Delhi Police skip name tags at Jantar Mantar; CJP's Saurav Das alleges govt plans arrests ahead of Oct 10 protest

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) co-convener Saurav Das has alleged that the government is planning to arrest him and other party leaders ahead of the group's proposed protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar on October 10.

In a post on X, Das named CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, co-convener Ashutosh Ranka and Ratna Singh, among others, and claimed that the government was planning their arrests. However, he did not provide any evidence or details to substantiate the allegation.

Saurav Das warns against alleged arrests

Das said any attempt to arrest CJP leaders would be a mistake and claimed that the younger generation would not tolerate what he described as "dictatorial actions". He also said that the CJP was prepared to face jail or worse and appealed to supporters to continue their fight for what the group describes as the rights and future of young Indians.

The allegations come amid heightened tensions between the CJP and authorities following the party's recent protests over the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and its demand for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation.

Why is CJP protesting on October 10?

The CJP has announced a protest at Jantar Mantar on October 10 if Gyanesh Kumar does not resign over alleged irregularities in the SIR exercise.

Dipke had earlier said supporters from across India would travel to Delhi for what the party has called "Jantar Mantar 2.0". He described the proposed demonstration as peaceful and urged citizens who support free and fair elections to participate.

The CJP has demanded Kumar's resignation, a criminal case against him and the restoration of electoral rolls to their status before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections by scrapping the SIR exercise. The party has also opposed amendments to the Representation of the People Act.

CJP leaders booked after Mumbai protest

The October 10 protest plan comes days after a CJP demonstration at Mumbai's Shivaji Park. Mumbai Police registered a case against several CJP leaders, including Dipke, Das and Ranka, along with more than 400 unidentified supporters.

Police alleged that the gathering involved an unlawful assembly, obstructed traffic and used loudspeakers without the required permission. A case was registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Maharashtra Police Act.

The CJP, meanwhile, has continued to oppose the Election Commission's handling of the SIR process. The Election Commission has rejected allegations surrounding the exercise and maintained that major decisions were taken unanimously by the full commission.

Delhi Police avoid name tags amid social media targeting concerns

Amid the ongoing protests, Delhi Police personnel deployed at Jantar Mantar were seen without name tags. Officials said the move was aimed at preventing individual officers from being identified and targeted on social media.

The decision reportedly followed violence during an earlier CJP march on July 20, after which several police personnel involved in crowd management were identified on social media. According to officials, some officers also complained that their families were targeted through social media posts, memes and personal networks.

While most IPS officers retained their name tags, several junior personnel were allowed to remove theirs during the Jantar Mantar deployment. Officials said they were assured that no action would be taken for removing the tags as long as they performed their duties within the law.

The move has drawn criticism, particularly amid allegations of excessive force during earlier protests. Experts have also pointed out that there are no written rules specifically mandating whether police personnel must wear or remove name tags, although concealing identities has been an operational practice for security forces in some sensitive areas.

Police step up security ahead of protests

Delhi Police have also conducted anti-riot drills and training sessions ahead of the latest demonstrations. Personnel were instructed to remain calm when approached by influencers recording videos or questioning them with mobile phones.

Officials claimed that some influencers had posed as media personnel and targeted police officers through livestreams and social media content. Police subsequently began checking the identity cards of people claiming to be journalists at the protest site.

The heightened security comes as protests over the SIR exercise and demands for Gyanesh Kumar's resignation continue. Delhi Police have imposed restrictions around Jantar Mantar and deployed additional police and central armed police forces during demonstrations.