The Delhi Police defends the move to impose strict restrictions in the wake of the Cockroach Janata Party’s (CJP) planned protest at Jantar Mantar on Saturday. On Friday, police issued a statement titled, “What is the rationale for the restrictions being put in New Delhi?.”
The statement came as the Centre drew criticism for “shutting down” Delhi ahead of the massive demonstration, likely to be attended by several political parties. More than 200 trains were cancelled, 45 Delhi metro stations were shut, and mobile internet services were also restricted in areas around Jantar Mantar on Saturday.
The protest on October 10 was organised to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar amid allegations of irregularities in the ongoing Special Intensive Exercise (SIR) of the electoral roll.
In a sharp post on X shortly before boarding his flight at the Mumbai airport on Saturday, wrote that the shutdown of Delhi and “crackdown” on supporters were “not signs of strength”, but of a leader terrified of his own people.
He posted, [PM Narendra] Modi has accepted defeat even before our protest has begun. The mass crackdown on protesters and the shutdown of Delhi are not signs of strength, but of a leader terrified of his own people.”
Left parties also condemned restrictions imposed ahead of the October 10 protest and demanded that the Delhi Police allow protesters to assemble at Jantar Mantar.
CPI(M) general secretary MA Baby said that barricading and the deployment of security personnel were creating an atmosphere of intimidation.
CPI(ML) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya said with trains cancelled and metro services stopped, the government has “laid a siege around themselves and turned the whole of Delhi into a huge police camp or paramilitary cantonment”.
He said, “Meanwhile, the CJI has advised the government not to use a hammer to kill a fly! Does that leave room for using hammers for cockroaches?” He questioned, “Has independent India ever witnessed such fear of democracy and peaceful mass protest?”
The issue even reached the Supreme Court.
A plea filed in the court on Saturday alleged that authorities continued with the closure of metro stations in Delhi despite the Supreme Court’s October 9 direction. The Supreme Court had directed the Centre to ensure that there was no “complete prohibition” of the movement of metro and trains coming to Delhi on October 10 due to the protest.
The plea filed on Saturday sought initiation of contempt proceedings against Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan IAS, Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar IPS and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) Chairperson D Thara IAS for allegedly wilfully disobeying the Court’s directions, according to Live Law.
The Delhi Police cited the events of the July 20 protest, organised by the CJP over irregularities in the NEET examination and students’ deaths, to justify the imposition of strict curbs ahead of the protest on October 10.
Police said the proactiveness stems from “what happened last time in July protests at Jantar Mantar”. They said in a statement posted on X, “Permission was taken for a one-day protest at Jantar Mantar, but it continued for a month. More than 200 police personnel were injured. More than 2000 persons having criminal antecedents came to those protests, contributing to the violence. As the situation went out of control, there were clashes, and innocent students were injured too.”
“Now, the same group wants to gather at the same place again,” police said.
“Given that experience, permission cannot be given without addressing how safety will be ensured. Already, in the past week, women constables of Delhi Police have been molested and assaulted by those protesting at Jantar Mantar. That is deeply troubling, and it has to be taken seriously,” the statement claimed.
“Nobody wants to see that happen again. The people who come to a protest, the police personnel on duty and the people passing through the area all need to be safe,” police said in its statement.
They said people have the right to protest, but at the same time, “important establishments and the offices of the constitutional bodies are in New Delhi.”
“People living and working in Delhi should be able to go about their day safely too. Delhi police have a responsibility towards all of these,” police said.
The Delhi Police also highlighted a “practical issue”. They said Jantar Mantar is a small area that can accommodate only 1,000 people at a time.
“Delhi is a small city-state, and there are limits to how many people a particular location can safely accommodate. Delhi being capital of the fastest growing economy of the country cannot be brought to halt every time there are protests. Delhi Police has to look after well-being of citizens and economic interests alongside the interests of those who want to protest,” police added.
“Balancing these responsibilities requires planning, and that planning starts with organisers seeking permission and sticking to them. Seeking permission to protest is not anti-democratic. Permission is to ensure that Authorities know where people intend to gather and how many are expected so they can arrange for traffic diversions, emergency access and safe crowd movement,” the police said.
