CJP leaders Saurav Das and Abhijeet Dipke claim imminent arrest ahead of Delhi protest

Leaders warn of crackdown

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) spokesperson Saurav Das has claimed that the government plans to arrest him and other senior leaders before their national protest on 10 October.

The demonstration, scheduled to take place at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, is part of a CJP campaign demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.

In a social media post, Das named himself, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, legal lead Ratna Singh, and leader Ashutosh Ranka as those targeted for arrest. He argued that the authorities mistakenly believe such measures will crush their movement. "The young generation has awakened," Das wrote, appealing to supporters to continue protesting "with or without us".

Dipke supported the claim shortly after, addressing Union Home Minister Amit Shah directly online. "How many people will you arrest, Amit Shah? The whole country is coming on 10 October," he wrote.

Protests and police cases

The allegations of an impending crackdown come after police in Mumbai registered a case against the CJP leadership. Following a protest at Shivaji Park, police booked Dipke, Das, Ranka, and several other leaders along with more than 400 unidentified supporters.

The Mumbai Police registered the case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for unlawful assembly and disobedience, alleging the demonstration went ahead without permission, obstructed traffic, and used loudspeakers without authorisation. The CJP had proceeded with the gathering despite police advising them to find an alternative venue, citing a 2013 High Court order restricting the use of Shivaji Park.

The CJP's campaign has gained backing from opposition parties. Maharashtra Congress president Harshvardhan Sapkal and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray both condemned the police case, calling it an attempt to suppress peaceful opposition.

Growing friction with authorities

Friction between the CJP and state authorities has been mounting. In late September, Assam Police detained Ashutosh Ranka for 12 hours ahead of a regional volunteer meeting, leading Ranka to claim that the state's Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, was trying to intimidate the group.

The arrest claims also followed protests outside Delhi's Parliament Street police station. Das and Ratna Singh had gathered there on Sunday to support a woman journalist who alleged she was assaulted by police officers during a previous demonstration. Das accused the Delhi Police of using heavy-handed tactics to intimidate young activists.

The Election Commission has defended the electoral roll revision, stating that decisions are made unanimously and dismissing allegations of political bias.