Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka detained over attempt to enter Jantar Mantar
NEW DELHI: Opposition leaders on Wednesday slammed the Centre over the arrest of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, who were sent to five days of judicial custody after protesting at Jantar Mantar against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee called the situation “BJP’s new Pakistanified Bharat”, while leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi said jailing young protesters for waving the Tricolour was “an act of cowardice”.
Rahul Gandhi: ‘Jantar Mantar belongs to people of India’
Leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi said waving the Tricolour at Jantar Mantar during a peaceful protest was not a crime and called jailing the two men “an act of cowardice”.
“Students. Youth. Journalists. The INDIA bloc. Different banners, one cause,” he said, adding that the groups were united in demanding their constitutional rights.
“Jantar Mantar belongs to the people of India. We will reclaim it.”
MK Stalin offers legal support
Former chief minister of Tamil Nadu and DMK president MK Stalin questioned how many protesters the government could detain and how many young voices the BJP could silence. He said jailing more young people would prompt more ordinary citizens, including those without political affiliations, to take to the streets.
Stalin expressed solidarity with Das and Ranka and said the DMK was ready to provide them with all necessary legal representation and support.
Arvind Kejriwal questions arrests
AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal questioned whether waving the national flag in India could be considered a crime.
“Is waving our own flag in our own country a crime? This is absolutely ridiculous,” he said.
Aaditya Thackeray says protest will continue
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray said the two CJP leaders had been jailed for holding the Tricolour at Jantar Mantar. Asking when holding the national flag had become a crime for young Indians, he said the fight would continue until democracy was reclaimed.
Abhishek Banerjee targets BJP
Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee accused the BJP of arresting Indians for unfurling and waving the national flag in their own country. He called the situation “BJP’s new Pakistanified Bharat”.
Mamata Banerjee condemns arrests
Former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee strongly condemned the arrest of CJP leaders Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das, calling it an attempt to intimidate and silence an entire generation.
“We must never surrender our constitutional rights,” she said, urging people to unite to protect democracy.
Banerjee also alleged that 14,000 people in West Bengal were facing police and political atrocities, and said young people could count on her support. “Your Didi is with you — today and forever!” she said.
Mahua Moitra expresses solidarity
Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra expressed solidarity with the two arrested leaders, writing: “With you boys. We will reclaim this country from these thugs & looteras.”
D Raja calls arrests undemocratic, demands immediate release
Communist Party of India (CPI) general secretary D Raja called the detention and judicial custody of CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka “undemocratic”, alleging that the case over trespassing amounted to harassment.
Raja pointed out that Jantar Mantar had been a designated protest site until two days earlier and accused the government of trying to curtail protests and silence dissent out of fear of public anger. He questioned when protesting against an “undemocratic order” had become a crime and demanded the immediate release of the two leaders.Raja said the denotification of Jantar Mantar would be challenged politically and legally.
He added that the All India Students’ Federation (AISF) and All India Youth Federation (AIYF) had marched to reclaim the protest site and would intensify their struggle to restore the right to protest.
Why were the CJP leaders arrested?
Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were detained early Tuesday after allegedly breaching barricades and entering Jantar Mantar, recently denotified as a designated protest site, while raising slogans demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
They were sent to five days of judicial custody on Wednesday.Police have booked them on charges including trespassing, violating prohibitory orders, breaching a peace bond and obstructing a public servant. The arrests came amid protests by CJP and other organisations over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.