Bora alleged that a woman constable assaulted her with her elbow and nails and tried to pull her bra, while a male officer manhandled her: Reports
NEW DELHI: Around 200 protesters, including All India Students’ Association president Neha Bora, civil rights activists c and Yogendra Yadav, were detained near Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on Saturday during a tense face-off with police at a demonstration against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over “vote chori” allegations.
Bora alleged that a woman constable assaulted her with her elbow and nails and tried to pull her bra, while a male officer manhandled her.
The police action came as protesters tried to breach a security cordon and proceed towards the heavily guarded protest venue. Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal also joined the demonstration but left before police began detaining protesters.
The Opposition, meanwhile, is planning a march to the Election Commission on October 6. The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) has announced a protest at Jantar Mantar on October 10 if Kumar does not resign.
Protesters initially assembled near Constitution Club, Kerala House and Janpath before proceeding towards Jantar Mantar, raising slogans such as “Stop Vote Chori” and “Scrap SIR”.
Bora, Sibal, Bhushan, Yadav, social activist Anjali Bharadwaj and senior lawyers Nitya Ramakrishnan and Pallav Sisodia walked towards the venue holding hands.
Thanking them for their support, Bora said: “I hope that when we are your age, we are as strong and steadfast as you all, our heroes.”
On reaching the barricades, Bora climbed over one and chanted: “Delhi Police Vardi Utaro, RSS ki Nikkar Dalo.”
Police began detaining protesters at several points. Some, including Bora and Yadav, were dragged into nearby buses. As the buses moved out of the area, protesters shouted that they would return.
The demonstration followed Bora’s call for activists to return to Jantar Mantar at 1 pm and continue demanding Kumar’s resignation. She was among those detained on Friday.
More than 1,000 protesters were detained at Jantar Mantar and surrounding areas on Friday as police and paramilitary personnel prevented large groups from reaching the protest site. Those detained were subsequently released.
The Congress’ student wing, NSUI, staged a separate protest at India Gate, demanding Kumar’s resignation and arrest over alleged irregularities in the electoral roll revision process. NSUI members and student activists raised slogans seeking transparency and accountability in the Election Commission’s functioning and protection of citizens’ voting rights.
Condemning the police action near Jantar Mantar, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke urged Delhi Police to stop its crackdown on students and activists.
“Dissent is a democratic right, it can not be crushed through force or intimidation. Every attempt to suppress the protest will bring more people to the streets.”
Delhi Police registered at least three FIRs in connection with Friday’s demonstrations — two at Parliament Street police station and one at Connaught Place police station — under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for alleged disobedience of an order duly promulgated by a public servant.
No individual or organisation has been named as an accused, though the FIRs mention details of organisers and groups that proposed or participated in the demonstrations.
The CJP’s call for an October 10 protest came a day after thousands gathered at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park for its demonstration over “vote chori” allegations against Kumar.
The party had earlier spearheaded a month-long agitation at Jantar Mantar over examination paper leaks, following which Dharmendra Pradhan resigned as Union education minister. It is now seeking Mr Kumar’s resignation over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Dipke said citizens and movement members from across the country would converge in New Delhi if Mr Kumar did not step down.
“If Gyanesh Kumar doesn't resign, cockroaches from across India will march to Delhi and protest at Jantar Mantar on October 10. And if the Delhi Police tries to stop us, wherever they stop us will become our Jantar Mantar. Ours will be a peaceful protest. We will walk on the path shown by Mahatma Gandhi,” he said in a statement.
The CJP said the demonstration would “strictly follow a non-violent philosophy”, drawing “structural inspiration from historic civil disobedience to protect public faith in democratic institutions”.
Its leadership said “bureaucratic blockades” would not deter the movement, citing previous prolonged demonstrations and recent detentions.
“This is a fight to save our democracy,” Dipke said. “Every citizen who wants free and fair elections must join us on October 10.”
Meanwhile, Dipke’s post thanking former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee for supporting the movement was restricted on X.
He had posted: “Thank you @MamataOfficial ma'am for extending your support to the cockroach movement! All Indians need to come together to save democracy!”
TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien shared the post, which subsequently became inaccessible. X displayed the message: “Due to local regulations, this content is restricted on X.”
O’Brien said Banerjee had “come out strongly in support of Cockroach” and that Dipke had thanked her. He alleged that a “scared” government was behind the restriction.
Dipke later shared O’Brien’s post and said: “Won't be surprised if the govt takes down my handle before Oct 10.”
