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EYE ON INDIA OCTOBER 23, 2026 | The Indian Eye 6

India government and

CJP play cat and mouse

amid crackdown fears

At the centre of the dispute is the SIR exercise, which the opposition says threatens electoral

fairness and tests the Election Commission’s independence. Police have invoked restrictions on
assembly and public order to justify preventing gatherings in the capital

OUR BUREAU “Law and order are being flout-
ed in every possible way. Ordinary
New Delhi
citizens are treated as if they were
he conditional bail granted to hardened criminals, a practice that
Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has persisted in this country for a long
Tactivist Abhijeet Dipke has time,” Bora said after her release.
done little to ease tensions in New Bora also rejected Defence Min-
Delhi, where detentions, restrictions ister Rajnath Singh’s accusation that
on public gatherings and protests opposition protests were creating
over the Election Commission’s vot- “anarchy”, arguing that restrictions
er-roll revision have intensified a con- were disrupting life. “The people of
frontation between the government Delhi cannot even breathe a sigh of
and opposition groups. relief; whichever route they take to
Dipke was released from Mandir get to work, they find it blocked,”
Marg Police Station on Saturday, after she said, accusing the government of
he was detained ahead of the “Leh- spreading chaos.
ra Do Tiranga” rally at Connaught Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) Founder Abhijeet Dipke addresses a press conference at The dispute extends beyond CJP.
Place’s Central Park. Police said he the Press Club, in New Delhi on Thursday. All India Students’ Association (AISA) National Aam Aadmi Party national convener
was required to sign a peace bond. President Neha Bora, Actor Prakash Raj, and Supreme Court advocate Prashant Bhushan also Arvind Kejriwal welcomed Dipke’s
His detention came while Section 163 present (ANI Photo/Naveen Sharma) bail, writing on X: “Hoisting the tri-
of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha color was, is, and will always be our
Sanhita (BNSS), which prohibits pub- right.” AAP workers held their own
lic assemblies, was in force in Central tion,” she said. Anita, said the family was distressed Tiranga rally on Friday against the
Delhi. He was subsequently booked Those allegations raise questions by his arrest after his grandmother’s Election Commission. DMK deputy
under Sections 126 and 170 in a fresh about due process, while police have death. “We were very anxious. It general secretary and MP Kanimozhi
preventive proceeding, separate cited prohibitory orders and preven- has not even been 10 days since his said her party had supported CJP af-
from action taken on October 10. tive provisions. On Saturday, officers grandmother passed away, and then ter its leaders were arrested and at-
The case has become a focal said multiple first information reports we heard yesterday that he had been tended a protest in Chennai. CJP has
point for CJP and its supporters, who would be registered over violations of arrested. We were all deeply trou- also drawn support from Trinamool
argue that preventive powers are be- restrictions in Connaught Place and bled. How could this happen? He Congress and other INDIA bloc con-
ing used to deter peaceful political other parts of New Delhi during Fri- was doing good work. Why does the stituents, student groups and activists.
expression. Ratna Singh, the party’s day’s protests. They said announce- government keep arresting him?” she At the centre of the dispute is
head of legal affairs, challenged the ments had warned people not to as- told ANI. the SIR exercise, which the opposi-
legality of Dipke’s arrest before ap- semble and added that action would All India Students’ Association tion says threatens electoral fairness
pearing before a Special Executive be taken against repeat offenders. national president Neha Bora, de- and tests the Election Commission’s
Magistrate. Dipke’s release has not ended tained on Friday and released on independence. Police have invoked
“The SEM Court should release the episode for CJP. On X, he said he Saturday after procedures under restrictions on assembly and public
Abhijeet Dipke, as his arrest is unlaw- was waiting for his “brothers” Saurav Section 65 of the Delhi Police Act, order to justify preventing gatherings
ful. He merely urged people to unfurl Das and Ashutosh Ranka, remand- questioned the authority for holding in the capital.
the Tiranga - how can that by itself be ed to five days of judicial custody on people overnight. She condemned Dipke’s bail offers a reprieve, not
a crime?” she wrote on X. Singh also October 14. They and others were restrictions amid protests against a resolution. The dispute now con-
alleged that authorities had not dis- arrested for allegedly trespassing at the Election Commission’s Special cerns how far authorities can restrict
closed his whereabouts and that his Jantar Mantar. The cases have turned Intensive Revision (SIR) of elector- public assembly, and whether opposi-
lawyers were denied access to him. detentions into a wider dispute over al rolls and called for Chief Election tion groups can challenge an elector-
“Delhi Police cannot do unlawful acts protest and preventive action. Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s im- al process without facing preventive
under the garb of preventive deten- In Maharashtra, Dipke’s mother, peachment and a halt to the exercise. action.

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