Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and five Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs were detained in Delhi on Saturday while attempting to join a protest organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. 

Banerjee was detained from South Avenue in central Delhi, where she had staged a protest at a bus stop after police stopped her from proceeding. The five TMC MPs detained alongside her included Derek O’Brien and Dola Sen. They were taken away in a police bus. 

Banerjee was seen with a band-aid over her mouth during the protest. In a video statement recorded inside the police bus, she accused the government of misbehaving with the protesters and said the INDIA alliance would continue fighting to strengthen people’s voices. 

The opposition leaders raised allegations of “vote chori” and electoral irregularities, demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. These were allegations made by opposition leaders, not independently established findings.

Police stopped Banerjee as she attempted to proceed to the protest. Several other opposition and student leaders were also detained while trying to join the demonstration. Former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and CPM MP John Brittas were among those taken to Chhatrasal Stadium.

The INDIA bloc has also announced a protest against the alleged Election Commission irregularities on Monday. The allegations of vote theft remain claims raised by opposition leaders.

Former Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas were among those detained in Delhi on Saturday as police moved to prevent the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) from holding a large protest at Jantar Mantar.

The demonstration was called over alleged irregularities in voter registration and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The CJP had also demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Visuals showed protesters being taken away in police vans from areas including Connaught Place, near Jantar Mantar. Several people heading towards the protest site were taken to Delhi’s Chhatrasal Stadium.

Pinarayi Vijayan, John Brittas among leaders held

Vijayan, the Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly and a former chief minister, was briefly held at Chhatrasal Stadium. CPI(M) MP John Brittas and former Kerala finance minister KN Balagopal were also seen with him in a video shared by Brittas.

Brittas said the leaders had been taken to the stadium and were subsequently being driven around the city in a police jeep. In a video message, he said they had been in the vehicle for around 30 to 40 minutes and did not know where they were being taken.

He alleged that Delhi Police had curtailed basic civil liberties during the operation.

CJP leaders taken into preventive custody

The police action also involved the CJP’s leading figures. Founder Abhijeet Dipke and party leaders Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das were taken into preventive custody after their flight landed in Delhi on Saturday morning.

The police had denied permission for the proposed Jantar Mantar demonstration, citing the late submission of information to the authorities.

According to the report, around 400 protesters had been detained overnight as the authorities prepared for the planned gathering. The protest had received support from opposition groups, and several Left leaders were among those detained.

Metro stations shut, trains cancelled

Delhi saw extensive security arrangements ahead of the planned demonstration. The entry and exit gates of 45 metro stations, including Rajiv Chowk, New Delhi, Central Secretariat, Patel Chowk and Kashmere Gate, were shut.

More than 250 trains, including trains from other states and local services scheduled to arrive at Hazrat Nizamuddin and New Delhi railway stations, were cancelled, according to the supplied report.

The report also stated that more than 20,000 police personnel had been deployed and 300 CCTV cameras installed to monitor developments.

Internet services were suspended within a four-kilometre radius of Jantar Mantar for 24 hours from 10 pm on Friday.

Earlier protest over examination paper leaks

The security measures were introduced amid concerns about a repeat of the disruption associated with an earlier CJP protest on July 20. During that demonstration, the party had demanded the resignation of then Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over examination paper leaks.

The report states that Pradhan resigned and the government accepted the protesters’ demands. The latest demonstration, however, focused on allegations concerning voter registration and the SIR process, with the CJP demanding Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.

The allegations against the election authorities remain the CJP’s claims and should not be presented as independently established findings.

YouTuber Dhruv Rathee was detained by Delhi Police from his residence in Gurugram’s Sector 56 on Saturday morning, ahead of a planned protest by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) at Jantar Mantar in the national capital.

Police sources said a team of around 50 Delhi Police personnel reached Rathee’s residence and detained him. The demonstration had prompted heightened security arrangements in Delhi, with police taking preventive measures ahead of the planned gathering.

The detention drew a response from the CJP, which demanded Rathee’s immediate release.

Dhruv Rathee had announced participation in protest

Rathee had announced his participation in the Saturday demonstration through a video posted on his X account on Friday evening.

He had arrived in India from Germany earlier in the week and had also joined the CJP’s protest in Bengaluru on October 8.

The YouTuber, who has frequently criticised the Narendra Modi-led government, was expected to join the party’s planned demonstration in Delhi.

Police deny permission for CJP protest

Delhi Police had earlier denied permission for the proposed protest, citing security considerations and procedural requirements.

Ahead of the demonstration, police increased deployments at strategic locations and carried out preventive detentions to stop protesters from reaching the planned venue.

The protest was organised by the CJP, which had mobilised supporters to gather at Jantar Mantar. The demonstration targeted Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Security arrangements were stepped up across the national capital as authorities prepared for the gathering.

CJP demands Rathee’s immediate release

Following Rathee’s detention, the Cockroach Janta Party called for his immediate release.

The detention took place amid broader preventive action against people expected to participate in the demonstration. Police measures were aimed at managing security and preventing protesters from reaching the protest site.

The developments came as Delhi prepared for the planned CJP protest on Saturday.