Rahul Gandhi Says Jantar Mantar Will Be Reclaimed, Slams Government After CJP Leaders Sent to Tihar Jail

Rahul Gandhi Backs CJP Leaders Sent to Tihar Jail

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, extended support to Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka after they were sent to five days of judicial custody following a protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.

In a post on social media platform X, Gandhi criticised the police action and argued that peaceful demonstrations involving the national flag should not be treated as criminal acts.

“Waving the Tricolour at Jantar Mantar in a peaceful protest is not a crime. Jailing youth for it is an act of cowardice,” Gandhi said.

He also called for unity among students, young people, journalists and opposition parties, arguing that different groups were raising a common demand for constitutional rights.

“Jantar Mantar belongs to the people of India. We will reclaim it,” Gandhi added, signalling that the Congress would continue to oppose restrictions on demonstrations at the historic protest site. <Cite refs={["turn572759search13","turn572759search8"]}/>

Why Were Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka Sent to Jail?

CJP leaders Das and Ranka were sent to five days of judicial custody on Wednesday after being detained in connection with an incident at Jantar Mantar on Tuesday.

According to Delhi Police, the leaders and other CJP members allegedly entered the area without authorisation after it had been removed from the list of designated protest venues. Police also alleged that the group breached restrictions and violated conditions associated with earlier preventive proceedings.

Reports said a group of CJP members climbed over a locked gate and entered the site, where they unfurled the national flag and raised slogans demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The two leaders were subsequently remanded to judicial custody and lodged in Tihar Jail.

CJP members have challenged the police’s account and maintained that their actions were part of a political protest. The allegations against the detained leaders have not, by themselves, established guilt. The case has prompted a wider debate about protest restrictions, public order and the right to peaceful political expression. <Cite refs={["turn572759search11","turn572759search12","turn572759news14"]}/>

Gandhi Calls for Unity Among Opposition Groups

In his message, Gandhi said protests conducted under different banners could still represent a common demand for constitutional rights.

“Students. Youth. Journalists. The INDIA bloc. Different banners, one cause,” he wrote, urging people not to view separate demonstrations as competing movements.

His comments came amid protests by opposition parties and civil society groups against alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Opposition leaders have raised concerns about the revision process and demanded greater accountability from the Election Commission. They have also questioned whether eligible voters could be wrongly excluded from electoral rolls.

Gandhi’s remarks framed the detention of the CJP leaders as part of a broader dispute over the right to dissent. His intervention also marked a public show of support for CJP, a group that has been organising demonstrations demanding action over alleged electoral irregularities.

CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke welcomed Gandhi’s support and thanked the Congress leader for speaking out against the arrests. <Cite refs={["turn572759search8","turn572759search13"]}/>

Jantar Mantar Becomes a Flashpoint in the Protest Dispute

Jantar Mantar has historically served as a prominent location for political demonstrations, public campaigns and protests in the national capital.

The decision to remove it from the list of designated protest venues has become a point of contention amid demonstrations over the Election Commission and SIR.

Gandhi’s statement that the site would be reclaimed was a political declaration supporting protesters’ access to a recognised space for public demonstrations. It did not represent a court ruling or a formal change to the site’s official status.

The issue raises questions about how authorities balance public order with the right to assemble and express political views. While authorities can impose lawful restrictions on demonstrations, those measures may also be scrutinised for their legal basis, proportionality and effect on peaceful dissent.

The circumstances surrounding the CJP protest—including the site’s status, the alleged entry without permission and the conditions imposed on the protesters—remain central to the dispute.

Gandhi’s remarks suggest that the Congress intends to keep the issue in the political spotlight and oppose what it views as restrictions on democratic expression. <Cite refs={["turn572759news14","turn572759search11","turn572759search13"]}/>

CJP Protests Over Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar

The arrests occurred against the backdrop of a wider campaign demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

CJP has accused the electoral authorities of failing to address alleged irregularities connected with voter-list revisions. Opposition parties have also raised concerns about the transparency of the SIR process and the safeguards available to voters whose names may be deleted.

The Election Commission’s role in maintaining accurate electoral rolls has become a major political issue, with the government and opposition presenting differing views on the revision exercise.

The controversy has moved beyond street demonstrations to include legal challenges and demands for institutional accountability. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has also approached the Supreme Court over the manner in which SIR is being conducted.

The latest developments underline how electoral-roll revision, protest rights and the treatment of political activists have become interconnected issues in the ongoing dispute. Allegations made by political parties will ultimately need to be assessed on the basis of evidence and applicable law. <Cite refs={["turn572759search13","turn572759news7"]}/>

Political Reactions Intensify After the Arrests

Gandhi was not the only opposition leader to criticise the detention of the CJP members. Aam Aadmi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal questioned whether waving the national flag could be considered a crime and described the police action as unjustified.

Other opposition figures also criticised the arrests, arguing that the treatment of demonstrators raised concerns about freedom of expression and the right to protest.

CJP founder Dipke separately accused the Centre of imposing an “unofficial Emergency”, while questioning what offence the detained leaders had committed by displaying the Tricolour.

Delhi Police, meanwhile, has cited alleged repeated violations of restrictions and interference with officers carrying out their duties as reasons for its action.

The competing statements illustrate the political divide over the incident. The legality of the arrests and the conduct attributed to the protesters must be distinguished from the political arguments surrounding the wider SIR controversy.

Conclusion

Rahul Gandhi has strongly criticised the government following the detention of CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, declaring that Jantar Mantar belongs to the people of India and that protesters would reclaim it. His remarks have added momentum to the political debate over protest restrictions and the treatment of young activists.

Delhi Police has cited alleged trespassing and violations of peace-bond conditions, while CJP and opposition leaders have questioned the action. As the dispute over SIR and the Election Commission continues, the episode has brought renewed attention to the balance between public order, democratic dissent and citizens’ right to peaceful protest.