Actor and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut has termed the leadership of the Cockroach Janata Party ‘anti-national forces’ due to their involvement in the nationwide stir demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Kangana Ranaut slams anti-CEC protesters
The CJP called for a massive protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on October 10, but the Delhi Police pre-emptively detained their key leadership before the protesters could reach the site in central Delhi. Over 6000 people were detained across Delhi on Saturday. Most were released later in the day.
On Saturday evening, Kangana was asked about her opinion on what transpired in Delhi, and the actor alleged that a conspiracy was underway to destabilise the country through the protests. Talking about the CJP protesters, Kangana said, “Look at how people are now exposing these anti-national forces. Leave the police aside, now ordinary people too will catch them and demand answers from them because people have started recognising them.”
Kangana’s remarks came after her arrival in Lucknow en route to Ayodhya, where she said she would visit the Ram temple to offer prayers to Ram Lalla. The actor, who is the sitting MP from Mandi, added that forces were working to protect the country. She, however, stressed that care should be taken to ensure that citizens did not face any inconvenience.
The anti-CEC protests
Her remarks come amid protests by the CJP demanding Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over alleged irregularities linked to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The outfit has raised concerns over alleged wrongful deletions of voters and called for greater transparency in the revision process.
About 41,000 security personnel turned the Capital into a fortress on Saturday to thwart a planned protest demanding Kumar’s resignation, launching an unprecedented clampdown that saw the detention of 7,000 people and left large chunks of Delhi deserted.
Four former chief ministers and the leaders of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) – a satirical movement that forced the resignation of the education minister three months ago – were among those detained as police cracked down on students, lawyers and politicians, successfully refusing passage to Jantar Mantar.
The Delhi Police has said it will keep central Delhi sealed on Sunday, holding Jantar Mantar shut, barricading the Capital’s borders and diverting traffic at 30 points, as the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) vowed to march again. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court will hear a plea accusing the authorities of defying its order against a complete shutdown of metro and train services.