NEW DELHI: The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Saturday demanded that the Delhi Police immediately stop detaining, intimidating or preventing citizens from reaching Jantar Mantar, alleging that an atmosphere of “fear and siege” has been created around the protest site.In a post on X, CJP spokesperson Saurav Das shared the party’s statement and said, “IMPORTANT STATEMENT The Cockroach Janta Party demands that the @DelhiPolice immediately cease and desist from unlawfully detaining, intimidating or preventing citizens from reaching Jantar Mantar and refrain from creating an atmosphere of fear and siege around Jantar Mantar.”In its statement titled “Stop laying siege at Jantar Mantar”, the party alleged that the Delhi Police had taken “increasingly authoritarian actions” in and around the protest venue.“For over a month now, thousands of students, parents, teachers and ordinary citizens have been sitting peacefully at Jantar Mantar to demand government accountability for examination paper leaks, recruitment failures and the tragic loss of young lives to student suicides,” the party said.The CJP claimed that citizens attempting to reach the protest site were being detained and alleged that volunteers carrying food, drinking water, medicines and other essential supplies were being prevented from reaching demonstrators.“Instead of facilitating a peaceful democratic protest, the Delhi Police appears to have chosen the path of intimidation,” the party said, adding, “This is nothing short of laying siege to Jantar Mantar.”The party asserted that Jantar Mantar is “India’s designated space for democratic dissent” and said those participating in the protest were “citizens of India peacefully exercising rights guaranteed to them under the Constitution.”The CJP urged the Commissioner of Police, Delhi, to direct officers to stop the alleged detention and intimidation of citizens, allow food, water, medicines and other essential supplies to reach protesters, and ensure access for volunteers, family members, lawyers, journalists and medical personnel.The statement also called on the Delhi Police to “respect both the letter and spirit of the Constitution” and uphold citizens’ fundamental right to peacefully assemble and express dissent.“Governments may disagree with protests. But no authority has the constitutional right to starve, isolate or lay siege to peaceful citizens,” the CJP said.“The Cockroach Janta Party urges the Delhi Police to immediately withdraw these unlawful restrictions and ensure that Jantar Mantar remains what it has always symbolised–a place where the people of India can peacefully hold power accountable. The Constitution belongs to the people. Jantar Mantar belongs to the people. The police exist to protect both–not to lay siege to either,” the statement added.Earlier in the day, CJP activist Ashutosh Ranka also alleged that the Delhi Police were preventing people from sending food and assistance to demonstrators at Jantar Mantar.“Dear Delhi Police, do whatever you want. You cannot stop people from coming to Jantar Mantar. You cannot stop people from having food. You cannot stop people from helping us. Most importantly, you cannot stop Pradhan’s resignation. He is going,” Ranka said in a post on X.The party has maintained that its agitation will continue until Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigns.On Friday, following a nearly two-hour meeting with Union Ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh, CJP representatives claimed that the government had sought time until Saturday afternoon to consider their demand for Pradhan’s resignation.The latest developments come a day after activist Sonam Wangchuk ended his 26-day hunger strike after receiving a written assurance from the Union Government on the NEET examination issue and broader reforms to the country’s competitive examination system.(With Agency Inputs)
