Tiranga Yatra Warning: Delhi Police Serve Notice to CJP's Abhijeet Dipke
Delhi Police warn CJP activist Abhijeet Dipke against holding an unpermitted Tiranga Yatra at Connaught Place, citing Section 163 of the BNS.
Tensions have escalated in the national capital as Delhi Police teams visited the residence of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) activist Abhijeet Dipke to serve a formal notice. The police have warned Dipke against proceeding with a proposed "Tiranga Yatra" at Connaught Place, citing strict legal restrictions currently in place.
The Legal Warning
According to the notice served in the presence of a police official, Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) is currently in force around the Connaught Place area. The authorities clarified that the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has not granted permission for the planned Tiranga Yatra scheduled for Saturday.
The police explicitly stated that if the CJP decides to move forward with the event at Connaught Place, it will be treated as a direct violation of Section 163, and legal action will follow. While the officials noted that waving the national flag is not illegal, they emphasized that organizing an unpermitted march and gathering a crowd would breach the current restrictions.
Furthermore, Dipke was reminded of the legal obligations regarding the treatment of the national flag, urging adherence to the official Flag Code to ensure the Tiranga is treated with due respect.
Dipke Hits Back: "Seeking Accountability is Not Anarchy"
In response to the administrative curbs and allegations that such protests promote disorder, Abhijeet Dipke took to social media platform X to voice his dissent. He argued that demanding answers from those in power is a fundamental expression of democracy rather than an act of anarchy.
Addressing the claim that public demonstrations hurt economic activity, Dipke countered that the real hardship for traders and the public comes from aggressive government crackdowns, such as shutting down cities, suspending internet services, and restricting citizen movement.
"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," Dipke stated.
A Commitment to Non-Violence
The CJP founder highlighted the party's commitment to the path of peace and non-violence championed by Mahatma Gandhi. He pointed out that the party has organized protests in several cities, including:
- Mumbai
- Pune
- Jaipur
- Lucknow
- Bengaluru
- Nagpur
Dipke mentioned that despite being personally assaulted during a protest in Jaipur, he chose not to retaliate, asserting that the party prefers exercising constitutional rights drafted under the leadership of Dr B R Ambedkar over using physical force.
Allegations of Political Hypocrisy
Dipke launched a sharp critique at the current ruling establishment, accusing them of hypocrisy regarding street agitations. He noted that the party currently in power spent decades organizing protests and questioning governments while in opposition.
He argued that if the same level of intimidation and police crackdowns had been applied to them in the past, many current leaders might never have achieved their positions. He stressed that it is contradictory to celebrate protests as a democratic right when in opposition but treat them as a threat to public order once in power.
Concluding his stance, Dipke affirmed that electoral victory does not grant a government immunity from public questioning, stating, "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."
As the 'Lehra Do Tiranga' protest looms, security has been significantly ramped up in and around the Connaught Place area to maintain law and order.