New Delhi
oi-Madhuri Adnal
Delhi Police on Saturday made it clear that it will not allow the Sansad Chalo march to Parliament proposed by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) on Monday. The police said the ongoing protest at Jantar Mantar is unauthorised and claimed the organisers did not seek fresh permission either to continue the demonstration or to take out a march towards Parliament.
Senior officers said any attempt by protesters to move towards Parliament would be stopped, citing security concerns in the high-security zone. They said a large gathering in the area could affect public safety, disrupt traffic and create law-and-order issues. Police also warned that protesters could be detained if they tried to proceed with the march.
Delhi Police prohibited the Cockroach Janata Party’s (CJP) ‘Sansad Chalo march’ to Parliament on Monday, citing the unauthorized Jantar Mantar protest and security risks, following the hospitalization of activist Sonam Wangchuk.
A senior police officer, requesting anonymity, said CJP had been granted permission to hold a protest at Jantar Mantar for only one day and had signed an undertaking accepting those conditions. According to the officer, the protest continued beyond the approved period without fresh clearance.
“CJP spokesperson Abhijeet Dipke neither informed us nor applied for permission for the Sansad Chalo march. They had permission only for a day, but the protest was extended without approval. No formal application for the march was submitted either,” the officer said.
The party, however, has disputed the police’s version. CJP spokesperson Vaishnavi Gaur said the authorities had been informed about the planned march well in advance. She maintained that the communication was made verbally and not through a written application.
Security has been significantly tightened around Jantar Mantar ahead of Monday’s proposed march. More than 100 police personnel and Rapid Action Force teams have been deployed in and around the protest site. Officials said the security presence will be increased further over the weekend, with additional police and paramilitary forces likely to be stationed in the area. Several police vehicles have also been positioned nearby as a precaution.
Police said the crowd at the protest site grew steadily during the day, rising from around 500 people in the morning to nearly 800 by evening.
Meanwhile, Ladakh activist Sonam Wangchuk, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike for the past 21 days over alleged irregularities in national examinations, including the NEET-UG paper leak issue, was removed from the protest site early Saturday and shifted to Safdarjung Hospital. His removal triggered protests among supporters, leading to a brief confrontation with police. During the commotion, CJP spokesperson Abhijeet Dipke was also briefly detained.
