‘If protest failed, why detain over 6,000?’: AAP hits back at BJP

NEW DELHI: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh on Sunday accused Delhi Police of using force against protesters, including women, lawyers and journalists, during Saturday's demonstrations against chief election commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. He asserted that the agitation would continue through peaceful and democratic means.

Addressing a press conference, Singh alleged that the authorities curtailed people's right to protest by shutting metro stations, stopping trains, imposing internet restrictions and deploying heavy police forces across the capital. He claimed that more than 6,000 people were detained in Delhi on Saturday and alleged that protesters were subjected to force.

Singh also accused police personnel of entering a gurdwara and detaining people who had taken shelter there, calling the action disrespectful to the religious institution and its traditions. He further alleged that journalists covering the developments were detained. The AAP MP accused the BJP-led Centre of suppressing dissent over alleged irregularities in electoral processes, including voter deletions, and demanded Kumar's resignation as CEC.

AAP leader Gopal Rai said the protests marked the beginning of a larger movement, which would continue until the demands were met. Rai questioned the BJP's claim that the protest had failed, pointing to the number of people detained despite extensive security arrangements. He appealed to students and young people to continue the agitation peacefully. "The movement has started and it will reach its goal through democratic and peaceful means," Rai said, warning the government against repeating Saturday's actions. The CJP had called for a protest at Jantar Mantar on Saturday, but the demonstration faced restrictions amid heightened security arrangements in Delhi.