Defying the Centre’s move to denotify Jantar Mantar as a protest site, CJP volunteers led by Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das scaled iron gates and police barricades before being detained by Delhi Police on Tuesday.
BY PC Bureau
New Delhi/ October 14: Defying the Centre’s decision to remove Jantar Mantar from the list of designated protest venues, volunteers of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) staged a brief demonstration at the site early Tuesday, climbing an iron gate and police barricades before being detained by Delhi Police.
Led by CJP leaders Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das, the group carried party flags and raised slogans including “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” and “Inquilab Zindabad” after entering the restricted area. Police personnel deployed at the site pursued the demonstrators and prevented them from proceeding further.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke posted a video of the incident on social media, showing Ranka, Das and other volunteers scaling the barriers. Dipke later confirmed that the protesters had been detained and taken away by police.
JANTAR MANTAR HAS BEEN RECLAIMED!
WE HAVE ENTERED JANTAR MANTAR AND NOW WE ARE BEING DETAINED!
But this is a message to all of us young gen! We can do it! Gyanu, you’re done bro!
@Cockroachisback https://t.co/swDB6K8kW5
— Saurav Das (@SauravDassss) October 13, 2026
In a pointed challenge to the government’s decision, Dipke declared in a social media post: “You cannot denotify the resistance.”
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Cockroaches with the Tiranga sneaked into Jantar Mantar early this morning before they were picked up by Delhi Police.
@AshutoshRanka, @SauravDassss, @AjinkyaCJP along with other team members have been detained.
You cannot denotify the resistance, @narendramodi https://t.co/x7B40akCVO
— Abhijeet Dipke (@abhijeet_dipke) October 13, 2026
The protest came a day after the Centre’s decision to withdraw Jantar Mantar’s status as a designated venue for demonstrations and sit-ins. The site in central Delhi has for years been a focal point for political protests, public campaigns and demonstrations by civil society groups.
Following recommendations from a committee under the Union Home Ministry, the authorities have designated three alternative venues for protests: Ramlila Ground, Burari Ground and CBD Ground in east Delhi.
The decision comes amid continuing demonstrations by the opposition INDIA bloc and CJP against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Delhi Police has tightened security around Jantar Mantar since October 10, preventing protesters from entering the area.
On October 10, CJP had called for a demonstration at the site. Dipke, Das and Ranka were detained after arriving in Delhi, while thousands of demonstrators were detained or taken into custody over the weekend amid protests and an extensive police deployment across the capital.
Tuesday’s brief action underscored the protesters’ determination to challenge the restrictions, even as the authorities seek to move demonstrations away from one of Delhi’s most prominent traditional protest sites.
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