Mamata Banerjee, Kejriwal, P Vijayan Detained During Protest Near Jantar Mantar

Four former chief ministers from the Opposition camp were detained in Delhi on Saturday as police cracked down on protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and former Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar were among those detained while attempting to join the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest near Jantar Mantar.

Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee was detained along with several party MPs from South Avenue in central Delhi. After being stopped by the police, she staged a sit-in protest at a bus stand.

Banerjee, along with five TMC MPs, including Derek O’Brien and Dola Sen, was taken away in a police bus. During the protest, the West Bengal Chief Minister was seen with a bandage over her mouth, a photograph of which was shared by the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC).

“The government is misbehaving with us,” Banerjee said in a video statement recorded inside the police bus.

“We, the INDIA alliance, will continue to fight to strengthen people’s voice,” she added.

Several other Opposition leaders and student activists were also detained while attempting to reach the protest venue near Jantar Mantar.

Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, whose residence had been surrounded by Delhi Police personnel since the morning, was detained when he tried to leave his home to join the demonstration.

In a video message following his detention, Kejriwal asserted that the country’s youth would not be intimidated by the police action.

“The youth of India will not be scared. We will fight against vote chori. Everyone should come out and protest,” he said.

Former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and CPI(M) MP John Brittas were also detained and taken to the detention centre at Chhatrasal Stadium. Former Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar was among those detained during the protest as well.

Banerjee arrived in Delhi on Friday to participate in the Opposition’s demonstration against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. She was part of the INDIA bloc delegation that met President Droupadi Murmu on Friday evening and sought Kumar’s removal.

During the meeting, Opposition leaders raised allegations of “vote chori” and demanded Kumar’s resignation, along with the annulment of Assembly elections held over the past two years. Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi later said he was “shocked” that the President had not denied the allegations of election theft.

However, sources subsequently said that claims attributed to Gandhi suggesting that President Murmu had accepted the Opposition’s allegations of “vote theft” were incorrect.

Following the meeting, Gandhi announced that Opposition leaders would approach the Supreme Court on Monday to meet Chief Justice Surya Kant and submit a memorandum, saying they intended to explore all available options.

The INDIA bloc has also announced a major protest against alleged irregularities by the Election Commission on Monday.

Earlier on Saturday, police detained CJP leaders Abhijeet Dipke, Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das from an aircraft after it landed in Delhi. The leaders had travelled to the Capital to participate in the planned demonstration.