Protest vs counter-protest in UK amid row over poll body chief Gyanesh Kumar

London [UK], October 17 (ANI): A polarised crowd of demonstrators converged on Parliament Square in London on Saturday, sharply divided in their support for and opposition to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the Cockroach Janata Party.

The demonstration unfolded amid widespread protests across India led by the Congress-led INDIA bloc alongside the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), which have focused their criticism on the Election Commission of India (ECI) over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The Opposition factions have alleged flaws in the exercise and pressed for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.

The demonstrations also resonated internationally, as members of the Indian diaspora in London staged a counter-protest in support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, opposing protests by the Congress-backed National Students' Union of India (NSUI) and other like-minded groups outside the Indian High Commission.

Meanwhile, in India, protesters took out a Tiranga rally outside Central Park in Connaught Place amid heightened security on Friday. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers and supporters also gathered to stage a Tiranga rally, directing their protest against the Election Commission over alleged institutional irregularities.

Ahead of the proposed event, Cockroach Janata Party activist Abhijeet Dipke had called upon people to gather at Central Park in Connaught Place on October 16 to hoist the Tricolour under the 'Lehra Do Tiranga' rally. However, Delhi Police detained around 150 demonstrators during protests in central Delhi, including Dipke, who was taken into custody while leaving the residence of Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) spokesperson Anish Gawande.

A police official informed Dipke during the arrest, stating, “We are placing you under preventive detention. Section 163 is in force in Connaught Place. You are being detained.” Authorities served two separate notices on Dipke: the first under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), citing restrictions on public assembly, and the second, a bond violation notice issued by the South-West Delhi district.

The detention drew sharp criticism from Opposition leaders, including former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and JMM MP Mahua Maji, who condemned the police action. Delhi AAP chief Saurabh Bharadwaj also criticised the heavy security deployment and administrative curbs.

Following these developments, Ratna Singh, head of legal affairs for the Cockroach Janata Party, challenged the legality of party founder Abhijeet Dipke’s arrest on Saturday, urging the Special Executive Magistrate (SEM) Court to order his immediate release and alleging gross violations of fundamental rights and due process.

In a post on X, Singh questioned how urging citizens to participate in a peaceful national demonstration could be treated as an offence, writing, “The SEM Court should release Abhijeet Dipke, as his arrest is unlawful. He merely urged people to unfurl the Tiranga — how can that by itself be a crime?”

Singh further expressed serious concerns over the manner of his detention, adding, “The manner in which he was picked up from right outside his residence, no information about his whereabouts, and the fact that even his lawyers have been unable to meet him raise serious concerns about due process and fundamental rights. How can such an apparent abuse of power be justified in a democracy governed by the rule of law? Delhi Police cannot do unlawful acts under the garb of preventive detention.”

In a fresh development on Saturday, Delhi Police stated that Cockroach Janata Party activist Abhijeet Dipke had been granted bail in Delhi, subject to certain conditions, and would be released after signing a peace bond. (ANI)

(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)