physical aggression and prolonged custody involving common people and journalists, besides flagging financial losses suffered by businesses forced to down shutters. Thirty minutes after we went to Delhi Police asking for a date when we can go to Jantar Mantar, it was denotified.”