'Ready for it': Dipke claims police may detain him tonight or in morning

NEW DELHI: Abhijeet Dipke, the founder of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), asserted on Thursday that police forces were monitoring his movements and warned he could be detained overnight or on Friday morning, prior to his party’s scheduled national flag-raising protest at Connaught Place. Speaking at a press conference that evening, Dipke expressed readiness to serve time in jail for raising the Tricolour, as the CJP urged supporters to assemble at Central Park on Friday, despite NDMC announcing a two-day closure of the venue.

Dipke urged onlookers, "Tomorrow, we will peacefully go and wave the Tiranga. As the citizens of this country, if you consider this to be a crime, then you are the biggest traitor," according to PTI. He questioned the park's closure, stating, "Tomorrow, we will say that we will wave the Tiranga at 100 places. So you will shut down all 100 places?" On his social media platform X, Dipke alleged undercover police officers were surrounding his residence and tracking him in a white Scorpio.

The planned march is part of the CJP's campaign against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which saw over 13 crore voters deleted. The outfit has called for Kumar's resignation. Delhi Police has cautioned citizens to avoid the gathering, citing prohibitory orders and stating Connaught Place is not a designated protest site; however, it noted a small group could be permitted to raise the flag and sing the national anthem at a suitable location.

The demonstration follows the judicial custody of CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka for entering Jantar Mantar and shouting slogans demanding Kumar's resignation.