CJP activist to march in Delhi, says protest will go on despite arrest

CJP activist Abhijeet Dipke will lead a march at Delhi's Jantar Mantar on Oct 10 to demand accountability from CEC Gyanesh Kumar over the SIR exercise. He stated the protest will continue even if he is arrested, urging supporters to remain peaceful.

Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) activist Abhijeet Dipke on Friday said he would travel from Mumbai to Delhi for a march at Jantar Mantar on October 10, asserting that the protest would continue even if he was detained or arrested. The proposed protest is aimed at seeking accountability from Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise of electoral rolls.

In a self-made video posted on X, Dipke urged people to participate in the march in large numbers while maintaining peace and discipline. He said he would not back down despite the possibility of being detained or arrested upon arriving in the national capital.

'Not Going to Step Back'

“Tomorrow our march is going to take place at Jantar Mantar. For that, tomorrow morning I will leave from Mumbai for Delhi. After landing in Delhi, what will happen to me, I don't know. Whether I will be arrested right from the airport or arrested after that... I'm really not sure. But one thing is for sure, I am not going to step back, I am not going to be afraid, because we have to save our country's democracy," he said. https://x.com/abhijeet_dipke/status/2108580945779634425?s=20

“So my only request to all of you is that in case I am detained or in case I am arrested, I have no fear of that. If this government wants to invoke the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against me, National Security Act (NSA), or whatever they want to invoke, you can do so. But what I am fighting for, what CJP is fighting for, is free and fair elections. We need free and fair elections, and those elections cannot happen without the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar, cannot happen without scrapping SIR, and cannot happen without an independent selection procedure through which Election Commissioners are selected. That process needs to be neutral and independent. Without that, free and fair elections cannot happen,” he added.

Call for Peaceful Demonstration

Calling the demonstration a fight to protect democracy, Dipke appealed to participants to ensure that the march remained peaceful and non-violent. He emphasised that protesters should follow the law and avoid any actions that could undermine the purpose of the demonstration.

“This is a fight to save the country's democracy. Therefore, all of you, please come to Delhi's Jantar Mantar tomorrow in large numbers. But again, my request to everyone is—remember, we are law-abiding citizens, we are peaceful citizens. So no mistake should be made from our end. We are not goons," Dipke said.

Alleges Possible Disruption

Dipke also alleged that attempts could be made to disrupt the demonstration, referring to the recent release on bail of Swatantra Bharadwaj.

“It is possible that during this time, these people might send some goons from outside to ruin things, just like they did last time. And that Swatantra Bharadwaj—they have granted him bail now, so they did it for these very reasons, so that they can intentionally try to ruin things. But this is your responsibility. We are responsible citizens. I love my country, which is why I left America and came back to my country,” he said.

'Protest Should Not Stop If I Am Arrested'

Dipke further urged supporters not to allow the march to be centred solely around him and asked them to continue the demonstration even if he was arrested.

“So after I go to jail or after I get arrested, your protest should not stop. It's up to the people of India, it's up to the believers of the Constitution, it's up to the people who love this country to make this protest a big success,” he said.

Delhi Police Denies Permission for March

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police on Friday rejected the application seeking permission for the planned demonstration on October 10. Officials cited the short notice, past non-compliance and prevailing law-and-order concerns as reasons for rejecting the application.

The proposed march comes amid heightened security arrangements in the national capital, with the authorities preparing to manage traffic and maintain law and order around Jantar Mantar and other areas. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)