Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke and All India Students’ Association (AISA) national president Neha Bora were detained by Delhi Police on Friday ahead of the proposed ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ march at Connaught Place, even as supporters carrying the national flag assembled in nearby areas despite prohibitory restrictions.
Around 2,000 people had gathered in and around Connaught Place, while Central Park, the intended venue of the march, remained closed to the public for the second consecutive day, as per an Indian Express report.
Dipke, Bora taken into preventive custody
Officials said Dipke was taken into preventive custody as he left his residence in Jhandewalan to head towards the scheduled 5 pm protest. Police had earlier served him notices, warning him against holding an unauthorised march in the restricted area.
Bora was detained at Mandi House, where student groups had attempted to mobilise support for the proposed march.
As police stopped him, Dipke asked what offence he had committed by walking alone. Officers cited prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which empower authorities to impose restrictions on gatherings to maintain public order.
Police also said the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) had not granted permission for the proposed event. They clarified that displaying the Tricolour was not prohibited, but holding a march or assembly without authorisation at a restricted location was not permitted.
The CJP has described its proposed action as a peaceful flag march, while police maintained that the venue and the proposed assembly were not authorised.
Protesters assemble near Central Park
With Central Park sealed, supporters moved to nearby streets and the entrances to Palika Bazaar, carrying flags and raising slogans. Participants included students and people who had travelled from outside Delhi, with some citing concerns over electoral rolls, unemployment and the situation in Manipur.
More than 25,000 police and paramilitary personnel were deployed across New Delhi and adjoining areas, with additional forces posted around the proposed march route. Barricades, additional CCTV cameras and detention buses were placed near Connaught Place, while traffic police warned of disruptions on roads, including Sansad Marg and Janpath.
March called over arrests, poll roll revision
The proposed march was called after CJP members Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were sent to five days’ judicial custody for allegedly entering Jantar Mantar on October 13 and waving the national flag. Police had recently removed Jantar Mantar from the list of designated protest sites.
The CJP has disputed the action against its members and argued that citizens should be allowed to protest peacefully.
The outfit has also been demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Protesters and opposition parties have questioned large-scale deletions of names from voter lists.
The Election Commission has rejected allegations of partisan bias, saying names deleted in error can be restored through the prescribed process.
Courts decline urgent relief
On Thursday, the Delhi High Court declined to restrain the proposed protest outright and recorded the police’s assurance that any gathering would be regulated in accordance with law. The court, however, did not grant permission for an assembly at Central Park.
On Friday, the Supreme Court declined to issue urgent directions against the closure of the park while referring to the difficulties faced by small traders during the festive season.
Traders in Connaught Place have complained that repeated barricading and protest calls have affected business. A restaurant owner has approached the High Court seeking compensation for losses allegedly caused by earlier disruptions.
Dipke, however, has argued that restrictions and closures, rather than peaceful demonstrators, were hurting trade in the area.
