‘The more young people they jail…’: How opposition leaders in South are viewing Ranka, Saurav arrests

Several Opposition leaders from southern states have condemned the arrest of CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, labeling it an attempt to suppress dissent. KTR, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi working president, called the move "uncalled for" and accused the authorities of "insecurity". He urged for judicial custody of young protesters, stating that protests and movements have been the backbone of India's freedom struggle.

DMK leader M K Stalin similarly condemned the arrests, warning that "the more young people they jail, the more ordinary citizens will take to the streets" to demonstrate their power. Former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan described the arrests as part of a broader assault on dissent, asserting that the right to protest should not be confined to designated sites.

The Delhi Police arrested Das and Ranka for allegedly attempting to disturb public peace and violate laws by entering the Jantar Mantar area without proper permission. They have since denied permission for protests at Jantar Mantar, relocating them to three other locations in the city. The arrests come amid a wave of protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the revision of electoral rolls.

Over 7,500 people were detained in Delhi over the October 10-11 weekend during protests led by the CJP, student groups, and Opposition parties.