Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke has expressed fear of impending police detention ahead of the planned Lehra do Tiranga march in Connaught Place, where authorities have deployed heavy security and closed Central Park.

Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke has expressed fear of impending police detention ahead of the planned Lehra do Tiranga march in Connaught Place, where authorities have deployed heavy security and closed Central Park.

Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke has expressed fear of impending police detention ahead of the planned Lehra do Tiranga march in Connaught Place, where authorities have deployed heavy security and closed Central Park.

Ahead of the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) "Lehra do Tiranga" march at Central Park in Connaught Place, its founder, Abhijeet Dipke, has raised the alarm, saying undercover sleuths were watching him at home and the police may detain him soon.

He alleged that vehicles without number plates were following him, and Intelligence Bureau personnel took updates from the watchman outside his house. "Delhi Police can detain me tonight or tomorrow morning, but I want to tell Narendra Modi that we are not going to be scared by this," he said, adding that the CJP demanded the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and not regime change.

"We are just saying that remove Gyanesh Kumar, who is not even listening to his ECs, and appoint a new election commissioner in an independent, unbiased manner. Is this a crime?" Dipke said.

Dipke, who addressed a press conference late Thursday night, said he was ready to go to jail for waving the national flag if he has to. "Tomorrow, we will peacefully go and wave the Tiranga. As the citizens of this country, if you consider this to be a crime, then you are the biggest traitor," Dipke said. "If we have to go to jail to wave the Tiranga in this country, then we are ready for it," he added.

He said the CJP was ready to wave the Tiranga at 100 places and asked whether the government would shut down all 100. "Tomorrow, we will say that if you go to Narendra Modi's rally and wave the Tiranga, will you cancel your rally? What a joke you have made," he said.
He alleged that citizens are being jailed for waving the tricolour, and cited the arrest of CJP colleagues Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka. "Why does the Prime Minister of India hate the Tiranga so much? If he hates the Tiranga, does he deserve to be the Prime Minister of India?" Dipke said.

Ahead of the march, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) issued a notice shutting down Central Park in Connaught Place to the public on October 16 and 17 due to administrative reasons.

Meanwhile, a report by News 18 citing intelligence sources said the Tiranga march could transform into an indefinite sit-in seeking the release of Das and Ranka.

The assessment fears the CJP activists may refuse to vacate the venue after the march ends at 5 pm, just like the June 20 protest when the demonstration spilt over the stipulated time.

However, the Delhi Police claimed that despite the prohibitory orders in force in Connaught Place and adjoining areas, a limited number of people could be allowed to participate in a symbolic display of patriotism. The police said various trader and market associations in Connaught Place and neighbouring areas have sought protection for their establishments from unruly elements and unlawful assemblies, which could affect business during the festival season.

The Delhi Police have also deployed heavy security in and around Connaught Place and Jantar Mantar ahead of Friday's protest, with several companies of paramilitary forces already stationed in the national capital. The police will deploy personnel at strategic locations, erect barricades and regulate the movement of protesters and commuters to maintain law and order and prevent any untoward incident, a source said.

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