Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Thursday launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing the central government of turning Delhi into an “India-Pak border” to protect Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. He alleged that the capital was brought to a standstill through restrictions on transport and a heavy security presence.
Dipke said. “We know that you keep saying that you have press cards in your hands, that this is our press card, and by beating and dragging the journalists of Caravan’s Quint, they were detained for hours, despite knowing that they had press cards,” Bora said. “We saw how cameras were snatched from journalists and they were told that they would not get the camera if they cover this,” she said.
Addressing a press conference, Dipke claimed that Railways and Metro services had been disrupted and that security forces had been deployed across Delhi ahead of protests demanding Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation. He alleged that student organisations, Opposition leaders and former Chief Ministers were being “dragged through the streets. “You have even called unfurling the Tricolour a violation of law. For whom? For Gyanesh Kumar? What is Gyanesh Kumar giving Narendra Modi? You have brought Delhi to a standstill, shut down the Railways, shut down the Metro and turned Delhi into a border, like the India-Pakistan border. You have called in all the forces to Delhi. Student organisations have been dragged, the Opposition has been dragged, and former Chief Ministers have been dragged through the streets. All this for one Gyanesh Kumar? Why is Gyanesh Kumar so important to Narendra Modi? Why should we not believe that Gyanesh Kumar is helping Narendra Modi win elections? If he is not helping him win elections, why is Narendra Modi providing him with so much protection? Dipke’s remarks come amid continuing protests against the Chief Election Commissioner over the Election Commission’s handling of the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. Protesters have demanded Kumar’s resignation, alleging irregularities in the revision process. She further alleged that journalists were warned against covering the CJP protest.
Bhagat has alleged that the journalist made casteist remarks against him, while she has alleged that he groped her during a protest on October 3, according to reports. The protest has been announced as the next stage of the agitation against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Bora also referred to a counter FIR filed against a woman journalist who had accused Delhi Police Assistant Commissioner Vivek Bhagat of sexual harassment.
The CJP and several other organisations have called on people to gather at Central Park in Delhi’s Connaught Place on Saturday and wave the national flag.
