‘More People Will Show Up’: Abhijeet Dipke Alleges Mass Detentions Ahead Of Oct 10 Protest

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke has alleged that authorities are carrying out mass detentions ahead of the outfit’s planned October 10 protest in Delhi, accusing the Narendra Modi government of attempting to suppress dissent.

In a post on X, Dipke claimed that people were being detained before the demonstration and said such action would not prevent the mobilisation planned at Jantar Mantar. “The more people you detain, the more people will show up!” he said.

The CJP has announced a major protest at Jantar Mantar on October 10, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Dipke has urged people across political affiliations to join the demonstration.

CJP Members Allege Police Pressure Ahead Of Protest

Dipke’s allegation comes amid claims by CJP members that police authorities are putting pressure on activists and party workers ahead of Saturday’s protest.

CJP members in Mumbai, Nagpur and Chandrapur have alleged that they were repeatedly called and questioned by police officers from several police stations. Dipke said the calls were linked to the planned October 10 mobilisation and accused authorities of attempting to discourage participation.

Earlier, CJP co-convenor Saurav Das had claimed that he, Dipke and other party leaders could be arrested before the protest. Das alleged that the government was planning to arrest the leaders to prevent the mobilisation, while insisting that the demonstrations would continue.

The claims come against the backdrop of repeated detentions during recent protests over the SIR exercise and demands for Kumar’s resignation. Reuters reported that police detained demonstrators in Delhi during protests earlier this week, while opposition leaders including Rahul Gandhi were also briefly detained during a demonstration on October 7.

October 10 Protest Over SIR, Election Commission

The CJP’s October 10 protest is part of a broader campaign against the SIR exercise, which critics allege could disenfranchise eligible voters. The Election Commission has rejected allegations of political bias, saying the exercise is intended to remove duplicate, deceased and otherwise ineligible entries from electoral rolls.

The planned demonstration follows protests in Delhi and Mumbai demanding Kumar’s resignation. Police had denied permission for some of the recent demonstrations, while protesters continued to gather and were detained in several instances.

Dipke has said the October 10 mobilisation will continue despite attempts to stop it. The CJP has described the proposed demonstration as a peaceful protest focused on electoral rights and democracy.