250 Trains Cancelled, 20,000 Cops Deployed Ahead of CJP Protest
Police are also keeping a close watch on the movements of certain people who could mobilise people or influence them to participate in the proposed demonstration
New Delhi: In an unprecedented move that railway experts say amounts to "surrendering to protesters", the Railway Board on Friday has cancelled over 250 trains connecting New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin stations with destinations across the country ahead of a protest planned by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on October 10, demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The cancellations cover passenger trains scheduled to depart from their originating stations after 2 pm on October 9, as well as those scheduled to arrive at New Delhi or Hazrat Nizamuddin railway stations between 4 am and 2 pm on October 10.
Meanwhile, Delhi Police has detained people with criminal records across all 15 districts of the national capital as part of preventive measures ahead of the CJP proposed protest, police sources said. According to sources, around 30 to 40 people with criminal records have been picked up from all 15 districts as the police stepped up security arrangements to maintain law and order.
Police are also keeping a close watch on the movements of certain people who could mobilise people or influence them to participate in the proposed demonstration, the source said.
Surveillance has been intensified outside the residences of such people as part of the security measures, added the source.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke and leaders Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das will arrive at Terminal 3 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport here on Saturday morning to lead a protest at Jantar Mantar demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation, the organisation said on Friday.The CJP leaders also condemned the alleged detention of people travelling to the capital for the demonstration.
In a statement, CJP alleged that 15-30 students and members travelling from Pune were forced to deboard the Goa Express at Itarsi Junction in Madhya Pradesh and detained by police and Government Railway Police personnel.
The organisation also said activists travelling from West Bengal, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh had been intercepted. In Rajasthan, CJP spokesperson Deepak Baliyan and his brother were allegedly assaulted by police, leaving them seriously injured, it claimed.
CJP alleged that some detainees were being sent back to their home states against their wishes and pressured to sign good-behaviour bonds to prevent them from joining the protest. It demanded their immediate release and safe passage for those travelling to Delhi.
The organisation also condemned reported train cancellations, metro station closures and a temporary suspension of mobile internet services in parts of central Delhi, describing the restrictions as an assault on democratic rights.
"Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar did not seek the permission of citizens before using the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) to delete names from voter rolls. If the state can carry out such a massive deletion of voting rights without accountability, why must citizens beg for permission to exercise their fundamental right to dissent?" Dipke said.
In a video message late at night, Dipke said Saturday's protest in Delhi should not stop even if he was detained.
"Tomorrow is our march. I don't know what will happen to me, whether I will be arrested from the airport or will be later arrested. I will not be cowed down because we want to save the democracy in the country. I am not scared even if I am detained. The government can slap us with NSA or UAPA," Dipke said.
The National Security Act (NSA) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) are considered to be stringent criminal laws.
The CJP wants free and fair polls and that cannot happen without CEC Kumar's resignation or scrapping of SIR or framing of a neutral procedure to appoint election commissioner, Dipke said.
Security arrangements have been tightened across Delhi in view of the proposed protest.
