Delhi has come to a standstill on Saturday (October 10, 2026), as security forces enforced a massive lockdown to thwart the planned protests at Jantar Mantar. The protest was called by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) alongside various other student and Left organisations, demanding the immediate resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and rollback of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
As police locked down central Delhi, AISA president Neha Bora declared Dilli Haat as the new protest venue. Delhi Police swiftly blocked the road and detained her along with other activists.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke along with co-convenors Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were intercepted and detained by Delhi police straight from their flight at IGI Airport. Meanwhile, CJP policy lead Mehr and legal lead Ratna Singh were also detained. Other prominent political figures including former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, CPI (M) leader Brinda Karat, former Tripura CM Manik Sarkar and Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas were detained in various locations as they were trying to reach Jantar Mantar. AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi Minister Atishi and Left leaders strongly condemned PM Modi and the government, accusing them of using brute force and mass detensions out of fear to protect the CEC. Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and K.C. Venugopal also condemned the police actions.
Demonstrations and police actions spilt over to other states as well, with over 100 AISF and AIYF cadres arrested during a procession in Chennai and former deputy Chief Minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia along with Punjab AAP workers detained in Chandigarh.
BJP president Nitin Nabin on Saturday accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal and the CJP of attempting to destabilise the country with the backing of foreign forces, and asserted that the government will deal sternly with their “ill intentions,” while the party workers will foil their design on the ground.
