Jagan Mohan Reddy: CJP leaders' arrests will aggravate situation
Synopsis
Both Jagan Mohan Reddy and BRS leader K.T. Rama Rao have publicly condemned the arrest of CJP's Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka at Jantar Mantar, with Rama Rao calling five-day judicial custody a 'new level of Emergency.' The bipartisan pushback from two rival regional heavyweights signals the episode is fast becoming a flashpoint in the national conversation on the right to protest.
Key Takeaways
Former Andhra Pradesh CM Y.S.
Jagan Mohan Reddy said on 15 October that the arrests of CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka will 'only aggravate the situation.' The two CJP leaders were arrested in Delhi for allegedly trespassing into Jantar Mantar and sent to judicial custody for five days by a Delhi court.
BRS Working President K.T.
Rama Rao called the custody term a 'new level of Emergency' and defended the right to peaceful protest.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke thanked Rama Rao for condemning what the party called 'illegal arrests.' The episode has drawn cross-party condemnation from regional opposition leaders in both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday, 15 October said that the arrests of Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka will only worsen the prevailing climate rather than resolve underlying grievances. The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president made his remarks via the social media platform X, reacting to the duo's detention in Delhi for allegedly trespassing into Jantar Mantar.
What Jagan Said
'A proactive approach always yields better results than a reactive stance. The system has a flaw that needs to be corrected. Trust in the electoral process must be restored,' Jagan Mohan Reddy posted.
'The arrests of Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka do not solve anything; it only aggravates the situation. I empathise with Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka,' the former chief minister added.
Judicial Custody and the Charges
A Delhi court sent the two CJP leaders to judicial custody for five days after they were booked on trespassing charges. The arrests followed their presence at Jantar Mantar, a well-known protest site in the national capital. The CJP is a youth-oriented political outfit that has positioned itself around electoral accountability demands.
BRS Leader KTR Calls It 'New Level of Emergency'
Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Working President K.T. Rama Rao had earlier condemned the arrests in a post on X, calling the five-day judicial custody a 'new level of Emergency.' 'If there is one group of people really fighting for this country's future, it is the youth, the Gen Z of this nation. To imprison them because they are trying to clean up the system reeks of insecurity,' Rama Rao said.
'Slapping trespassing cases on Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka is absolutely uncalled for. Five-day judicial custody for waving Indian flags at Jantar Mantar is a new level of Emergency! Don't forget that the country attained its freedom through protests and movements like these. Dissent is the cornerstone of any democracy,' he added.
CJP Founder Responds
CJP founder and convenor Abhijeet Dipke thanked Rama Rao for speaking out against what he described as the 'illegal arrests' of the two leaders. 'We are all in this together brother. Let's fight for a better India. Jai Hind,' Rama Rao responded, signalling cross-party solidarity around the issue.
Broader Political Significance
This comes amid growing debate over the boundaries of peaceful protest in India. Notably, Jantar Mantar has historically served as a designated demonstration site, making the trespassing charge a point of contestation. The arrests have drawn criticism from opposition voices in both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, suggesting the issue could gain wider traction. Whether authorities pursue the case further or seek a quieter resolution will be closely watched in the days ahead.
Point of View
Paradoxically, amplified their cause by uniting rivals Jagan Mohan Reddy and K.T. Rama Rao in public solidarity — two leaders whose parties are otherwise fiercely opposed. That bipartisan convergence is the real story here, not the trespassing charge. India's protest jurisprudence around Jantar Mantar has always been murky; booking demonstrators for trespass at a designated demonstration site is a legal stretch that courts may scrutinise. If the government's intent was to quell a fringe movement, the arrests have done the opposite: they have given the CJP national visibility it could not have purchased.
NationPress
15 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why were CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka arrested?
Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, leaders of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), were arrested in Delhi on charges of trespassing into Jantar Mantar. A Delhi court subsequently sent them to judicial custody for five days.
What did Jagan Mohan Reddy say about the CJP arrests?
Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy posted on X that the arrests 'do not solve anything' and will 'only aggravate the situation.' He expressed empathy for the arrested leaders and called for restoring trust in the electoral process.
How did BRS leader K.T. Rama Rao respond to the arrests?
BRS Working President K.T. Rama Rao condemned the arrests on X, calling five-day judicial custody for 'waving Indian flags at Jantar Mantar' a 'new level of Emergency.' He argued that dissent is the cornerstone of democracy.
What is the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP)?
The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) is a youth-oriented political outfit in India that has positioned itself around electoral accountability and systemic reform demands. Its founder and convenor is Abhijeet Dipke.
What happens next in the CJP leaders' case?
The two CJP leaders remain in judicial custody for five days as ordered by the Delhi court. Their legal team is expected to challenge the custody order, and the political fallout from cross-party condemnation could intensify scrutiny of the trespassing charges.
