New Delhi, Oct 10: Several opposition leaders, including former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, AAP national convener and former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and former Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan, were on Saturday detained by the police while attempting to join the protest, called by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) in the national capital, against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.

Mamata Banerjee was detained along with several MPs of the All India Trinamool Congress (Mamata faction) from South Avenue in central Delhi, where she sat in protest at a bus stand after being stopped by police.

Banerjee and five of her party MPs, including Derek O’Brien and Dola Sen, were detained and taken away in a police bus. The former West Bengal CM sat with a band-aid on her mouth during the protest.

“The government is misbehaving with us,” Banerjee said in a video statement from inside the police bus, adding, “We, the INDIA bloc, will continue to fight to strengthen people’s voice.”

Arvind Kejriwal, whose residence had been surrounded by Delhi Police since morning, was also detained as soon as he tried to step out to join the protest.

Speaking to reporters before being detained, Kejriwal said, “…There are police personnel and paramilitary forces everywhere. People are not being allowed to leave their homes…The police are picking people up as they walk on the streets. No one is being allowed to go anywhere. They have created an atmosphere of authoritarianism across the country. Why?… They want to suppress this issue of ‘vote chori’ and continue doing it. But the people of this country will not allow this to happen.”

“The youth of the country have risen. Today, CJP leaders Abhijeet Dipke, Ashutosh Ranka and Saurabh Das, along with Dhruv Rathee, Ratna Singh and others, have been detained. The youth of the country are very angry. I request people to come to Delhi however they can to stop this vote chori; otherwise this country and this democracy won’t be saved.”

Former Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan and CPI-M MP John Brittas were among those detained by police and taken to the detention centre at Chhatrasal Stadium.

CPI-M General Secretary M.A. Baby was also detained.

Earlier in the day, CJP leaders Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were detained by the police from Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi while on their way to Jantar Mantar to stage a protest, demanding CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over alleged irregularities in the conduct of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

New Delhi, Oct 10: Around 1,000 protesters were detained across the national Capital on Saturday while on their way to take part in the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led agitation against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, police said.

Security has been beefed up across the National Capital Region (NCR), including border areas, in view of the protests.

Indian Railways cancelled and rescheduled several trains that were set to arrive in New Delhi, while the DMRC has shut the entry and exit of 45 Metro stations amid measures taken by the Delhi Police to stop agitators from reaching the protest venue at Jantar Mantar.

The police had said on Friday that permission for the CJP’s protest has been denied due to the organisers’ failure to comply with legal directions and their own undertakings during an earlier protest

Earlier on Saturday, CJP leaders Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were detained by the police from Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi while on their way to Jantar Mantar to stage a protest, demanding CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over alleged irregularities in the conduct of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Delhi Police personnel entered the aircraft carrying Dipke after it landed at IGI Airport.

Dipke posted the video showing the Delhi Police team entering the flight as he, along with other CJP members, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, were detained from the flight itself.

In a video posted on his social media handle, Dipke was heard telling the police, “…I have come here to be arrested; arrest me.”

The CJP announced the detentions in a post on its social media handle, stating: “Abhijeet Dipke DETAINED! Saurav Das DETAINED! Ashutosh Ranka DETAINED!”

Social media influencer Dhruv Rathee was also detained at his residence in Gurugram.

According to a post on the X handle of the CJP, around 50 police personnel in plain clothes reached Rathee’s residence in Gurugram at around 8 a.m. and took him into preventive custody.

Meanwhile, several Opposition leaders including AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, party leader Gopal Rai and former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee were also detained while staging protests against the CEC over alleged irregularities in the conduct of the SIR of electoral rolls.

Chennai, Oct 10: Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition (LoP), Rahul Gandhi, will address students at Chennai Island Grounds on Saturday as part of his ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj (Voice of Students)’ outreach programme, which focusses on concerns over examination irregularities, paper leaks, rising tuition fees and unemployment.

During his visit, LoP Gandhi is also scheduled to meet Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay at his Neelankarai residence.

The meeting is slated for 1.30 p.m., an hour after the Congress leader’s expected arrival at Chennai airport.

The student interaction, scheduled for 5 p.m., follows similar programmes in Kota in Rajasthan, Pune and Nashik in Maharashtra, and Indore in Madhya Pradesh.

The initiative provides a platform for students to discuss difficulties within the education system and challenges in securing employment.

The Tamil Nadu Congress has made extensive arrangements for the Chennai event, erecting a large covered pavilion at Island Grounds.

State Congress president Manickam Tagore inspected the venue and reviewed preparations with senior party leaders. He was accompanied by senior party in-charge Ghulam Ahmad Mir, joint in-charge Nivedit Alva, ministers Rajesh Kumar and Viswanathan, and Congress legislature party leader Tharahai Cuthbert.

According to organisers, more than one lakh students registered through a website and QR codes circulated across Tamil Nadu.

However, entry to the interaction will be restricted to 10,000 students who have been issued identification cards.

Students from several colleges across the State are expected to attend. Organisers have installed large screens outside the pavilion to enable people gathered beyond the main enclosure to watch the proceedings.

Drinking water and toilet facilities have also been arranged at the venue. Seating provisions have been made for around 350 invited education representatives, including college principals, professors and former principals.

The programme will centre on issues affecting students, including NEET and other examination paper leaks, increasing educational expenses and uncertainty over job opportunities.

LoP Gandhi’s outreach seeks to bring these concerns into direct discussion with young people. Apart from his meeting with CM Vijay and the student interaction, LoP Gandhi is expected to meet Congress functionaries and other prominent political leaders at the Taj Connemara hotel during his Chennai visit.

The State Congress leadership has been coordinating arrangements for the event, including student participation and facilities at the venue, ahead of his arrival. LoP Gandhi is scheduled to leave Chennai for New Delhi on a flight at 9.30 p.m.