Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Shashi Tharoor and P. Chidambaram criticised restrictions in Central Delhi ahead of the CJP protest at Jantar Mantar, alleging that detentions and movement curbs threatened democratic freedoms and the right to peaceful dissent.
The Congress on Saturday criticised the restrictions imposed in Central Delhi ahead of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) protest at Jantar Mantar, accusing the Union government of suppressing dissent and curbing citizens’ fundamental rights. Senior Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Shashi Tharoor and P. Chidambaram expressed concern over the reported security measures, alleged detentions and disruptions affecting movement in the national capital.
The criticism came amid heightened security arrangements ahead of the proposed demonstration against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The protest was intended to raise allegations concerning voter deletions during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and claims of “vote theft”.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge strongly criticised the government over the reported restrictions. In a post on social media platform X, he alleged that young people, students, lawyers, journalists, social activists, farm union leaders, YouTubers and content creators questioning the government were being detained.
“Modi Govt has turned the ‘Mother of Democracy’ into a ‘Muzzled Democracy’,” Kharge said.
He also criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), arguing that detentions, arrests and the use of force would not discourage citizens from raising their concerns.
Kharge said young people had played an important role in shaping the country’s future since the freedom struggle. He added that the Congress, together with the united Opposition, would continue to challenge what he described as an authoritarian approach by the government.
The Congress president further reiterated his party’s commitment to defending democracy, the Constitution and the fundamental rights of every Indian. His remarks placed the reported restrictions within a broader political debate over freedom of expression, peaceful protest and the rights of citizens to question government decisions.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor also raised concerns about the security arrangements in the national capital. Referring to his return to Delhi after 2 am, Tharoor said he had rarely witnessed restrictions of such an extensive nature in the city.
He pointed to reports of checkpoints, concrete barriers, spike strips and the deployment of large numbers of police and paramilitary personnel in parts of Delhi.
Tharoor also referred to reports of train cancellations, metro station closures and the alleged detention of young people from their homes and streets in and around the national capital. He questioned whether the measures were intended to prevent citizens from peacefully expressing concerns about the integrity of elections.
The reported restrictions and security deployment drew attention to the competing considerations surrounding public demonstrations, including maintaining law and order and protecting the right to peaceful assembly.
Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram also joined the criticism of the situation, according to the information provided. The party’s objections focused on the alleged impact of the security measures on civil liberties and the ability of citizens to participate in demonstrations.
The controversy unfolded against the backdrop of wider political disagreements over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. Critics have raised concerns about alleged voter deletions and electoral transparency, while the planned protest sought to bring these issues into public focus.
The Congress argued that restrictions on movement and reports of detentions raised questions about the government’s approach to dissent. Kharge maintained that such measures would not deter the Opposition from defending constitutional rights.
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However, the specific legal grounds for the reported detentions and individual restrictions, as well as the extent of the alleged disruptions to public transport and internet services, were not detailed in the information available.
The developments have added to the political debate over democratic freedoms, electoral transparency and the handling of protests in the national capital. The Congress has said it will continue to raise these issues while advocating the protection of constitutional rights and peaceful dissent.
