CJP Protest: Over 100 Detained; Dipke Vows To Protest Again

Patna: Union Minister Chirag Paswan on Sunday claimed that CJP's protests in Delhi over alleged irregularities in the SIR exercise were an attempt to "create anarchy" in the country, and hailed the central government for bringing the situation under control.He also slammed the Congress for allegedly causing trouble for Delhiites by staging demonstrations on the same issue for the last several days and charged the grand old party with "remaining silent on allegations of sexual assault by a JNU professor who happens to be its MP".

The comments come days after the chief of LJP (Ram Vilas), an ally of the ruling NDA, had said cancelling trains cannot stop India's youth in an apparent reference to the security clampdown in the national capital in view of the October 10 CJP protest.

He had also lambasted the opposition parties for allegedly spreading false narratives and playing politics with demonstrations against the Election Commission.

"We consider protests to be legitimate when people put forward their views peacefully. But if anti-social elements use agitation as a pretext to pursue their own agenda, it becomes necessary to identify them. I believe that yesterday's protest was meant to promote anarchy. In such a situation, the central government appropriately brought the situation under control," Paswan told reporters here.

He accused CJP leaders of trying to "lead the youth towards anarchy", saying they must be identified and stopped.

The Cockroach Janata Party, incidentally, began as a satirical online campaign against a remark made by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant in the Supreme Court, though he later claimed that his utterances had been reported out of context.

Several protesters were detained by security personnel while marching towards Jantar Mantar from Connaught Place's Inner Circle and Rajiv Chowk in Delhi, as the protest called by the CJP entered its second day on Sunday.

Several CJP leaders were detained on Saturday amid an unprecedented security clampdown in Delhi, with more than 7,000 demonstrators detained at multiple locations as police prevented them from reaching Jantar Mantar in Delhi.

"How many trains can be stopped, how much connectivity can be curbed, how many roads can be jammed...The youth of India have the capability to show the way for the world. Nobody can stop them," Paswan had said.

The CJP and opposition parties have been demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.

The LJP(RV) chief accused the Congress leadership of doing selective criticism and remaining silent on allegations of sexual harassment against a party MP who served as a JNU professor.

"An MP has responsibilities, and so does a professor - a person whom students regard as a teacher, and in many cases, a figure worthy of reverence. The alleged sexual offences that have come to light are deeply concerning. What is even more troubling is the selective criticism by the Congress," he said.

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on Friday dismissed professor Angomcha Bimol Akoijam, also a Congress MP, over sexual harassment complaints against him, an official order said, even as he termed his dismissal a "witch hunt" and questioned whether due process was followed.

According to reports, at least 11 female students had filed sexual harassment complaints against the professor in May.

"Remaining silent in this manner is shameful, particularly for a party that gave the country its first woman prime minister," Paswan said.

The LJP(RV) leader dismissed Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's claims of "vote theft" through the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and an alleged threat to democracy.

"The Congress is unwilling to accept that it has lost public confidence," he said, adding that the party was venting its frustration over electoral defeats.

"The reality is that the Congress has failed to realise that it has lost its footing and that people have lost faith in it. If the party genuinely believes that SIR is responsible for its electoral defeats, it should let all its elected representatives resign as a sign of protest because they have won under the same electoral system," Paswan said.

He claimed that the prime minister pledged that the nation would be governed in accordance with the Constitution.

"Democracy in a country like India is not a joke...Governments will come and go, and leaders will come and go, but India's democracy can never be destroyed," Paswan said.

Responding to opposition's remarks nudging him to resign because he was reportedly unhappy with the NDA government's handling of the law and order situation in Bihar, Paswan said that "escaping from the situation was not a solution" and he would try to resolve the problems.

"I come from the Paswan clan, who were conventionally known for guarding and protecting people as watchdogs for generations. My role in the government is similar. Be it the amendments to the Waqf law, lateral entry or any other issue, I firmly put my views in the government. If something is wrong in Bihar, I will bring that to the table and try to solve the issue. Running away is not a solution," he said.

Paswan has time and again spoken against the Bihar government despite being a part of the ruling alliance, triggering unease and speculation of a rift within the NDA.

