CJP Leaders Sent to Judicial Custody as Leaders Condemn Arrests and SIR

UPDATE - follow-up to Anti-CEC protest LIVE: Delhi police detain IYC members near Parliament Street police station; SFI, DYFI continue protest near Jantar Mantar: Cockroach Janata Party leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were sent to five days of judicial custody in Tihar Jail on Wednesday following their preventive arrest over a trespassing case at Jantar Mantar. An FIR was filed against them for breach of bond, criminal trespass, and disobedience of orders, while Ajinkya Shinde was released on a personal bond. Jantar Mantar was de-notified as a protest site on Monday, and Ramlila Maidan, one of the capital's new protest sites, has no free dates for the next two and a half months except December 29, 30, and 31.

Reactions And Protests

Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi stated that the Congress respects the judiciary while affirming that public resistance will continue. Actor Prakash Raj criticised the arrests, noting the leaders entered with the national flag without disrupting traffic, and demanded accountability. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin promised legal support through the DMK, asking how many protesters the government intends to detain. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee condemned the move as an attempt to silence the younger generation, noting around 14,000 people face similar pressure in her state. Former Keralam Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also criticised the detentions and called for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation.

Nationwide Agitation

Activist Tara Rao announced that organisations opposing the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls have formed a joint platform to expand their protest to villages. All India Kisan Sabha leader Rajan Kshirsagar stated that more than 100 youth, labour, and farmers' groups will launch a nationwide agitation on October 23 to demand the rollback of SIR, an audit of deleted names, and the CEC's resignation.

Context

Jantar Mantar has historically served as a central hub for public demonstrations in New Delhi before recent administrative changes restricted its use. The Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls has become a focal point for coordinated resistance from various political parties, labour groups, and civil society organisations across India.