Dipke Warns of Nationwide Protests if Jantar Mantar Is Closed to Demonstrators

PTI, Oct 13, 2026, Hingoli: Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Tuesday warned that protest sites would emerge across the country if demonstrations were banned at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.

Dipke said that if police stop him on his way to Delhi, he would begin the agitation from wherever he is detained. The CJP leader also said he would reach the national capital on Wednesday to join the CJP’s protest demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

He was speaking to the media at his native village Santuk Pimpri in Maharashtra’s Hingoli district, where he had come to attend the asthi visarjan (immersion of one’s ashes — a post-death ritual) of his late grandmother, Savitribai Dipke.

In a standing order issued on October 11, Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar de-notified Jantar Mantar Road as a designated protest site, naming Ramlila Maidan (Central Delhi), Burari Ground (North Delhi) and CBD Ground (East Delhi) as three new venues for large demonstrations.

On Tuesday morning, the CJP said its leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were detained by police after they reached Jantar Mantar despite heavy barricading and a strong security presence.

Dipke told reporters here that their agitation would continue until Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar resigned. He said Jantar Mantar was the soul of protests and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah of suppressing democratic dissent.

“If they think the protest will stop if Jantar Mantar is de-notified as a protest site, then the entire country will turn Jantar Mantar. Jantar Mantar is the spirit of every agitator,” he stated.

Asked where he will protest, Dipke said: “The entire nation will turn Jantar Mantar, and Delhi will turn Jantar Mantar.”

He said his team members were carrying the tricolour (when they were detained in Delhi) and if that is illegal, then they are (referring to those in power) ‘big anti-nationals’.