Day after police crackdown on protesters, Congress calls for SC march on Oct 12; Dipke vows to “return to streets”

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–> Day after police crackdown on protesters, Congress calls for SC march on Oct 12; Dipke vows to “return to streets” ANI | Updated: Oct 11, 2026 21:52 IST

Join our Whatsapp channel New Delhi [India], October 11 (ANI): A day after a heavy police crackdown on protesters demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, opposition leaders on Sunday called for citizens to join a march to the Supreme Court on October 12 (tomorrow) and criticised the police detentions. Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi called for a march to the Supreme Court on Monday, while CJP activist Abhijeet Dipke, released from preventive arrest, claimed he had signed no bond not to protest and would “return to the streets”, daring authorities to jail him “not just once, but a hundred times.”The BJP dismissed the protests as Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar said the opposition “occasionally makes its presence felt, much like a cockroach crawling across one’s back.”  Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta accused Congress, AAP, Left parties and the CJP of creating chaos during protests in the capital. She also praised Delhi Police for handling the situation and ensuring public safety.The day also saw continued activity from Delhi Police as protesters gathered at the Inner Circle of Connaught Place were detained, where members of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and Left parties staged a protest amid a heavy police deployment. Workers of the Congress student wing NSUI were also detained by police while holding a protest against CEC Gyanesh Kumar.Dipke, released with two CJP activists, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, after being produced before an Executive Magistrate at Delhi Cantt Police Station, said, “We will take to the streets again; we will not be intimidated by people like Amit Shah and Modi. Throw us in jail not just once, but a hundred times.” Speaking in Nagpur, he called the police “goons in uniform.”He alleged police refused his request for his phone to call a cousin after telling him his grandmother, Savitribai Shankarrao Dipke, 85, had died, and denied him a call to his lawyer. He also alleged that police asked him at 3:30 AM to call his parents about his arrest. CJP Legal Affairs Head Ratna Singh had earlier said the release carried a condition of “no breach of peace for one year,” which she later called a standard template signed in all preventive detentions.”That’s like that template (conditions of the magistrate). That is how, whenever they do preventive detention, that is something which everyone has to sign. So no special conditions have been imposed. That’s the normal criteria for how it is done,” she told ANI. As it happened, Delhi Police DCP Neha Yadav shed light on the circumstances surrounding the detention of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) activist Abhijeet Dipke and two associates on October 10.According to DCP Yadav, previous demonstrations organised by the group involved severe law-and-order violations, including heavy stone-pelting, arson, and extensive damage to public property, alongside a failure to adhere to legal undertakings and local directives.To maintain public safety and protect citizens’ property, Section 133 BNSS has been imposed across several areas of Delhi to strictly prohibit unauthorised gatherings and protests.On Dipke’s grandmother, she said officers informed him “sensitively,” offered help with flights and phone calls, and “repeatedly asked if he wished to speak to his parents, but he declined.”Rahul Gandhi on Sunday called on the youth, opposition parties and civil society groups to unite and march to the Supreme Court on Monday, urging people to shed fear with the words “Daro mat.”Gandhi said a memorandum would be submitted to the Chief Justice Surya Kant on behalf of the nation “demanding an end to vote chori, halting of SIR and the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar.”Sharply criticising the police crackdown on protestors in Delhi on Saturday, Gandhi said the young people came out peacefully. “They came with love in their hearts, not hatred or anger. They were beaten, both by cops and BJP goons. This is not the India we want,” he said.Opposition leader also voiced their criticism of the police handling of protestors. RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said “an Emergency has been declared” and Delhi was turned into a cantonment “to save one person.”Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav said authorities have “learned from Hitler” and alleged women protesters were mistreated.TMC MP Derek O Brien thanked young people “who got this going” and said, “Now, ALL of us, together.”Congress MP Deepender Hooda urged workers to reach Delhi in large numbers on October 12.Karnataka Minister K. H. Muniyappa said, “The whole country is burning. Particularly the young generation. There is no option for survival, and they have started to protest against the government.  