Delhi Police Bars Parliament Protest March; Organisers Vow to Defy
A protest march to Parliament demanded by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and activists, including the wife of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, is set to be blocked by Delhi Police on Monday. The police have invoked prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) — equivalent to the former Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code — which bans assemblies of five or more persons in New Delhi district.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, who began an indefinite fast on Saturday, and Gitanjali J Angmo, Sonam Wangchuk’s wife, are leading the protest demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The protest has been ongoing for 20 days at Jantar Mantar.
On Sunday, CJP spokesperson Vijeta Dahiya said around one lakh people were expected to join the march, scheduled to start at 9 am from Jantar Mantar. In a speech, Dipke claimed the march would be “the biggest in independent India” but appealed for peace. “Sonam Wangchuk has told me that the protest will only be successful if it is peaceful,” he said, as supporters chanted slogans demanding Pradhan’s resignation.
Delhi Police issued a public advisory stating that no permission had been sought or granted for the march. “Prohibitory order under Section 163 BNSS is in force in the New Delhi district. Accordingly, protest marches, processions, demonstrations and assemblies of five or more persons are strictly prohibited,” the advisory said.
In response, Dahiya said, “We have not asked for permission because we want to challenge these colonial laws where you have to ask for permission from the government to protest against the government, while the government can arbitrarily deny it.”
By Sunday night, security measures near Parliament were tightened, with barricades erected on roads and around ministers’ residences. Over 12 companies of paramilitary personnel were on standby, and water cannons and jammers were positioned near Jantar Mantar.
The number of protesters at the site had grown to around 4,000 on Sunday, the highest since the stir began. Police deployed over 1,500 personnel, including plainclothes officers, and kept 200 officers from the Crime Branch and Special Cell on standby.
From hospital, Sonam Wangchuk sent a message through his wife: “India’s second freedom movement, march to Parliament — please make it a big success.”
Among the protesters, 20-year-old Fatima sat with her two daughters, aged 8 and 9, holding a sign. “This is a question about my children’s future. I had to come… I think my kids should also raise their voices for the right things,” she said.
