Delhi protest LIVE: Dipke says CJP leaders still in ‘illegal’ detention, calls Delhi Police ‘kidnappers of Shah’

Delhi Protest LIVE: Opposition parties on Tuesday announced a “mission to restore democracy” following their march to the Supreme Court over concerns surrounding the electoral system and the removal of Jantar Mantar’s status as a designated protest site.

After a high tea meeting at Rahul Gandhi’s residence, INDIA bloc leaders said they would continue their campaign while awaiting the Supreme Court’s response to their petition against the government’s decision. Gandhi said the movement had one common objective: restoring democratic processes in India.

Delhi Protest LIVE: Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) leader Thol. Thirumavalavan said the protest in Delhi would continue until the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) resigns. Responding to the Delhi government’s reported position that Jantar Mantar was not a protest site, he said the protesters would continue to focus on the location.

Asked about Union Minister of State L Murugan’s resignation from the Union ministry and the Rajya Sabha, Thirumavalavan said he had only just learned of it and did not know the reason. He added that it could be an internal party issue and declined to comment further.

Delhi Protest LIVE: Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad said the INDIA bloc had finalised its political strategy for the coming days and would join ongoing protests at the district and block levels on Wednesday before returning to Delhi.

“This movement will continue until Gyanesh Kumar resigns,” Gaikwad said, adding that the alliance had also resolved to confront leaders supporting the Chief Election Commissioner, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Accusing Kumar of undermining citizens’ voting rights, Gaikwad questioned why BJP leaders were backing him. She said the country, its citizens, the Constitution and democracy must remain the priority.

Delhi Protest LIVE: The union home minister listed Congress’ poll losses over the years, saying the party has failed to win elections in states like West Bengal, Tripura, and Gujarat for “decades”, and also called for Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, to introspect.

“For 33 years, no Congress Chief Minister has won in Tripura. In Bengal, the Congress party has not achieved a victory for 54 years. In states like Bengal, Tripura, and Gujarat, the Congress party has faced defeat for three, four, or even five decades. I want to ask Shri Rahul Gandhi directly: is this the result of the SIR? The SIR only came into effect after 2024,” Shah said.

Delhi Protest LIVE: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the Congress party following the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) “resounding victory” in the Gujarat local body elections, pointing to the opposition’s prolonged electoral drought in the state.

Addressing the media in the national capital, the Home Minister asserted that the recent poll results, in which the BJP secured 90 out of 104 seats across three municipalities and municipal corporations, reflect the unwavering trust the people of Gujarat have in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, news agency ANI reported.

“I want to make this point clear—and specifically convey it to Rahul ji—that the Congress party has not won a single election in 41 years. The last election they won was back in 1985; since then, they have faced continuous defeats in Gujarat,” Shah said.

Delhi Protest LIVE: Cockroach Janta Party on Tuesday claimed that CJP leaders Ashutosh Ranka, Saurav Das and Ajinkya Shinde were still under “illegal detention.”

In a post on X he said, “Delhi Police has turned into kidnappers of Shah.”

The three were detained Tuesday morning upon reaching Jantar Mantar.

Amit Shah trains guns on Rahul Gandhi, says, “The SIR only came into effect after 2024. Ever since you emerged as the principal leader of the Congress—and subsequently as its President and the Leader of the Opposition—the party has consistently lost elections.”

“I also wish to ask Rahul ji: is this the result of an ‘SIR’? You dismiss the popularity of the BJP and Modi ji by attributing it to an ‘SIR’. You need to introspect. In a major state where you once held power, you have failed to win a single election in 41 years. This is a matter that demands serious introspection on their part. Recently, by-elections were held in three states across the country: West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry. I want to inform the people of the country today that the Congress party did not win a single seat in the elections held in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry,” says Amit Shah.

Delhi protest LIVE: Addressing media on Tuesday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, “We have the utmost respect for the Chief Justice of India, the Supreme Court and the judicial system of India. They have a role to play. We hope that they will play that role.”

“But we are also political people. No matter what happens, political resistance will continue, people’s resistance will continue, and it will triumph.”

Delhi protest LIVE: “Gyanesh Kumar has joined the ruling party’s team… He steals votes, protest site and democracy,” says CPI(M) leader M A Baby after INDIA bloc meeting at Rahul Gandhi’s house.

Delhi protest LIVE: After the high tea meeting at Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi’s residence, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut says, “Rahul ji had convened it and invited everyone—leaders and MPs were present for the high tea—and it was a very good meeting. Discussions were held, and everyone’s suggestions regarding the way forward and their respective views were taken into account; however, the ongoing struggle against CEC Gyanesh Kumar, Modi ji, and Shah ji will continue—both in the national capital and elsewhere…”

Delhi protest LIVE: After the high tea meeting at Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi’s residence, Keralam Minister Ramesh Chennithala said, “We will continue with the fight because Gyanesh Kumar has completely ruined the election process. INDIA alliance and the Congress party will fight to the last. One thing is very clear: everybody is united, and we will fight against the misdeeds of the central government and especially Gyanesh Kumar.”

