Jantar Mantar Protest: Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) leaders Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das have been sent to judicial custody for five days for trespassing at Jantar Mantar. They have been accused of violating bond and disrupting public official's duty. Earlier on Tuesday, the top CJP leaders were detained after they sneaked at Jantar Mantar along with some followers. They arrived there to oppose the centre's decision of removing Jantar Mantar from the list of official protest site.
CJP Reacts
While reacting to the order, CJP organization in-charge Ajinkya Shinde alleged that both the leaders have been jailed for raising the slogan of 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' and waving the Tricolour.
"You may know that Ashutosh, Saurav Das and I, along with volunteers from CJP, went to Jantar Mantar. We simply waved the Indian national flag and raised the slogan of 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'. For this, the dictatorial Modi-Shah government has sent Saurav and Ashutosh to jail for five days. Today was Ashutosh's birthday, and on his birthday, he has been sent to jail for raising the slogan of 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' and waving the Tricolour," Shinde was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
"I would also like to say that if the government thinks that sending our two leaders, Ashutosh and Saurav, to jail for five days will frighten them, it is absolutely mistaken. They have just said that they are entering the jail with their heads held high. They have told the people of the country that they will not be afraid," Shinde added.
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Dipke Slams Centra
In a post on X, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke alleged that they were sent to judicial custody for unfurling tricolor at Jantar Mantar, further asking the centre to "impose emergency" rather than taking these actions. "If you're so determined to crush dissent, have the courage to officially declare an Emergency instead of hiding behind these cowardly tactics," Dipke said.
Why They Were Detained?
Earlier on Tuesday, these leaders were detained after they visited the site with the fellow protesters days after their large-scale demonstration in Delhi. In a post on X, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke stated that the leaders "sneaked into" Jantar Mantar with the national flag.
Earlier on Monday, Delhi Police officially denotified Jantar Mantar as a designated protest site following recommendations from a committee set up by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).