Opposition parties have urged people to join their next round of protests on Monday that will include an unprecedented march to the Supreme Court after security forces turned central Delhi into a fortress and clamped down on thousands of protesters to stop a Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led movement demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
“Our youth, students, lawyers, journalists, social activists, farm union leaders, YouTubers, content creators, everyone who is questioning this regime are being detained. The Modi Govt has turned the ‘Mother of Democracy’ into a ‘Muzzled Democracy’! Prohibitory orders were imposed in parts of central Delhi. Mamata Banerjee was stopped along with Trinamool Congress MPs, while several Left leaders faced police action elsewhere. Dipke named Ajinkya Shinde to lead the protest while he and other organisers were in detention.
It also cited the organisers’ application, filed on October 7, which did not meet the prescribed 10-day notice period.
INDIA bloc leaders said they will urge the apex court to expedite cases related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the Election Commission (EC). Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi -led government of turning the “mother of democracy” into a “muzzled democracy”, while Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi challenged the PM saying, “We are surrounding you, and we are not going to back down. Former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said the country’s youth had awakened and demanded Kumar’s resignation. Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee said protests would continue in Delhi. Kharge, who chaired the INDIA bloc meeting that finalised the protest plan, said the government was detaining people questioning its actions. He said detentions, arrests, jail terms, lathis and pellets would not deter people from protesting. Earlier reporting noted: Delhi Police said it had refused permission for the demonstration on security grounds. Earlier reporting noted: The CJP condemned the detentions and said its agitation would continue.
Earlier reporting noted: Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan were also detained. The cowardice of the BJP-RSS is on full display today,” he posted on X.
“Since the days of our Freedom struggle, the youth have been at the forefront of shaping the nation’s destiny. The Congress Party, along with the united Opposition, will fight this tyrannical regime, tooth and nail. We shed our blood to win India’s freedom. We will continue to fight, with every ounce of our strength, to defend our Democracy, our Constitution and the fundamental rights of every Indian,” Kharge added.
“In the history of the country, no political delegation has ever marched to the Supreme Court.
It will be unprecedented,” said another senior leader, requesting anonymity. Congress general secretary K C Venugopal said, “We appeal to every Indian concerned about the survival of Indian democracy to join us in a massive protest march in Delhi on Monday – against the nationwide Vote Chori orchestrated by the Modi-Shah regime.
