AAP convenor Kejriwal and AISA's Neha Bora detained amid protests against CEC
AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal and AISA's Neha Bora have been detained by Delhi Police during massive protests demanding the CEC's resignation.
The political atmosphere in the national capital reached a boiling point on Saturday as Delhi Police detained Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal and All India Students' Association (AISA) leader Neha Bora during a massive demonstration.
The protests, led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), were aimed at demanding the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. As tensions escalated, Delhi Police moved to prevent demonstrators from marching toward Jantar Mantar, leading to the detention of approximately 1,000 protesters across the city.
"The Youth Has Awakened": Kejriwal Defies Detention
Speaking via a video shared on social media shortly after his detention, Arvind Kejriwal, who was accompanied by fellow AAP leader Sanjay Singh, struck a defiant tone against the central government. He framed the detention as an attempt to silence dissent.
"We have been detained by the police. Sanjay Singh is here with me. The youth of the country has awakened. We are not going to be intimidated by Modi's tyranny," Kejriwal stated in the video.
The AAP leader further intensified his demands, insisting that the CEC must step down. "Now, Gyanesh Kumar will have to resign. People will not tolerate this stealing of votes anymore. You all should also come out of your homes and fight to save the country," he urged his supporters.
AISA Leader Neha Bora Calls it "Our 1942"
The crackdown also targeted student leadership, with AISA leader Neha Bora confirming her detention. Bora drew a historical parallel to the Indian independence movement, addressing the younger generation of activists.
"To my fellow Gen Z: This is our 1942," Bora wrote, suggesting that the current struggle mirrors the era of the Quit India Movement. She emphasized that while individuals might be stopped, the movement would continue to expand. "Their jails can hold a few of us but not all of us. Wherever any of us is stopped today, we sit down right there and begin. Every corner becomes Jantar Mantar," she added.
Bora also provided real-time updates to protesters, noting that while she was in custody, the movement was gaining momentum at the Safdarjung Flyover, urging others to "hold the line."
Massive Police Crackdown and Political Backlash
The Delhi Police have maintained a heavy presence across the capital, taking demonstrators into preventive custody after stating that no permission had been granted for the gathering. The scale of the detention is significant, with sources indicating that nearly 1,000 people have been held so far.
The crackdown reportedly extended even to those arriving in the city. CJP activist Abhijeet Dipke, who had traveled from Mumbai specifically to join the protest, alleged via Instagram that police personnel detained him and his associates immediately upon their arrival at the Delhi Airport.
The developments have also drawn sharp criticism from the Congress party. Senior leader Jairam Ramesh took to X to condemn the government's actions, using a traditional Sanskrit proverb to describe the current state of leadership. He suggested that the administration's decisions were leading toward self-destruction, describing the current political climate as a "fast crumbling" power struggle.