Delhi Police on Friday, 16 October 2026 served a formal notice on Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder and convener Abhijeet Dipke at his residence in the Jhandewalan area of New Delhi, informing him that no permission has been granted for the planned 'Tiranga Assembly' at Central Park, Connaught Place, scheduled for 5 pm the same day. Police warned that proceeding with the gathering would amount to a legal violation, with action to follow.

What the Notice Says

According to officials, the notice explicitly states that prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) are currently in force in the Connaught Place area. Authorities further clarified that the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has not issued any permission for the proposed 'Tiranga gathering'. Police made clear that any attempt by Dipke or CJP members to assemble at the venue despite the notice would constitute a direct violation of prohibitory orders, and that legal action would be initiated accordingly.

Dipke's Defence: Peaceful Protest as Democratic Right

Earlier on Friday, Dipke pushed back firmly against what he described as an attempt to suppress democratic expression. In a strongly worded post on X, he argued that demanding accountability from the government, protesting against injustice, and questioning public representatives could not be labelled anarchy.

Dipke wrote: 'Businesses do not suffer because of peaceful protests. They suffer when the govt decides to shut down an entire city, suspend Internet services, restrict the movement of its own citizens and turn the city into a war zone.'

He maintained that the CJP remained committed to Mahatma Gandhi's principles of peace and non-violence, even as he accused the government of attempting to provoke its members.

CJP's Track Record of Protests

Dipke cited a series of peaceful demonstrations organised by the CJP across multiple Indian cities, including Mumbai, Pune, Jaipur, Lucknow, Bengaluru, and Nagpur, as evidence of the party's non-violent approach. He noted that he was personally assaulted during a protest in Jaipur but chose not to retaliate, describing restraint as central to the party's founding ethos. 'Since its inception, the Cockroach Janta Party has maintained that we will always follow Gandhi ji's path of peace and non-violence, and we have stood by that commitment,' he said.

Broader Context

The standoff between Delhi Police and the CJP reflects a recurring tension in India's capital over the use of public spaces for political gatherings. Prohibitory orders in high-footfall areas such as Connaught Place are invoked periodically, particularly when multiple groups seek to organise events simultaneously or when security concerns arise. This is not the first time a notice has preceded a CJP-led event; critics argue that such pre-emptive orders disproportionately affect smaller political outfits with limited resources to secure alternative venues. The development will be closely watched as it raises questions about the balance between public order and constitutionally guaranteed rights of assembly.