Students' Federation of India (SFI) cadres toppled barricades and clashed with Delhi Police as they took out a protest march demanding the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar. Visuals from Imtiaz Khan Marg showed the SFI march being stopped by police personnel, leading to sloganeering and a minor scuffle.
Earlier, SFI's central leadership, including Adarsh M. Saji, Srijan Bhattacharya, and Aishe Ghosh, were detained by Delhi Police as part of efforts to ensure the Jantar Mantar protest did not take place. "A total rampage has been unleashed by the Delhi Police on protesters, including women and senior comrades. State forces have crossed all lines and brutally attacked the people amidst the march to Jantar Mantar," the student organisation said in a social media post.
Aishe Ghosh, who is the national joint secretary of the SFI, was detained at Gurudwara Bangla Sahib Gol Chakkar alongside other women cadres amid the anti-CEC protest in New Delhi. "Is this how democracy works? Modi-Shah are shamelessly using the police against us. Let the world watch. Let the entire country watch what is happening," the former JNUSU president told the press.
Meanwhile, CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP A.A. Rahim, along with detained SFI activists, is on a hunger strike at Nangloi Stadium over the alleged misbehaviour by the Delhi Police against female protesters. They reportedly want their phones returned and an official apology.
SFI National President Adarsh M. Saji told PTI that more than 400 members of the organisation were detained after they began their march around 10:00 am.
The protesters were detained around 11:00 am, he said.
"The protesters have been detained. We are here to save democracy. This is a fight between autocracy and democracy. This fight is not over. Gyanesh Kumar will be thrown out of his seat," a protester was heard saying from inside a police bus after being detained.
On Friday night, the organisation said Delhi Police personnel visited HKS Surjeet Bhawan to search for protesters planning to participate in Saturday's demonstration.
The SFI Central Executive Committee office is located in the same building. SFI President Adarsh M. Saji, DYFI President A.A. Rahim, CPI(M) Politburo members Arunkumar and Vijoo Krishnan, and other leaders were present there at the time, it said.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) had called for a demonstration alleging voter-list manipulation during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and irregularities related to Form 6, used for voter registration, and demanded Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation.
