The Delhi High Court has declined to restrain Cockroach Janata Party and its founder, Abhijeet Dipke, from holding a scheduled demonstration at Connaught Place on Friday (October 16).
Instead, the court recorded an assurance from Delhi Police that they will take "all possible steps" to maintain law and order and address the security concerns raised by the petitioner.
According to Bar & Bench, the bench was hearing a petition filed by Anil Kumar Gupta, a licensed vendor at Palika Bazar, who expressed apprehension that the proposed protest at Central Park, Connaught Place, could disrupt business activities and negatively impact traders and visitors in the area.
During the hearing, Delhi Police assured the court that appropriate measures would be taken in response to the petitioner's concerns. The court has scheduled the matter for further consideration on November 3.
Dipke has called for a nationwide "Lehra Do Teranga" (Hoist the Tricolour) campaign on October 16, urging citizens to gather at Connaught Place Central Park holding national flags at 5:00 PM.
The demonstration has been organized to protest the arrest of CJP members Sourav Das and Ashutosh Ranka. In his appeal, Dipke asserted that hoisting the tricolour is not a crime and invited individuals in other cities to stage similar gatherings, while suggesting that he might be detained for calling the protest.
Political tensions in Delhi have heightened following an incident on Tuesday, when Ashutosh Ranka, Sourav Das, and other CJP activists entered Jantar Mantar defying restrictions imposed by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. A local magistrate subsequently ordered a five-day judicial custody for the arrested leaders, sending them to Tihar Jail.
The protests come amid growing agitation in the capital over allegations of vote tampering and demands for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alongside mounting demonstrations by student and youth groups.
Although security forces and paramilitary personnel have maintained a heavy presence across Delhi, CJP leaders managed to breach security cordons on Tuesday, leading to the detention and subsequent arrest of Sourav Das, Ashutosh Ranka, Ajinkya Shinde, and others. While Ajinkya Shinde was released on a personal bond on Wednesday, Das and Ranka remain in custody.
-SA