A day after around 150 protesters were detained while trying to reach Jantar Mantar, All India Students Association (AISA) activists and other protesters returned to the area on Saturday. Several were detained again as heavy police deployment and barricading were put in place across central Delhi.
The mobilisation was organised by AISA following Friday’s crackdown. The protesters are opposing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
AISA national president Neha Bora, who was among those detained on Friday, had called on protesters to return to Jantar Mantar on Saturday and continue the demonstration.
Kapil Sibal, Prashant Bhushan detained
Several protesters, including lawyers and young activists, were detained as they attempted to march towards the designated protest venue.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal and advocate Prashant Bhushan were among those detained. AISA activists, including Neha Bora, Anjali and N Sai Balaji, were also taken into custody by the police.
Police personnel were deployed at several points around Jantar Mantar, while barricades were placed on roads leading to the protest area. Protesters were stopped before they could reach the site, with several subsequently being taken away by police.
Protesters defend right to demonstrate
One of the protesters said peaceful demonstrations at Jantar Mantar were a democratic right and alleged that police action was preventing them from exercising that right.
The fresh mobilisation came a day after Delhi Police detained around 1,000 people during protests involving student groups, political parties and civil society organisations. The demonstrations were held against the functioning of the Election Commission and the Special Intensive Revision exercise.
The continued protests have kept the SIR process and the Election Commission under scrutiny, with demonstrators demanding accountability and opposing the electoral roll revision exercise.
Protests continue despite Friday’s crackdown
Despite the large-scale detentions on Friday, AISA activists and other groups returned to the protest area on Saturday. The renewed mobilisation led to another round of detentions as police sought to prevent protesters from proceeding towards Jantar Mantar.
The developments have added to the growing tensions surrounding the SIR exercise, with student organisations, political groups and civil society activists continuing to raise objections to the process.