Mass Protest in Delhi Against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar
Protest at Jantar Mantar
Protesters demanded the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar due to alleged electoral roll irregularities. (Photo: 'X')
New Delhi, Oct 2: Over 500 individuals, including prominent leaders from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) such as Saurabh Bharadwaj, Sanjeev Jha, Atishi, and Sanjay Singh, were detained by Delhi Police during a demonstration at Jantar Mantar on Friday. The protest was organized to call for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, who is accused of mishandling the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the mass deletion of voters.
SFI General Secretary Aishe Ghosh criticized the police, stating, "While they fail to curb crime in the city, they are quick to protect someone like Gyanesh Kumar." She emphasized that detaining protesters would not quell their movement, declaring, "This is merely the beginning of our fight for democracy."
According to AAP leader Sanjay Singh, he was intercepted at North Avenue and barred from reaching the protest area. A police source indicated that approximately 700 SFI activists attempted to access Jantar Mantar but were halted at the Ashoka Road roundabout, with many being detained.
Initially, police reported around 150 detainees, but later estimates suggested that about 500 protesters, including AAP members and student activists from AISA and SFI, were taken into custody from the vicinity of Jantar Mantar.
Several NSUI activists were also apprehended at the protest site, with some protesters seen breaching barricades on Firoz Shah Road. Bharadwaj shared on social media that he and Jha were detained despite the peaceful nature of the protest, urging supporters to persist in their efforts and gather at Jantar Mantar.
In a video message, Bharadwaj expressed frustration over police claims that permission for the protest had not been granted, questioning the necessity of such permission at a designated protest location. He asserted, "We are exercising our democratic right to voice our concerns."
In response to the protest, the Delhi Metro suspended entry and exit at 12 stations, including Rajiv Chowk, Central Secretariat, and Jantar Mantar. Bharadwaj advised attendees to use nearby open stations and, if feasible, walk to the protest site. Additionally, internet services were disrupted in the area surrounding the demonstration.