Leaders of the Janata Sosk Party (CJP) in India were arrested on the eve of a major protest against the Chief Election Commissioner of the country. Delhi police announced that on Saturday, October 10, around 500 people were arrested for participating in this protest. These individuals were moving from various locations towards the center of Delhi.
Preventive Arrests and Potential Damages
The police also arrested 50 others as "anti-social elements with criminal records" to prevent disruption of public order. Images broadcasted on Indian television show police searching for young protesters in central Delhi and transferring them into vehicles.
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Abhijit Deepke, the founder of the Janata Sosk Party, was also arrested by Delhi police. This action was taken as a preventive measure to stop the planned protest. Some reports indicate that Deepke was arrested upon his arrival at the Delhi airport and responded to the police by saying, "I am not afraid of you," while officers asked him to cooperate.
Protests and Political Reactions
The Janata Sosk Party's account on social media platform X published videos of Deepke's arrest and attacked Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India, and Amit Shah, the Minister of Home Affairs. Additionally, security in central Delhi has been significantly increased during the protests, and internet access in these areas has been cut off. Yellow barriers have been installed on routes leading to the protest site to identify and stop protesters.
Nitin Nabin, the national president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), described the protests by the Janata Sosk Party and other opposition parties as an attempt to create a "serious and dangerous situation" in the country during a press conference. He referred to the two groups as "two anarchist groups" and claimed that their efforts were in favor of foreign forces, without providing further details.
Meanwhile, famous YouTuber, Dahrwat Rathee, was also arrested before the protest at Jantar Mantar. The Janata Sosk Party issued a statement saying that Rathee was detained due to his criticisms of the government and the demands of the youth.
These arrests are part of a larger crackdown on protesters this weekend. Previously, the police announced that Section 163 of the Indian Criminal Procedure Code was enforced in the Delhi area, and all forms of gathering and protest are prohibited. Additionally, several metro stations in the capital have been closed, and security measures across the city have been heightened.
This protest is referred to as "Phase Two" of the Janata Sosk movement, which previously led to the resignation of the Minister of Education of India. Police and paramilitary forces, with about 43,000 personnel deployed, are on standby to prevent any disruptions.
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