The United Nations has expressed concern over the mass detention of protesters, political leaders, lawyers, journalists and civil society members in Delhi amid demonstrations organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). The world body urged authorities to respect the right to peaceful assembly.
In a statement shared on Saturday, October 10, UN Human Rights said it was concerned about reports of detentions both before and during the large-scale demonstrations in the national capital.
“We are concerned by reports of mass detentions of demonstrators, protest leaders, members of civil society organisations, lawyers and journalists, before and during today’s large-scale demonstrations in Delhi,” the UN Human Rights account said in a post on X.
“We call on the authorities to ensure that the right to peaceful assembly is fully respected and fulfilled,” it added.
The United Nations also urged the authorities to “exercise utmost restraint” in tackling the protesters and called for meaningful dialogue to address the concerns raised by demonstrators.
Over 7,000 Detained Across Delhi, Opposition Leaders Among Those Held
Over 7,000 persons have been taken into custody in Delhi during the protests on Saturday, PTI reports. Several protesters were taken into custody at various places as police stopped the protesters from reaching Jantar Mantar – where CJP had scheduled its protest.
Several opposition leaders were also detained during the police operation. Those reported to have been detained included West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke and senior party leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were detained at Delhi airport after arriving from Mumbai. YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, student activists, lawyers and journalists were also among those detained during the security operation.
Delhi Police had denied permission for the demonstration, citing security concerns and procedural issues. Security personnel set up barricades at several locations, restricted movement towards central Delhi and detained people attempting to gather in groups.
Smaller demonstrations were reported at locations including Connaught Place, Dilli Haat, INA, Safdarjung Flyover and Rajghat after protesters were unable to reach Jantar Mantar. Police also detained demonstrators at these locations.
45 Metro Stations Closed, 254 Trains Cancelled
The protest-related security arrangements disrupted public transport across the national capital.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation restricted entry and exit at 45 metro stations from Friday night. The affected stations included Rajiv Chowk, Central Secretariat, Patel Chowk, Kashmere Gate and New Delhi. Interchange facilities remained available at affected stations, except at New Delhi Metro station.
The restrictions were initially scheduled to remain in place until 6 pm on Saturday, with authorities reviewing the situation as the protest unfolded.
Rail services were also affected, with 254 trains cancelled between 4 am and 2 pm on Saturday, according to reports by news agency PTI. The cancellations included 75 Mail and Express trains and 179 local trains, disrupting travel between Delhi and nearby destinations, including Ghaziabad, Meerut, Panipat and Kurukshetra.
Authorities also suspended mobile internet services for 24 hours within a four-kilometre radius of the Janpath-Kartavya Path crossing. The suspension began at 10 pm on Friday and was scheduled to continue until 10 pm on Saturday.
Traffic restrictions and barricades were imposed across central Delhi, including areas around Jantar Mantar, Connaught Place and Sansad Marg. Commuters were advised to account for possible delays while travelling through affected areas.
Why Was CJP Protesting Against Gyanesh Kumar?
The CJP had called for a demonstration at Jantar Mantar demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the SIR of electoral rolls and concerns over the functioning of the Election Commission.
The party and its supporters have alleged that the voter-list revision could lead to the exclusion of eligible voters and affect electoral fairness. The Election Commission has defended the verification exercise, while the BJP has rejected allegations of deliberate manipulation.
Delhi Police denied permission for the proposed demonstration, citing security concerns and the timing of the application. Authorities deployed additional police and paramilitary personnel, imposed restrictions in sensitive areas and set up checkpoints to prevent large gatherings near the protest site.
Despite the restrictions, protesters attempted to regroup at different locations across the capital and continued to demand the CEC's resignation.
Amnesty International Also Raises Concerns
The UN's statement came amid concerns raised by rights groups over restrictions imposed ahead of the demonstration. Amnesty International had also urged authorities to facilitate peaceful protests and avoid arbitrary detentions.
The mass detentions, transport restrictions and suspension of mobile internet services drew scrutiny as protesters, opposition leaders and civil society members sought to demonstrate against the Election Commission's handling of electoral-roll revisions.