CJP leaders vow to expand protests demanding election chief resign

Cockroach Janta Party leaders said Sunday they would continue protests demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation and expand the campaign beyond Delhi, after more than 200 demonstrators were reportedly detained during rallies in the capital. The leaders, Abhijeet Dipke, Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das, were released from preventive detention on Sunday and renewed their call for demonstrations. Das said at a press conference that the campaign would continue across the country until Kumar resigned. Ranka said the leaders planned to approach Delhi Police on Monday to seek a date for another protest at Jantar Mantar. The protests took place amid heavy security in central Delhi. Demonstrators gathered around Connaught Place and tried to march toward Jantar Mantar, but security personnel stopped them and took people away in police buses, according to accounts of the events. Police restrictions were partially eased after a Supreme Court order, with Metro stations reopening and internet service resuming, one report said. Delhi Police said it registered 20 first information reports related to protests over Saturday and Sunday.