CJP protest curbs: Rahul says govt will go; AAP calls it 'black emergency'

Opposition leaders on Saturday criticised the security restrictions imposed in Delhi ahead of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)’s proposed protest at Jantar Mantar, with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi predicting the fall of the Narendra Modi government. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also added to it and accused the Centre of imposing a “black emergency”.

“Gyanesh Kumar will go. This government will go. Then the repair of democracy will begin,” Rahul Gandhi said in a post on X, sharing a video of his address to INDIA bloc MPs on Friday.

The CJP has called the protest to demand Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over allegations of voter-list manipulation during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Delhi Police has denied permission for the demonstration, citing security considerations and procedural requirements.

Congress demands CEC's resignation

Addressing INDIA bloc MPs on Friday, Rahul said the issue went beyond the CEC and required the removal of the current government. He claimed that continued opposition pressure could bring down the government.

The Congress also demanded Kumar’s resignation and the suspension of the SIR. Party general secretary Jairam Ramesh called the CEC’s resignation a “moral imperative” and claimed the revision had disenfranchised nearly 140 million Indians.

AAP alleges ‘black emergency’

AAP MLA Gopal Rai accused the Centre of turning Delhi into a “cantonment” to protect Kumar, while Delhi unit chief Saurabh Bharadwaj urged the government to engage with young protesters rather than use force.

“You cannot make Gen-Z keep quiet by force,” Bharadwaj said in a video message, adding that the protesters wanted to raise their concerns peacefully.

AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal had said on Friday that he and his family would attend the demonstration and had urged young people to join it.

Centre's dictatorship: Prakash Ambedkarslams protest curbs

Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) chief Prakash Ambedkar on Saturday accused the Centre of resorting to “dictatorship” to suppress peaceful protests, extending his support to the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) demonstration against the Election Commission in Delhi.

Ambedkar called for a gathering at Mumbai’s Hutatma Chowk to express solidarity with the protest in the national capital. He alleged that restrictions on transport services, including train cancellations and the closure of metro stations, were intended to prevent people from reaching Delhi to participate in the agitation.

“Political parties have the right to protest, but the way attempts are being made to suppress this agitation amounts to dictatorship,” the VBA leader said.

He also claimed that protesters were being stopped at barricades and forced to walk several kilometres to reach the venue. Notices and arrests, he alleged, were being used to discourage participation in the protest.