Addressing a press conference, Dipke claimed that Railways and Metro services had been disrupted and that security forces had been deployed across Delhi ahead of protests demanding Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation. He alleged that student organisations, Opposition leaders and former Chief Ministers were being “dragged through the streets.”

“You have even called unfurling the Tricolour a violation of law. For whom? For Gyanesh Kumar? What is Gyanesh Kumar giving Narendra Modi? You have brought Delhi to a standstill, shut down the Railways, shut down the Metro and turned Delhi into a border, like the India-Pakistan border. You have called in all the forces to Delhi. Student organisations have been dragged, the Opposition has been dragged, and former Chief Ministers have been dragged through the streets. All this for one Gyanesh Kumar? Why is Gyanesh Kumar so important to Narendra Modi? Why should we not believe that Gyanesh Kumar is helping Narendra Modi win elections? If he is not helping him win elections, why is Narendra Modi providing him with so much protection?” Dipke said.

Dipke’s remarks come amid continuing protests against the Chief Election Commissioner over the Election Commission’s handling of the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. Protesters have demanded Kumar’s resignation, alleging irregularities in the revision process.

AISA alleges action against journalists

All India Students’ Association (AISA) activist Neha Bora also addressed the press conference and expressed solidarity with journalists covering the protests. She alleged that reporters carrying valid press cards were detained for hours and claimed that cameras were seized from some of them.

“We know that you keep saying that you have press cards in your hands, that this is our press card, and by beating and dragging the journalists of Caravan’s Quint, they were detained for hours, despite knowing that they had press cards,” Bora said.

She further alleged that journalists were warned against covering the CJP protest. “We saw how cameras were snatched from journalists and they were told that they would not get the camera if they cover this,” she said.

Counter FIR row escalates tension

Bora also referred to a counter FIR filed against a woman journalist who had accused Delhi Police Assistant Commissioner Vivek Bhagat of sexual harassment. According to reports, Bhagat has alleged that the journalist made casteist remarks against him, while she has alleged that he groped her during a protest on October 3.

“Yesterday, shockingly we see that a journalist who is covering news and is being sexually harassed by Vivek Bhagat when she goes to file an FIR, then yesterday it turns out that a counter FIR is registered against her,” Bora alleged.

She accused the police of acting in favour of a political party instead of maintaining law and order. “When common people reach the police to appeal for justice, that police, instead of maintaining law and order, giving support to a particular political party, cracks down on the public itself. This is a classic example of what we have been seeing in this country for so long,” she added.

Tiranga protest call at Connaught Place

The CJP and several other organisations have called on people to gather at Central Park in Delhi’s Connaught Place on Saturday and wave the national flag. The protest has been announced as the next stage of the agitation against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Dipke has urged supporters to assemble with the Tricolour at 5 pm on October 16, saying the gathering would demonstrate that waving the national flag is not a crime. The Aam Aadmi Party has also extended support to the call.

Delhi Police had earlier de-notified Jantar Mantar as a protest venue and identified Ramlila Ground, Burari Ground and CBD Ground as alternative locations, a move that has become a key point of dispute between protesters and authorities.