NEW DELHI — Tension gripped the national capital on Friday as thousands of demonstrators, led by opposition parties, youth organizations, and student outfits, staged massive protests at Jantar Mantar demanding the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.
The protest turned turbulent when activists belonging to the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) and the Students' Federation of India (SFI) attempted to breach police barricades during their planned march. Police personnel resorted to physical force to push back demonstrators and detained several prominent leaders, including CPI(M) General Secretary M.A. Baby, senior leader Brinda Karat, DYFI All India President A.A. Rahim MP, and Jaick C. Thomas.
Simultaneously, student wings and cadres of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), led by Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly Atishi Marlena, swarmed the Jantar Mantar perimeter shouting anti-government slogans. Key AAP leaders Saurabh Bharadwaj and Sanjeev Jha were also taken into custody along Ashoka Road after police stopped their unauthorized march toward the protest venue.
Detained leaders and activists were reportedly ferried in police vans to multiple police stations along the Haryana border. Despite the wave of detentions, fresh batches of protesters arriving from several states continued to reach the barricades throughout the afternoon.
High Alert and Capital Lockdown
Following intelligence inputs warning that the agitation could escalate into widespread unrest, Delhi Police issued a state of high alert across central Delhi. Precautionary measures paralyzed transit and daily movement in the heart of the city:
Metro Closures: Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) completely shut down 11 key metro stations.
Road Closures: Heavy barricades cordoned off all major arterial roads within a two-kilometer radius of Jantar Mantar.
Security & Communications: Paramilitary forces were deployed in substantial numbers alongside local police, while mobile internet connectivity was snapped in central pockets to hinder coordination among gathering crowds.
Core Demands and Nationwide Movement
The demonstrators are demanding:
The immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The registration of criminal charges against the CEC.
An immediate halt to the controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR) proceedings.
Transparent and independent appointment mechanisms within the Election Commission of India.
In addition to the rallies led by the INDIA bloc, the satirical youth movement Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), founded by Abhijeet Dipke, has also called for nationwide demonstrations. Despite the Maharashtra government denying permission, Dipke affirmed that the CJP would launch its protest rally from Mumbai’s historic Shivaji Park. The nationwide campaign is slated to traverse major cities before culminating at Jantar Mantar by the end of October. The situation in Central Delhi remains on edge as thousands of demonstrators remain stationed in adjoining areas.
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