New Delhi: After being released from what he called “illegal detention” over a planned protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, YouTuber Dhruv Rathee said he would take legal action against those responsible. He was speaking at a press conference on Sunday evening after meeting senior advocate Kapil Sibal in Delhi.
Rathee said that all the institutions of India, including the Election Commission, courts, and police, have been captured by “two people”.
He described the police crackdown on protesters and the fortification of the national capital as an “undeclared emergency”.
“This is an Emergency-like situation. But at least Indira Gandhi declared it,” the YouTuber said.
He also blamed BJP workers for trying to create a situation “like Nepal and Bangladesh” in Delhi by turning the peaceful protests violent. “I believe in non-violence and Gandhi. these people believe in Godse,” he said.
On being detained on Saturday early morning from his residence in Gurugram, Rathee claimed that police personnel told him “they are under a lot of pressure”.
“I thought I have been detained for one day but these people are in some sort of detention everyday. with the kind of work pressure and the salary,” he said.
The YouTuber also addressed allegations that he has received funds from “foreign powers” to protest in India. He stressed that he raises his voice against both the US and China and challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to do so too.
Rathee also clarified that he is against “oligarchs” like Elon Musk, calling him the “Ambani of the US”, and asked why the Tesla CEO would back him.
He also reiterated the demand for Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation, saying he must step down “on moral grounds”, and that the PM and the LoP must choose a neutral person as the next CEC.
The YouTuber said that while the Delhi Police has detained hundreds of protesters and denied permission for demonstrations, the “andolan” has not died, “no matter how much they try to suppress it”.
“Till how long will they keep Delhi on lockdown,” Rathee asked.
Rathee, in a video posted on X on Sunday morning, claimed that he was “kidnapped” from his residence in Gurugram on Saturday ahead of the planned anti-CEC protest at Jantar Mantar.
The YouTuber said around 20 people in plain clothes barged into his house at about 7 am, pushing his mother aside, while he was still asleep in his bedroom.
He said he was then taken to different police stations and was not allowed to access his phone to contact his lawyer for about 23 hours.
(Edited by Aamaan Alam Khan)