Tensions between law enforcement and the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) escalated after the outfit revealed plans to stage a mass national flag demonstration inside the Central Park of Connaught Place on October 16. Party founder Abhijeet Dipke urged citizens to turn up carrying the national tricolour at 5 PM to oppose recent police action against his colleagues. Dipke alleged that party members Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were sent behind bars simply for hoisting the national flag. In contrast, police officials maintained that the arrests stemmed from an illegal intrusion into a newly restricted security perimeter and the subsequent breach of peace-keeping bonds.
Call for Simultaneous Rallies Beyond the Capital
Rejecting administrative restrictions, Abhijeet Dipke insisted that holding the national tricolour remains a fundamental symbol of civic pride rather than an unlawful act. Pitching the slogan 'Lehra Do Tiranga', he urged sympathisers who are unable to travel to New Delhi to organise corresponding evening marches within their respective home towns. Acknowledging that leading such an assembly might invite imminent police detention, Dipke stated that fear of prison would not deter him from demonstrating reverence for the national flag. Outlining his resolve regarding the scheduled gathering, Dipke said,
"We will show that waving the tricolour is not a crime."
Judicial Custody Mandate for Detained Activists
The confrontation originated from a protest targeting Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Following their apprehension, both Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were presented before the Special Executive Magistrate at Mandir Marg on Wednesday, which remanded them to judicial custody for a five-day duration at Tihar Jail. Meanwhile, a third activist caught during the same operation, Ajinkya Shinde, secured release after submitting a bond of 5,000 rupees alongside a binding legal undertaking barring him from participating in similar agitations for a period of one year.
Restricted Site Violations and Legal Access Complaints
According to administrative records, the detentions took place on October 13 when the activists allegedly scaled the locked boundary gates of Jantar Mantar to force their entry. Just twenty-four hours earlier, authorities had withdrawn the venue's designation as an approved public agitation zone, making any gathering unauthorized. Defending their conduct, Delhi Police framed the measures as standard preventive enforcement. However, Ratna Singh, head of legal affairs for CJP, contested the procedure, stating that the arrested leaders were denied access to their defence lawyers until late Tuesday night. The outfit intends to channel this mounting legal confrontation into its planned assembly at Central Park on October 16.
