SJP labels the situation in the national capital an open emergency

The Kaka Chandra Janta Party (KCJP) accused authorities on Sunday of relying on security restrictions and disruptions in public transport to suppress its movement demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The party described the situation in the national capital as an open emergency.

Speaking at a joint press conference, KCJP workers Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka alleged that the deployment of a large number of security personnel across Delhi and the imposition of restrictions aimed to demoralize protesters while also causing difficulties for ordinary citizens.

Comparing the situation to the Emergency imposed in 1975, Das claimed that the national capital had been turned into a strict security cordon, with an estimated 30,000 to 40,000 security personnel deployed. Das stated that the current situation across the country mirrors an open emergency, noting that such oppressive conditions have not been seen since the authoritarian rule of 1975. He alleged that the deployed personnel included border forces as well as personnel brought from Kashmir, West Bengal, and Naxal-affected areas. According to him, the scope of security arrangements was not limited to controlling the protest but had also affected the daily lives of citizens with no connection to the agitation.

Questioning the restrictions imposed on public transport and commercial establishments, Das accused authorities of deliberately causing public inconvenience to generate public resentment against the movement led by the KCJP.

He stated that closing 57 metro stations, suspending train services including the Rajdhani Express, and forcing markets to remain closed on Sunday were synonymous with disrupting the daily lives of the public. He alleged that the administration was deliberately troubling the public to shape public opinion against the movement led by the youth.

On the other hand, Ranka criticized the Delhi Police for the manner in which KCJP worker Abhijeet Dipke was informed of his grandmother’s death while in custody.

Ranka stated that Abhijeet’s grandmother had passed away the previous day. He described the way the Delhi Police informed him of the news as extremely inhumane, calling it shameful to see the capital’s police display such insensitivity. He alleged that police officers had placed cameras and microphones around Dipke while informing him, turning a private moment of grief into a spectacle.

However, Delhi Police sources rejected the allegations of insensitivity, stating that Dipke was informed of his grandmother’s death with full sensitivity and due consideration. According to sources, he was informed about the timing of the last rites, and assistance was offered for him to return to his village based on humanitarian grounds.

The press conference was held following tensions between protesters and police on Friday regarding a proposed rally at Jantar Mantar. The KCJP and multiple student organizations had announced a protest demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Election Commission’s functioning.

Police had detained KCJP workers Abhijeet Dipke, Ranka, and Das upon their arrival by air in Delhi. Police stated that permission for the proposed rally had not been obtained. Obstacles were also raised at Gazipur Border, while restrictions on metro services drew sharp criticism from opposition parties and protest organizers.

Approximately 1,000 people were detained from various locations in the national capital, including Aam Aadmi Party National Coordinator Arvind Kejriwal and CPI(M) leader Pinarayi Vijayan.

Following the crackdown, political polarization intensified. Opposition leaders accused authorities of adopting an authoritarian approach, while the BJP claimed that the opposition was fueling anarchy.

Later, police sources stated that all individuals detained at holding centers had been released, but legal proceedings would follow the established protocol regarding KCJP leaders.

Security deployments in Delhi are expected to remain in place given the possibility of further protests by the KCJP, All India Youth Federation (AIYF), All India Students Federation (AISF), and Students Federation of India (SFI).

The KCJP has alleged that the purpose of the restrictions is to suppress dissent and weaken its movement. On the other hand, the police defended their action by citing the lack of permission for the proposed rally and the need to maintain law and order.