“I received an application regarding the misconduct and corrupt activities of Gyanesh Kumar 20 years back when he was a PWD secretary in Kerala. We are going into the details of the file. In the file, it is very clear that he is involved in various corrupt activities… Now, the Kerala government has decided to unearth all these things, and in the coming days, after going into the details, we will take a strong view on these corrupt activities of Gyanesh Kumar. It is already with the Director and the Anti-Corruption Bureau of Kerala.”

Delhi protest LIVE: INDIA bloc leaders including Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Telangana Minister Ponnam Prabhakar at the residence of Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi for a high tea meeting.

Delhi protest LIVE: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the ongoing movement would continue until its ultimate goal to get Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation was achieved, while keeping the next course of action under wraps.

“Our movement will go till the end goal. How? That is a surprise,” Gandhi said at a press conference.

Delhi protest LIVE: AISA President Neha Bora called for the focus to remain on the BJP, saying the fight should be directed against the ruling party. She made the remarks during a joint press conference with INDIA bloc MPs.

Delhi protest LIVE: RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said those responsible would have to answer and asserted that action would follow, vowing to protect democracy. “They will have to answer for this, action will certainly be taken against them, and we will protect democracy,” Tejashwi Yadav said.

Delhi protest LIVE: Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami condemned Rahul Gandhi’s remarks against National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, saying the people of the state were angry over the comments and describing Doval as a patriot and a source of pride for Uttarakhand.

Delhi protest LIVE: Samajwadi Party MP Iqra Hasan said the struggle to protect democracy would continue, asserting that the turnout at the INDIA bloc’s October 12 protest reflected public support for the opposition alliance.

“The struggle to protect democracy will continue,” Hasan said, adding that the large turnout at the protest indicated that people stood by the INDIA bloc. (PTI)

Delhi protest LIVE: The INDIA bloc’s high tea meeting has begun at the residence of Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, who has joined the gathering along with opposition leaders to discuss the alliance’s future course of action.

Delhi protest LIVE: Samajwadi Party MP Pushpendra Saroj called for democracy to be protected, alleging that the Constitution was under threat and democratic institutions were being undermined.

“The ‘King’ is using all his might to shield his ‘parrot’; the parrot should resign, and democracy must be saved,” Saroj said, using the metaphor to criticise the government’s handling of the issue. He added that safeguarding democracy was the shared objective of those raising these concerns.

Delhi protest LIVE: Congress leader Sonia Gandhi arrived at the residence of Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi to attend the INDIA bloc’s high tea meeting. The meeting is expected to focus on discussions among alliance leaders on the future course of action and the ongoing protest. (PTI)

Delhi protest LIVE: CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke has urged protesters and their supporters not to let conspiracy theories create divisions, alleging that different responses to demonstrations are fostering mistrust among groups raising similar concerns.

In a post on X, Dipke said that after CJP was granted permission to protest, some people had alleged that the group was acting at the BJP’s behest. He contrasted the police response to the INDIA bloc’s protest with the action witnessed during the CJP demonstration on October 10.

“By treating different protests differently, they create suspicion and mistrust among people who are ultimately fighting for the same cause,” he wrote, urging people to focus on those in power rather than turn against one another.

Dipke concluded that the focus should remain on CEC Gyanesh Kumar and those he accused of protecting him.

Delhi protest LIVE: Congress leader and senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi on Tuesday said the campaign led by the INDIA bloc had gained momentum and was increasingly becoming a public movement.

Speaking about the high tea meeting called by Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Singhvi said the campaign involved civil society members, advocates and opposition leaders, adding that a different kind of press interaction could be expected as it progressed.

Responding to questions about technical defects reportedly cited in Rahul Gandhi’s petition before the Supreme Court, Singhvi dismissed the objections as “rubbish”, arguing that defect checks were routine in legal filings. He challenged critics to identify substantive errors in the petition rather than focus on technical issues such as punctuation, photocopy quality or photographs.

Singhvi also questioned whether the objections addressed the allegations against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Delhi protest LIVE: Congress leader Supriya Shrinate said the next course of action in the INDIA bloc’s agitation would remain open-ended, adding that Rahul Gandhi could call for another march at any time.

“With Rahul-ji, one must be ready for anything,” she said ahead of the high tea meeting at the Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition’s residence. Referring to Monday’s march and the ongoing campaign against alleged electoral irregularities, Shrinate said the protests should “wake up the slumbering government” and force it to stop what she described as wrongful activities. She also accused the BJP of pushing a “frivolous narrative” out of frustration and desperation.

Delhi protest LIVE: Congress MP and Tamil Nadu Congress president Manickam Tagore said the INDIA bloc would collectively decide its future course of action at the high tea meet called by Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi.

“The future course of action will be planned collectively,” Tagore said, referring to the opposition leaders’ march to the Supreme Court on Monday. He added that leaders and MPs had participated in the march to “save the democracy and election commission also”.