New Delhi: Delhi Police teams landed up at the residence where CJP activist Abhijeet Dipke was staying in the national capital.
In the presence of a Delhi Police official the CJP activist was served a notice which stated that Section 163 of the BNS was in force around the Connaught Place area. The notice further warned that the NDMC has not given permission for the proposed Tiranga Yatra on Saturday and if the CJP decides to go ahead with this at Connaught Place it would be considered a violation of Section 163 of the BNS and legal recourse would follow.
Dipke was also informed that waving the Tiranga was not against the law, but staging an unpermitted march and gathering a crowd would be a violation of restrictions and the Police would take legal action. Dipke was also informed about the restrictions of treating the national flag with due respect in accordance with the Flag Code.
Earlier, rebutting allegations of promoting disorder and pushing back against widespread administrative curbs in the national capital, Dipke asserted that seeking accountability from those in power is “not anarchy” but the most fundamental expression of a democracy.
In a post shared on social media platform X, Dipke rejected claims that public demonstrations disrupt economic activity, arguing that aggressive administrative crackdowns and sudden logistical blockades inflict actual hardship on the public and traders.
“Businesses do not suffer because of peaceful protests. They suffer when the govt decides to shut down an entire city, suspend internet services and restrict the movement of its own citizens and turn the city into a war-zone. Since its inception, the Cockroach Janta Party has maintained that we will always follow Gandhi’s path of peace and non-violence, and we have stood by that commitment. We have organised protests in Mumbai, Pune, Jaipur, Lucknow, Bengaluru and Nagpur, and every single one of them has been peaceful. I was personally assaulted in Jaipur, but even then, I chose not to retaliate because responding to violence with violence goes against everything we believe in. We would rather exercise the rights guaranteed to us by the Constitution, drafted under the leadership of Dr B R Ambedkar, than resort to physical force,” he noted.
Directing sharp criticism at the ruling establishment for branding demonstrators as disruptors, the CJP founder pointed out the political hypocrisy regarding street agitations.
“Despite this, there are constant attempts to portray us as anarchists simply because we refuse to remain silent. But demanding answers from the govt is not anarchy, protesting against injustice on the streets is not anarchy, and questioning those who hold public office is certainly not anarchy,” Dipke said.
“The very party that is in power today spent decades organising protests, taking to the streets and questioning the governments of the day when it was in opposition. Had the same restrictions, intimidation and police crackdowns been used against them, many of those who occupy positions of power today might never have reached where they are. It is deeply hypocritical to celebrate protests as a democratic right when you are in opposition and treat the same act as a threat to public order when you come to power,” he added.
Asserting that citizens are merely asking to exercise their basic constitutional liberties, Dipke said that electoral victory does not grant an administration immunity from public questioning.
“We are not asking for privileges or special treatment. We are simply asking to exercise the rights that belong to every citizen of this Republic, irrespective of which party is in power… A govt that has been elected by the people is bound to listen to the people, not silence them. Democracy does not end once the votes have been counted,” Dipke affirmed.
Dipke’s remarks come as security has been amped up in and around Connaught Place to maintain law and order ahead of a ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ protest called by CJP activist Abhijeet Dipke at Central Park on Friday.
Traffic movement on certain roads in and around Connaught Place is also likely to be affected from 3 pm on Friday, Delhi Traffic Police said.
The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) announced that Central Park in Connaught Place would remain closed to the public on October 16 and 17 for “administrative reasons”.
Delhi Police said a prohibitory order under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) was already in force in Connaught Place and surrounding areas. Delhi Police also assured the Delhi High Court that all possible measures under the law would be taken to address concerns surrounding the CJP-proposed protest.
This report is auto-generated from ANI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.