Central Park closed ahead of 'Tricolour rally' - New Delhi - Ahead of Lehara Do Tiranga (Wave the Tricolour) demonstration called by youth organisations on Friday, New Delhi Municipal Council announced Central Park in Connaught Place will remain closed to public on Friday and Saturday, citing "administrative reasons".
This comes as youth groups, including Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and All India Students' Association (AISA), at joint press conference Thursday appealed to public to gather for mass flag-hoisting demonstration at Central Park on Friday, as part of ongoing agitation seeking rollback of special intensive revision of electoral rolls and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation.
Organisations condemned police action against CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka. "Why is Prime Minister shutting down Delhi to protect one man? Delhi has been turned into India-Pakistan border, with railway and Metro services suspended after our October 10 protest call. What does Gyanesh Kumar give Modi in return for this protection?" Mr. Dipke said. "Unfurling the Tiranga is not a crime", he said. “If government wants to detain this many citizens, Opposition leaders, and students, let it declare an Emergency outright.”
Read more - Tiranga On Trial
Groups also demanded end to police action against demonstrators and restoration of Jantar Mantar as designated protest site.
Over 100 detained in Delhi - Students' Federation (AISF) and All India Youth Federation (AlYF) taking out 'Tiranga march' through Connaught Place. Youth organisations said around 100 protesters, including women, were detained during march, though Delhi Police did not release official count.
Students' Federation was expanding to cities including Mumbai. Reacting to closure of Central Park, Mr. Dipke, in late-night press conference, said, "Is the government going to shut 100 places if we decide to unfurl the flags at 100 locations? Why are they so scared?" He said following path of Mahatma Gandhi and Babasaheb Ambedkar, people will gather at 5 p.m. at Central Flag peacefully and protest against SIR.
'Nationwide struggle' - AISA president Neha Bora said campaign to protect voting rights was nationwide struggle involving ordinary citizens, not any single political party or organisation. She added protests would continue despite alleged attempts to intimidate demonstrators and said movement.
Maharashtra yet to publish lists of 'logical discrepancies', 'unmapped persons' in SIR - Chief Electoral Officer of Maharashtra has not yet published list of 1.22 crore voters in State who were issued notices, as part of special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, for 'logical discrepancies' or for being 'unmapped' in previous SIRs. As per notification issued by Election Commission of India (ECI) for Phase 3 of SIR, CEO of every State has been directed to publish on their websites lists of persons to whom notices were generated for being unmapped or for logical discrepancies.
There are 59.75 lakh unmapped people and 62.48 lakh people whose names have been flagged for logical discrepancies in State, taking total figure to whopping 1.22 crore. States like Karnataka, Telangana, Delhi, where figures considerably lower, have already published their lists. Meanwhile, Maharashtra CEO on Thursday announced special camps to be held in State on October 17, 18, 24 and 25, for inclusion of new or excluded electors. People asked to check their names in draft electoral roll and file claims by October 26.
A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was heard in Supreme Court on Thursday, which sought that SIR process in Maharashtra should be kept in abeyance. PIL claimed that SIR process in State is "arbitrary, unconstitutional and violative of Articles 14, 19(1)(a) and 21 of Constitution." It also claimed process was being conducted in "brazen violation" of rule of law, provisions of Representation of People Act, 1950.
Read more - The Ear That Paid For Protest
Analytically, Central Park closure shows administration's new playbook after Jantar Mantar denotification - pre-emptive closure of alternative. If court earlier said ghost orders, now ghost park closure. For Maharashtra, non-publication violates ECl's own transparency promise.
Tags: #CentralPark #TirangaMarch #CJP #AISA #DelhiDetentions #MaharashtraSIR #NDMC #JantarMantar #ElectoralRolls