Responding to an alleged harassment of a woman by a group of youths at the Mandar Hill in Bihar, days after similar incidents were reported in Jamui and Samastipur, Paswan had last month described such incidents as "shameful" and said the government should not "run away from accountability". — PTI

New Delhi: As thousands of protesters were detained across Delhi during the CJP agitation over two days, a network of volunteers, doctors, lawyers and social media influencers has stepped forward to help, offering everything from medical assistance to legal aid for the demonstrators.The support to detainees and their families has been offered both by individuals, as well as coordinated volunteer groups, who are amplifying social media appeals to connect them with relevant resources.

A CJP volunteer, in a social media post, said more than 130 people were now working on a protest support initiative after a meeting of volunteers who had helped protesters during Saturday's agitation.

"We have about 130-plus people working on this initiative now. So I thought it was time to just turn it into a thing," the volunteer said in a video outlining plans to bring different support groups together.

The initiative includes a "Detainee Ghar Wapsi Yojana", aimed at arranging transport and supplies for people returning home after being released from custody, and the Immediate Response First Aid Network (IRFAN), which brings together doctors and volunteers to help injured protesters.

Another initiative, called PAUSE, or People Are Under Systemic Exhaustion, has been developed to connect people experiencing trauma and exhaustion with therapists offering mental health support, according to the volunteer.

The volunteer also announced plans for a scouting team to gather information from the ground, a creator network to keep journalists and others updated about developments at different locations and an information network to collect updates and pass them on to those who need them.

A legal aid network is also being set up to connect detained protesters and their families with lawyers.

"The lawyers, we need you," the volunteer said, appealing to more legal professionals to join the initiative.

The group is also working to bring together people who have started similar efforts independently. A central command and designated points of contact for each initiative are being planned to coordinate assistance.

The volunteer said the network's reach had expanded beyond the protest site to the wider Delhi-NCR region, as protesters taken into custody were being moved to different locations, including stadiums and hospitals.

"We are going to be more efficient so that wherever you are, we are there," the volunteer said, adding that the group would do its best to ensure protesters received support.

Beyond organised initiatives, individual social media users have also been offering help. One user, identifying themselves as a doctor, said they wanted to assist injured protesters and would be available near Gurdwara Bangla Sahib.

Others, including volunteers and legal professionals, have offered their contact details for circulation among protesters and their families, while the social media platform, Instagram, has become the centre for assistance coordination.

The efforts come as protesters and their supporters navigate a massive deployment of security personnel in the national capital. On Saturday, Delhi Police prevented demonstrators from reaching Jantar Mantar, where the proposed gathering had been denied permission.

More than 30,000 police and paramilitary personnel were deployed across Delhi as part of the security arrangements. CJP leaders, including Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, were detained as soon as they landed in the city on Saturday, while more than 7,000 protesters were detained at multiple locations.

Several opposition leaders, including former chief ministers Arvind Kejriwal, Mamata Banerjee, Pinarayi Vijayan and Manik Sarkar, were also detained while attempting to join the protest.

The CJP and opposition parties have been demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the functioning of the Election Commission and the conduct of the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. — PTI 

Goa Police on Sunday detained several protesters heading to the Cockroach Janta Party’s agitation demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation, stopping them before the demonstration could begin. Dozens were rounded up near Azad Maidan, while former Allahabad High Court Chief Justice Ferdin Rebello, lawyers Claud and Norma Alvares, and activists Swapnesh Sherlekar and Govind Shirodkar were prevented from entering the venue. CJP leader Amreen Shaikh was among those detained. Protesters gathered on the road outside the Goa Police headquarters after being denied entry. Rebello questioned the legal basis for restricting access to Azad Maidan, saying entering the venue was not an offence. The CJP and opposition parties have been demanding Kumar’s resignation over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.

Union Minister Chirag Paswan on Sunday accused the CJP of attempting to “create anarchy” through its protests in Delhi against alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, while defending the Centre’s handling of the situation. He said peaceful protests were legitimate but alleged that some elements were using demonstrations to pursue their own agenda. Paswan also criticised the Congress for disrupting life in Delhi through repeated demonstrations and accused the party of selective criticism over sexual harassment allegations against its MP and former JNU professor Angomcha Bimol Akoijam. He dismissed Rahul Gandhi’s allegations of “vote theft”, arguing that the Congress had lost public confidence.

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Sunday said five of its leaders — Ankit Bharadwaj, Anam, Mukesh All-rounder, Balakrishna and Sudhir Sangwan — were detained while protesting peacefully. Reiterating its resolve to continue the agitation, the group said it would neither back down nor be intimidated, adding, “This is the beginning of the end of this dictatorship.”