Pune (Maharashtra) [India], October 10 (ANI): Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut criticised the mass security crackdown in the national capital in view of the Cockroach Janata Party's (CJP) protests agaisnt the Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, saying that trains have been halted, protesters detained, and borders sealed to suppress widespread public agitation.
Speaking at a press conference, Raut said that forces brought in from Jammu & Kashmir have been heavily deployed across Delhi to block youth and members of various organisations from gathering for protests against the government.
"A large number of youths and members of various organisations were supposed to reach Delhi today, but trains have been stopped, people have been detained, and Delhi's borders sealed. Forces have been called from J&K and have been deployed across Delhi, but this is a people's protest, and you cannot silence the voice of the people," he said.
The remarks came as Delhi turned into a high-security fortress ahead of the CJP protest demanding the sacking of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.
Earlier in the day, CJP activist Abhijeet Dipke, who was on a flight to Delhi from Mumbai to participate in the protest, posted a video on Instagram claiming that Police were detaining him and his associates even as they deboarded the aircraft at Delhi Airport.
The CJP also claimed that content creator Dhruv Rathee had been detained, saying, "The Dictator is TERRIFIED of young people who question its wrongdoings and refuse to stay silent."
As part of the security arrangements, the New Delhi district has been divided into 20 operational zones, with dedicated detention centres established for each zone, police said.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has closed entry and exit gates at several metro stations ahead of the protest. According to an official communication, Delhi Police proposed closing entry and exit gates at 57 metro stations across the national capital and reducing train frequency at these stations in view of the planned demonstration.
Several trains at Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station have reportedly been cancelled as part of the security measures ahead of the demonstration.
More than 35,000 Delhi Police and paramilitary personnel are deployed across the national capital.
The security measures have been put in place to prevent any untoward incident during the demonstration, with police seeking to avoid a recurrence of the July 20 protests.
Unlike the arrangements made during the INDIA bloc protest, police teams have been authorised to carry lathis and batons. In view of alleged attempts to record and circulate videos portraying police personnel in a negative light, teams have been instructed to avoid verbal confrontations with protesters.
Those detained are to be taken to six designated centres: Chhatrasal Stadium, Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, Yamuna Sports Complex, Surajmal Stadium, the Community Centre in Daulatpur and the Community Centre in Pandrawal. (ANI)
“Trains stopped, borders sealed”: Sanjay Raut slams Centre over tight-security protocols against CJP protest
