CJP says protests to continue daily until Gyanesh Kumar removed
What's the story
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and several student organizations have vowed to continue their protests at Delhi's Jantar Mantar every day until Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar resigns or is removed. The protesters allege "vote chori" and "collusion" with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Despite mass detentions on Saturday, including CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, the groups are undeterred.
Protest plans
SFI calls for nationwide student demonstrations
CJP leader Ajinkya Shinde announced: "Every day, there will be marches to Jantar Mantar from now on, until Gyanesh Kumar is sacked as CEC."
The Student Federation of India (SFI) also joined the protest, with General Secretary Srijan Bhattacharyya calling for nationwide student demonstrations against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government.
"Wherever they are blocked by police barricades, that area will become a 'Jantar Mantar,'" he said.
Political response
INDIA bloc to submit memorandum to SC
The Congress-led Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc has also joined the protests.
Bloc leaders will meet Chief Justice Surya Kant at the Supreme Court on Monday to submit a memorandum demanding Kumar's resignation and other electoral reforms.
The memorandum was submitted to President Droupadi Murmu on Friday with four key demands, including restoring deleted voters and returning to paper ballots.
Security crackdown
Former CMs Kejriwal, Banerjee among over 1,500 detained
Over 1,500 people were detained across Delhi on Saturday as police tried to stop the protest at Jantar Mantar. Some reports even put the number at 7,000.
Among those detained were former chief ministers Arvind Kejriwal, Mamata Banerjee, Pinarayi Vijayan and Manik Sarkar.
A massive security deployment was made, with at least 25,000 personnel from Delhi Police and central paramilitary forces deployed and internet services suspended near Jantar Mantar.
Nationwide unrest
Protests in solidarity held in Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Chennai
Protests in solidarity with the CJP were also held in Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Chennai.
Around 200 people were detained at August Kranti Maidan in Mumbai.
BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad defended Kumar and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls, saying "Indian democracy has thwarted attempts to incite anarchy."
He added that "the country will be governed by Parliament, not by the streets."