CJP urges national flag display after police block Connaught Place march

UPDATE - follow-up to CJP Tiranga protest LIVE | Delhi Police serves notice barring Dipke from holding protest: The Cockroach Janata Party instructed supporters to visit Connaught Place in groups of under five, take photos with the national flag, and upload them online after leaving. This came after Delhi Police served a preventive detention notice on CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke and barred a planned 'Lehra Do Tiranga' march at Central Park on Friday.

Official Actions and Protests

Authorities deployed heavy security and blocked roads leading to Central Park with police vehicles, while the New Delhi Municipal Council closed the park for Friday and Saturday due to prohibitory orders under Section 163. Bengaluru Police also blocked a similar march, citing a High Court rule restricting protests to Freedom Park. Meanwhile, AISA organized a separate protest at Mandi House metro station, and the Aam Aadmi Party held a 'Tiranga' march near Rashtrapati Bhavan led by Delhi AAP president Saurabh Bharadwaj. CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka remained in Tihar Jail under five-day judicial custody following arrests on October 14 for alleged trespassing and peace bond violations.

Reactions and Business Impact

Restaurant and shop owners reported severe financial disruption from the restrictions. NRAI treasurer Manpreet Singh stated that retail and dining sales dropped significantly, with some establishments seeing zero sales as customers stayed away from Connaught Place. Political friction also intensified as the Janata Dal (United) criticized Rahul Gandhi's Supreme Court march regarding electoral rolls, while Congress claimed the Election Commission agreed to supply machine-readable digital voter lists.

Context

Prohibitory orders and police deployment are standard administrative tools used by authorities in major metropolitan city centres to manage large public gatherings and maintain law and order during tense political situations. Central public spaces like Connaught Place in New Delhi often face strict access controls when multiple political groups announce simultaneous demonstrations.