The Cockroach Janta Party has called for a protest on October 10 in Delhi. The Delhi Police on Friday said they denied permission for the proposed protest at Jantar Mantar, citing the short notice given by the organisers, their previous violations of undertakings, and their failure to follow lawful directions during the previous protest at the site. Meanwhile, nearly two dozen trains connecting Uttar Pradesh with New Delhi have been cancelled ahead of the protest.
What Prakash Raj said
Actor and activist Prakash Raj, who has been vocal about his support for the protest with the Cockroach Janta Party from the beginning, has now reacted to these revelations. He took to his X account to share a video addressing these reports, recalling a dialogue from his hit film Singham, where he played the antagonist Jaykant Shikre.
He said, “Trying to take away the right to vote from the citizens of this country, the right to choose, and now the country is erupting in protest so you are trying to stop them from protesting! Taking the right away from the citizen from protesting. Cancelling trains, picking up people from their homes, arresting them on their way to the protest site… police not giving permission. Court saying no permission!”
“Fraand! What are you afraid of? What is bothering you? Why are you shivering? What’s shaking under your feet? Cheating karta hai tu, cheating! Nahi chalega (This is cheating! It won’t work)! Just asking,” he concluded.
Prakash recently took part in a protest christened ‘people’s tribunal,’ held by civil societies and the CJP at Freedom Park in Bengaluru against the SIR on Thursday where YouTuber Dhruv Rathee and Cockroach Janata Party founder Abhijeet Dipke were present.
Activists detained
Activists and citizens planning to travel to New Delhi for the October 10 protest at Jantar Mantar seeking removal of chief election commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over alleged election malpractices said they are being harassed and illegally detained by the police, even forcibly removed from trains in a bid to prevent them from participating in the protest.
On Thursday, two groups of students from Pune affiliated with the All India Students’ Federation (AISF) – one of the organisers of the Jantar Mantar protest – alleged that the GRP tried to illegally detain them at Bhusawal station in Jalgaon district, and Itarsi station in the neighbouring state of Madhya Pradesh, while they were making their to Delhi.
Security beefed up
The Delhi Police have already beefed up security arrangements across the city, especially in central Delhi areas, for the protests and while additional deployment of security personnel are being made for the proposed CJP’s protest at Jantar Mantar which already have received support from multiple organisations.