Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday backed the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and other groups protesting against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, saying that waving the national flag during a peaceful demonstration was not a crime. His remarks come amid a row over police action against CJP members at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar and contrasting responses to protests against the Election Commission.

“Waving the Tricolour at Jantar Mantar in a peaceful protest is not a crime. Jailing youth for it is an act of cowardice,” Gandhi said in a post on X. Emphasising the need for unity among protesters, he added, “Students. Youth. Journalists. The INDIA bloc. Different banners, one cause. All protests are one: citizens demanding their constitutional rights.” Gandhi further said, “Jantar Mantar belongs to the people of India. We will reclaim it.”

Also read: Court orders 5-day judicial custody to CJP’s Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka

The Congress leader's remarks come a day after INDIA bloc leaders staged a protest against alleged electoral irregularities and demanded Gyanesh Kumar's resignation. The Opposition has accused the Election Commission of undermining electoral fairness through the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The protests have continued amid heightened security measures in the national capital and restrictions on demonstrations at Jantar Mantar.

The controversy has also intensified after the Delhi Police detained CJP leaders and supporters who entered Jantar Mantar on Tuesday, following the site's removal from the list of designated protest venues. Police subsequently registered a case against CJP leaders Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka and others over allegedly entering the site without authorisation. The party has been demanding Kumar's resignation over alleged irregularities in the electoral process.

CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke flags differential treatment of protests

Earlier, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke had questioned the differing treatment of protests and urged opposition groups and citizens not to let conspiracy theories divide them. In a post on X published around 18 hours ago, Dipke said that when CJP received permission to protest, some people alleged that the party had been planted by the BJP.

Also read: 'Don't want to spoil the surprise': Rahul Gandhi hints at bigger INDIA bloc plan on CEC-SIR row

“Yesterday, the INDIA bloc held a massive protest, but there was no crackdown like the one we witnessed on October 10,” Dipke wrote, arguing that treating different demonstrations differently could breed suspicion among groups fighting for the same cause.

“My only request to everyone is to see through these tactics. Today, they may allow one protest and crush another. Tomorrow, they could reverse the roles. The idea is to keep us doubting each other instead of questioning those in power,” he said.

Urging protesters not to lose sight of their common objective, Dipke added, “Don’t let conspiracy theories divide us. Don’t fall into the trap of fighting among ourselves when we should be standing together.”

“The fight is against Gyanesh Kumar and those protecting him. Don’t lose sight of that,” he said.

CJP and several student organisations had announced a joint agitation at Jantar Mantar against Kumar and in support of electoral reforms ahead of the October 10 protest. The subsequent detentions and restrictions on demonstrations have brought the right to protest and access to designated protest sites into sharper focus.