Delhi Police detain over 1,500 at Jantar Mantar protesting irregularities
Over 1,500 people (including AAP's Arvind Kejriwal, Trinamool Congress founder Mamata Banerjee, the Left's Pinarayi Vijayan, and the Left's Manik Sarkar) were detained by Delhi Police during a Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest at Jantar Mantar.
The group was demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar step down over alleged election irregularities.
Opposition backs protesters, BJP defends CEC
Police cited lack of rally permission for the crackdown and used heavy security, shutting down nearby metro stations and internet services.
Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, voiced support for the protesters and called for electoral reforms, while BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad defended Gyanesh Kumar and the controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls, while decrying the protests.
The debate around fair elections is heating up across the country.