'You've Turned Delhi Into India-Pak Border': Dipke Alleges Centre 'Protecting' Gyanesh Kumar

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke accused the government of turning Delhi “into a border, like the India-Pakistan border” through extensive security deployment to prevent protests demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.

Addressing a joint press conference in New Delhi with Kapil Sibal, Prakash Raj, Prashant Bhushan and Neha Bora, Dipke questioned the restrictions imposed across the capital and accused the authorities of using force against students and Opposition leaders.

“Student organisations have been dragged, the Opposition has been dragged, and former Chief Ministers have been dragged through the streets,” he said.

'Why Is Gyanesh Kumar So Important?'

Dipke criticised the police action against CJP members carrying the national flag and questioned why the government was providing Kumar with extensive protection.

“Why is Gyanesh Kumar so important to Narendra Modi? Why should we not believe that Gyanesh Kumar is helping Narendra Modi win elections?” he asked.

“If he is not helping him win elections, why is Narendra Modi providing him with so much protection?” Dipke added.

He also accused the authorities of bringing Delhi to a standstill through restrictions on railway and Metro services and the deployment of additional security forces.

Police Ask For Extension Of Central Forces’ Deployment

Earlier this week, Delhi Police sought an extension of the deployment of 273 Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) companies until October 20, citing intelligence inputs about further protests, The Indian Express reported.

The request was sent on Monday by the office of the Special Commissioner of Police (Operations) to the Union Home Ministry. Police said the existing deployment was due to expire and that additional personnel were needed to respond to a possible law-and-order situation.

The ministry had sanctioned 301 companies for Delhi Police—221 on October 6 and another 80 on October 8. Each company has approximately 100 personnel.

However, 28 of the additional companies had not reported for deployment, according to the police communication.

“In view of this, it is requested to extend the deployment period of only 273 companies out of 301 companies of CAPFs till October 20 beyond October 12,” the letter stated, according to The Indian Express.

CJP Calls For Tricolour Gathering 

Dipke called on Thursday for people to assemble at Central Park on Friday with the national flag, alleging that Das and Ranka had been “jailed only for unfurling the Tricolour”.

The two CJP leaders had held the national flag and raised slogans against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar before police took them away on Tuesday. Jantar Mantar had been denotified as a protest site on Monday.

The CJP and several other organisations and political parties have been staging demonstrations demanding Kumar’s resignation over alleged irregularities in the SIR exercise. The latest call for a gathering at Connaught Place has prompted police to prepare for possible crowd-control and traffic challenges.