The Congress party, with the INDIA alliance, all together fight for justice. I think until the Chief Election Commissioner resigns, there is no end to the strike.”The Opposition’s allegations triggered an equally sharp response from BJP. BJP leader and advocate Karuna Sagar said the INDIA bloc and CJP had “created a ruckus and tried to seize the National Capital.” “I want to ask Rahul Gandhi and the CJP leaders who pose themselves as the saviours of democracy that they should start opening the Constitution, which they flash every day. They should open the Constitution and its articles. They should know the procedure to remove the CEC. Article 324, sub-clause 5 and Article 124, sub-clause 4, of the Constitution describe a specific procedure for removal of the CEC. They should include specific grounds and a simple majority of both Houses. And if, at all, Rahul Gandhi, the Congress party, the CJP or any other political party that is demanding the resignation of the CEC has any evidence, they should produce it before Parliament, prove their case and try to remove the CEC,” he told ANI. Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale countered the allegations by Gandhi. “The allegations of vote theft raised by Rahul Gandhi, I have a question for him: from where you are elected, our votes have been stolen? Do we also claim our votes were stolen? We can say that Congress leaders have won due to fake votes. Things cannot work like that,” he said.Union MoS Tokhan Sahu said, “The Congress party is engaging in politics aimed at spreading anarchy and inciting the people of the country. One should ask them: when has the SIR, revision of electoral rolls, not happened? Whether it was Nehru’s government, Indira Gandhi’s, or Narasimha Rao’s—this process has always taken place; SIR has always happened…”At a joint press conference after their release, CJP activist Saurav Das hit out at the heavy security presence. “The situation across the country right now mirrors an open Emergency. Such repressive conditions have not been witnessed since the dictatorial regime of 1975,” Das said.”Over the last three to four days, Delhi has virtually been turned into a cantonment. Between 30,000 and 40,000 security personnel—including border troops and forces airlifted from Kashmir, Bengal, and Naxal-affected belts—have been stationed across the city under severe restrictions. This clampdown does not just target protesters; it punishes ordinary citizens who have nothing to do with the agitation,” he added.He alleged 57 metro stations were shut, trains, including Rajdhani services, were suspended, and markets were closed to turn public sentiment against the movement. Ranka alleged police stood around with cameras and microphones when Dipke was told of his grandmother’s death. YouTuber Dhruv Rathee alleged that around 20 men in civilian clothes barged into his house on Saturday and forcibly took him away while he was asleep, describing the incident as a “kidnapping” rather than a detention or lawful arrest.Rathee claimed that the men dragged him out of his bedroom and down the stairs, causing injuries. He also alleged that they did not allow him to put on slippers before putting him into a jeep and taking him to different police stations.He further alleged that the men took his phone and his parents’ phones, leaving him unable to record the incident or contact anyone. Rathee said he asked to speak to his lawyer after reaching the police station but was denied access to a lawyer and a phone. He alleged that he remained confined for around 20 to 22 hours, during which he was repeatedly told that he had not been arrested or detained.The Supreme Court on Sunday directed authorities to immediately lift the prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) imposed around the apex court complex, emphasising that access to justice must remain unhindered and peaceful citizens should not face illegal detention.A bench comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana passed the directions while hearing a batch of petitions challenging the government crackdown and detention of demonstrators by the Delhi Police and paramilitary forces during protests in the national capital on October 10, alongside a contempt plea alleging wilful disobedience of court orders.Highlighting the fundamental right to peaceful movement, the apex court ordered that smooth movement of people across the national capital must be facilitated within the bounds of the law.”Smooth movement of people in the city shall be permitted in accordance with law. There shall be no illegal detention, particularly of peaceful, unarmed assemblages of people, beyond the area where Section 163 BNSS is in operation,” the bench stated.During the proceedings, the bench agreed to grant an audience to all advocates seeking to mention their respective pleas connected to the protest crackdowns.”Two matters are before us. There are lawyers who wish to make an unlisted mention of pleas filed. What we propose to do is to go from right to left (in the Bar) and give an opportunity to hear every party,” the Court observed.Meanwhile, Senior Advocate and All India Bar Association Chairman Adish C Aggarwala has urged Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi to reconsider the proposed October 12 visit of Opposition leaders to the Supreme Court. Aggarwala suggested that Opposition parties consider initiating a fresh parliamentary removal motion against the CEC, citing what he described as new documentary material reported by The Indian Express.Aggarwala said political parties were entitled to raise concerns about constitutional institutions but argued that approaching the CJI with a memorandum concerning a politically contentious issue could raise concerns about the separation of powers and the independence of the judiciary, particularly where related matters are pending before the courts. (ANI)