Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), announced on Thursday that he believes he could be detained by Delhi Police before the party's planned Tiranga march. Dipke claimed that intelligence personnel were monitoring him and that unmarked vehicles had been following him.
Surveillance Claims and Arrests
Dipke told reporters that Intelligence Bureau (IB) personnel had been questioning the watchman outside his residence, seeking updates on his activities. He also highlighted the recent arrests of two CJP colleagues, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, suggesting a pattern of suppression against those waving the national flag.
“Delhi Police can detain me tonight or tomorrow morning,” Dipke stated at a press conference, adding, “but I want to tell Narendra Modi that we are not going to be scared by this.” He questioned why the Prime Minister would appear to oppose citizens waving the tricolour, asserting his readiness to face imprisonment for the act.
Tiranga March Objectives
The CJP's Tiranga march, scheduled for Friday, aims to protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The party is demanding Kumar's immediate removal, citing alleged irregularities in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. Dipke emphasized that the CJP seeks a replacement for Kumar through an independent and unbiased process, not a change in government.
“We are just saying remove Gyanesh Kumar, who is not even listening to his ECs, and appoint a new election commissioner in an independent, unbiased manner. Is this a crime?” Dipke questioned, describing the situation as an undeclared emergency.
Central Park Closure and Response
The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) announced on Thursday that Central Park in Connaught Place, the intended venue for the protest, would be closed on October 16 and 17. Dipke criticized this decision, asking if the authorities intended to shut down every location where citizens might choose to wave the national flag.
Despite the park closure and the threat of detention, Dipke affirmed that the CJP would proceed peacefully with its plan to wave the national flag and continue its demand for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's removal.