Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) National Organisation In-charge Ajinkya Shinde on Saturday, 10 October declared that the ongoing agitation against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar would not end until Kumar's resignation, and urged party workers and supporters to march towards Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Sunday.

Detained Leaders and Allegations of Police Harassment

Addressing a press conference, Shinde alleged that Delhi Police had subjected detained protesters to harassment. He demanded the immediate release of CJP leaders Abhijeet Dipke, Ashutosh Ranka, and Saurav Das, who were reportedly taken into custody at Delhi airport.

Shinde alleged that Dipke's grandmother had passed away on Saturday, yet police had allegedly not permitted him to speak with his lawyer or family members. He described the situation as 'emotional torture' and claimed that the families and legal representatives of all three detained individuals had not been informed of their whereabouts.

'Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka have been detained at Delhi airport itself by this dictatorial Modi-Shah government. This government is once again afraid of the unity of the country,' Shinde said at the press conference.

Questions Over Airport Detention

Shinde questioned the legal basis for detaining Dipke at the airport, arguing that travelling by air is not a violation of any rule. 'Why was he detained on a flight? He came to Delhi by a regular flight. Anyone can travel by air. If he had violated any rules or staged a protest on the road, the police could have detained him,' he said.

He also alleged that the Union government had, during an earlier protest, restricted train and bus services and detained individuals to prevent them from reaching the demonstration venue — a claim that could not be independently verified.

Core Demands of the Protest

Shinde outlined the protesters' central demands: the restoration of voting rights that he alleged had been 'stolen' from citizens, and the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar, whom the party accuses of 'vote theft.' 'We are asking that people whose voting rights have been stolen should get their rights back. We are demanding the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar, whom we accuse of vote theft. That is all we have asked for,' he said.

The CJP has not provided documentary evidence for the vote-theft allegations in the public domain; the claims remain disputed and unverified. The Election Commission of India and CEC Gyanesh Kumar have not publicly responded to these specific allegations, according to available reports.

Barricades and the Road Ahead

Shinde alleged that restrictions and barricades erected across parts of New Delhi reflected the Union government's apprehension about the scale of the protest. 'The fear of the government shows that we have already won half the battle. This is the beginning of a new fight,' he said.

He appealed to citizens across the country to join the demonstration at Jantar Mantar on Sunday, reiterating that the agitation would persist until CEC Gyanesh Kumar resigned. The protest adds to a broader climate of political tension around electoral administration in the country, even as the Election Commission of India has not commented publicly on the demonstrations.