Don't Join, Will Allow Only 11 Carrying Flag: Delhi Police On CJP's Connaught Place Protest

Urging people at large not to join the protest, the Delhi Police on Thursday said it could "facilitate a group of 11 persons" to carry the national flag and sing the national anthem "at a suitable place" at Central Park in Connaught Place as part of the October 16 march call by the Cockroach Janta Party against alleged electoral fraud.

The offer came hours after the Delhi High Court refused to restrain the CJP from holding the protest in the centre of the national capital, and instead took on record the police's assurance that it would "regulate" the gathering.

Building on that "regulation" and citing the court proceedings, the police on Thursday evening appealed to the general public not to join the assembly, saying prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) were in force in Connaught Place and adjoining areas. "It may be noted that contravention of provisions of Section 163 BNSS will attract suitable legal action against the violators," the statement said.

CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke has asked the public to assemble at Central Park at 5 pm on October 16 with the "tiranga" (tricolour), the national flag. Dipke also wrote on X on Thursday evening: "If we announce 100 places, will (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi shut down all 100 places?"

The police statement noted that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had also urged people to join this protest and reach there in large numbers.

Citing "the current security and law and order situation", the police said the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) had informed the department that Central Park would remain closed on October 16 and 17 "for administrative reasons". 

"The NDMC itself has apprised Delhi Police that the park has been closed for tomorrow and the day after; and has asked not to let any kind of gathering happen near that area," Deputy Commissioner of Police Neha Yadav said at a press conference.

Further, the police cited representations from trader and market associations in Connaught Place and surrounding areas. These associations sought protection "from unruly elements and unlawful assemblies, which is adversely affecting their business, particularly in this festive season".

On the flag, the police said that displaying and carrying the national flag, and singing the national anthem, "are to be done in prescribed manner while according due respect, dignity and decorum".

Security personnel detain a protester at Connaught Place on Thursday. Photo: ANI

Delhi High Court recorded the assurance given by the police that "all possible measures under the law" would be taken to regulate the proposed protest by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) at Connaught Place on Friday. Photo: IANS

The matter had reached the Delhi High Court on a petition by a vendor. The bench of Acting Chief Justice Nitin Wasudeo Sambre and Justice Sanjay Sharma, however, declined to stop the protest. It recorded the police's assurance that it would take "all possible measures under the law" to regulate the gathering.

The police statement referred to the order. It said the force had been directed to address the petitioner's apprehension "by taking all measures to control and regulate the activities of the protestors and also by taking all possible measures, under the law, to maintain peace and tranquillity".

During the hearing, the vendor's lawyer argued that traders would be "on the streets" if they lost another weekend to closures in central Delhi.

"In the heart of Connaught Place Central Park, a protest is called. It seems we are being targeted. This is not a site (for protest). They have already started shutting down. This is the Dussehra weekend. This protest has to be stopped," the lawyer said.

Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma, appearing for the authorities, told the court that steps had already been taken to regulate the protests.

Friday's call follows the detention of hundreds of people who intended to reach Jantar Mantar for the CJP's October 10 protest over alleged electoral fraud. Protests have been going on for days now by Opposition parties led by Rahul Gandhi too. Jantar Mantar was denotified as a protest venue amid this. CJP members Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka are in jail on trespass charges after raising the flag there earlier this week.

At a press conference in Delhi on Thursday, Dipke linked the crackdown to Prime Minister Narendra Modi "protecting" Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. "For the past 10-15 days, students' organisations and the youth of Delhi have been out on the streets, being dragged away. When the Opposition joined them, they were detained too, including the Leader of the Opposition [Rahul Gandhi] and former chief ministers like Mamata Banerjee, Arvind Kejriwal and Pinarayi Vijayan. And all this for whom? For one man, Gyanesh Kumar," Dipke said.

AISA activist Neha Bora alleged that journalists covering the protests had been beaten, dragged and detained for hours despite carrying press cards, and that their cameras had been snatched.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court issued notice to the Election Commission, the Chief Election Commissioner and the two Election Commissioners on petitions by Rahul Gandhi and other INDIA bloc leaders over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Referring to the bloc's October 12 march to the court premises, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said, "Nobody can browbeat the judiciary."

In Mumbai, permission has been granted for a protest at Azad Maidan.