Akhilesh Yadav warns BJP as Delhi braces for massive security ahead of CJP Jantar Mantar protest

What happened

The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) has called a "Jantar Mantar 2.0" rally for Saturday, October 10, to demand the sacking of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. In the hours before the protest, Delhi Police deployed the newly‑named Pink Force alongside the Rapid Action Force (RAF) and a large contingent of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF). Flag marches were carried out from Mandi House Circle and across Connaught Place, and several demonstrators were detained near Janpath.

Who is involved

• Akhilesh Yadav – Samajwadi Party supremo, who posted on X that "the nation will unite in Delhi" and warned the BJP that any attempt to stop the protest would backfire.
• Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) – the organisation behind the protest, also the source of the statements branding the Delhi police as "high‑handed".
• Delhi Police & Pink Force – the specialised unit tasked with crowd control; an on‑duty officer said body‑cameras would record all interactions.
• Union Home Secretary – issued directives for a “law and order” plan that includes a 4‑km mobile‑internet blackout around the Janpath‑Kartavya Path crossing.
• Dhruv Rathee, Kavya Karnatac and Ratna Singh – a Germany‑based YouTuber, an Instagram content creator and the CJP’s legal affairs head, respectively, who were detained in the Delhi‑National Capital Region.
• Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) – ordered entry‑exit gates closed at 45 central stations from 9 pm on October 9 until 6 pm on October 10.

What happens next

The Union Home Secretary’s order keeps mobile internet suspended within a four‑kilometre radius of the protest zone from 10 pm on Friday to 10 pm on Saturday. The DMRC will keep 45 stations shut, affecting commuters across the city. Police have earmarked six stadiums and community centres, including Chhatrasal and Rajiv Gandhi stadiums, as temporary holding facilities for anyone arrested.

Akhilesh Yadav’s warning – "If the government stops the protesters, then Jantar‑Mantar will spring up everywhere in the country" – signals that opposition parties may amplify the rally beyond the planned location, despite the Congress abstaining. The Aam Aadmi Party and Left parties have already voiced support for the Gen‑Z movement, suggesting a broader coalition could emerge if the crackdown intensifies.

Key numbers

• Police deployment: over 35,000 personnel according to an Economic Times report; Hindustan Times cites more than 40,000 Delhi Police and CAPF members.
• Metro impact: 45 stations closed, entry‑exit gates shut from 9 pm Oct 9 to 6 pm Oct 10.
• Internet blackout: 4‑km radius around Janpath‑Kartavya Path, enforced from 10 pm Oct 9 to 10 pm Oct 10.
• Detentions: Dhruv Rathee, Kavya Karnatac and CJP legal affairs head Ratna Singh were taken into custody.
• Date of protest: Saturday, 10 October 2024.

The city remains on high alert, with barricades, spike strips and armed police patrolling key arteries. Whether the protest proceeds as planned or splinters into smaller flash‑mob actions will depend on how quickly authorities move to enforce the curbs and whether opposition leaders can mobilise further support.