New Delhi: The Congress on Saturday criticised restrictions imposed in Central Delhi over the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) protest at Jantar Mantar, alleging that the Union government was curbing citizens’ fundamental rights and suppressing dissent.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and senior party leaders Shashi Tharoor and P. Chidambaram condemned the security measures, including alleged detentions, restrictions on movement and disruptions to public transport and internet services.
Kharge, in a post on social media platform X, said, “Our youth, students, lawyers, journalists, social activists, farm union leaders, YouTubers, content creators, everyone who is questioning this regime (BJP government) are being detained. Modi Govt has turned the ‘Mother of Democracy’ into a ‘Muzzled Democracy’.”
“The cowardice of the BJP-RSS is on full display today. Detentions, arrests, jails, lathis and pellets cannot deter the people of India. Since the days of our freedom struggle, the youth have been at the forefront of shaping the nation’s destiny. The Congress Party, along with the united Opposition, will fight this tyrannical regime, tooth and nail,” he added.
Kharge said that the Congress would continue to defend democracy, the Constitution and the fundamental rights of every Indian.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor also expressed concern over the security arrangements in the national capital, citing checkpoints, concrete barriers, spike strips and a heavy deployment of police and paramilitary personnel.
Tharoor said he had returned to Delhi after 2 a.m. and had rarely witnessed such extensive restrictions in the city.
He also referred to reports of train cancellations, metro station closures and young people being detained from their homes and streets in and around Delhi.
He alleged that the measures were intended to prevent citizens from peacefully questioning the integrity of elections.
He also criticised the reported suspension of internet services in parts of the national capital.
“Freedom of movement stands completely shackled. Jantar Mantar was designated precisely so that citizens could voice dissent in the centre of Delhi, and today even the roads leading to it have been declared out of bounds,” Tharoor said.
He questioned the deployment of security personnel and asked why similar urgency was not demonstrated when women in the national capital required protection.
Tharoor demanded the release of those detained and questioned whether authorities would impose similar restrictions if protesters returned on October 12.
“Our GenZ deserves better than an undeclared Emer-GenZ,” he said, adding that a government confident in the fairness of elections should welcome questions rather than respond with restrictions.
He also said that barricades would not restore public confidence in the Election Commission and urged the Union government to provide answers instead of using force against protesters.
“The strength of a democracy is measured by how it treats those who question its working, and by that measure, what we have seen today is utterly shameful and unconscionable,” Tharoor added.
Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram also criticised the restrictions, alleging that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was going to extraordinary lengths to protect the Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
He claimed that the closure of Metro stations, deployment of police personnel from other states, internet shutdowns and restrictions on peaceful protests had disrupted the lives of ordinary citizens.
“The youth are protesting; their minds are protesting; their hearts are protesting; their families are supporting them. And they are the voters in the next election,” Chidambaram said.
He added that the BJP would eventually realise that suppressing dissent and denying fundamental rights was not the way to win or retain power.
–IANS–
