'Delhi metro band karna kya hai?' Dipke asks as CJP protest in Shivaji Park sparks ‘inconvenience’ debate

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Friday raised questions over Delhi metro closure as he targeted the authorities for denying permission for protest in Mumbai's Shivaji Park and at Delhi's Jantar Mantar.

Follow latest updates on CJP's Mumbai protest

Dipke, who is in Mumbai for the CJP's protest seeking Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation, asked if protest at Shivaji Park is causing inconvenience to the public, what about the closure of metro stations in Delhi.

“Shivaji Park par protest karna public ke liye inconvenience hai toh Delhi me metro band karna kya hai,” Dipke wrote on X.

Metro stations shut in Delhi

Ahead of the protest at Jantar Mantar called by the All India Students’ Association (AISA) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) announced the closure of entry and exit facilities at 12 metro stations till further notice amid heightened security.

The restrictions coincide with Gandhi Jayanti programmes at Rajghat and Vijay Ghat as the Delhi Traffic Police has enforced special arrangements in central Delhi from 5 am to 11 am, HT reported earlier. Track latest updates on Jantar Mantar protest

AAP leaders among 500+ detained at Jantar Mantar

As protesters gathered at Jantar Mantar on Friday despite being denied permission, the Delhi Police detained over 500 people, including AAP leaders Saurabh Bharadwaj, Sanjeev Jha, Atishi and Sanjay Singh, as well as activists of some student outfits, news agency PTI reported.

Political parties and members of AISA, SFI, NSUI and other student bodies are protesting to demand Gyanesh Kumar's resignation over the alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and mass deletion of voters.

Police said they stopped AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh at North Avenue, preventing them from proceeding to the protest site.

Bharadwaj, in a post on X, said he and Jha were detained despite the peaceful protest. He urged party workers and supporters to continue the agitation and reach Jantar Mantar.

CJP's Mumbai protest

CJP activists and other civil society organisations staged a protest at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park on Friday against the Election Commission and the alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.

Heavy police deployment was seen at Shivaji Park in Mumbai in view of the protest call. In Delhi, security was tightened in central Delhi after police denied permission for the proposed demonstration and imposed restrictions under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023.

CJP spokesperson Saurav Das alleged that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar was a “traitor” and the "real anti-national" and claimed the protest in Mumbai would receive support from people across the country.

“The youth of the whole country, the young generation, everyone came out last time for the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan. And this time too, it is going to be the same with Gyanesh Kumar, who is a traitor to the country. The youth of Mumbai are hitting the streets again. Today, a massive protest is going to happen at Shivaji Park. And I want, I appeal to all the Mumbaikars and our friends. Everyone come,” Das said.