Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has called for a protest programme at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on Saturday to demand the resignation of India’s Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Ahead of the demonstration, Eastern Railway announced on Friday the cancellation of twin New Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express trains departing from West Bengal’s Sealdah and Howrah stations, issuing official notification in this regard.
However, the railway notification made no mention of the CJP’s protest movement, adding only that the two trains were cancelled due to expected severe traffic congestion on the roads outside New Delhi Railway Station and Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station on Saturday.
Moreover, strict restrictions have been imposed on train movements at both New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin stations, with Eastern Railway notifying that no trains will be permitted to enter either station between 4am and 2pm on Saturday.
Notably, the CJP previously held a sit-in demonstration at Jantar Mantar in Delhi from June until near the end of July. That movement resulted in violent chaos on 21 July, turning the national capital into a virtual battlefield.
Following those events, the CJP announced a fresh protest in Delhi, having earlier mounted a successful movement demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Now voicing demands for the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar, the party called for Jantar Mantar movement on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Delhi Police said permission for the CJP’s Saturday demonstration at Jantar Mantar was denied because the application was submitted late, and authorities have appealed to the public not to join the programme.
Despite the denial, the government expects the situation in Delhi to turn tense over the weekend, with the administration fearing that an unauthorized gathering could lead to a deterioration of law and order.
Consequently, security has been heightened across the capital, with reports indicating that nearly 26,000 security personnel, comprising Delhi Police and paramilitary forces, have been deployed.
In addition, the Excise Department decided to keep all liquor shops in Delhi closed on Friday and Saturday. The situation has also impacted railway and metro services; alongside train cancellations, authorities announced the closure of 57 metro stations across Delhi.
The administration’s elaborate preparations have triggered political sparring, with Congress MP Jairam Ramesh taking a swipe on X at the security arrangements, commenting that the massive scale of security shows the administration is rattled after seeing four consecutive days of protests by INDIA alliance.
Concurrently, senior advocate Kapil Sibal moved the Supreme Court against the decision to shut down railway and transport systems ahead of a peaceful protest programme.
Opposition leaders said the government must explain why the capital’s transit system is being virtually brought to a standstill to block people from coming to join the demonstration.
Sibal questioned why transport services are being closed like this before a peaceful protest, why hotel rooms are unavailable, and why the public are told not to venture out.
The CJP had organized a gathering in Mumbai demanding Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation, from where the fresh Delhi programme was announced, and amidst speculation that a section of opposition parties may join Saturday’s rally, political debate over the capital’s strict security measures has further intensified.
