Rahul Gandhi Backs CJP Leaders’ Arrest, Says Waving Tricolour At Jantar Mantar ‘Not A Crime’

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday condemned the arrest of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders who allegedly attempted to enter the Jantar Mantar protest site, asserting that peacefully waving the national flag was not a crime. His remarks signalled a shift in the Congress’s public response to the group, which has been leading protests over paper leaks and alleged electoral irregularities.

“Waving the Tricolour at Jantar Mantar in a peaceful protest is not a crime. Jailing youth for it is an act of cowardice,” Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, said in a post on X.

“Students. Youth. Journalists. The INDIA bloc. Different banners, one cause. All protests are one: citizens demanding their constitutional rights. Jantar Mantar belongs to the people of India. We will reclaim it,” he added.

Rahul Gandhi’s Stand Marks Shift In Congress Approach To CJP

Gandhi’s statement comes after months of cautious engagement by the Congress with the CJP, which gained prominence following a social media trend in May and subsequently led a 17-day demonstration at Jantar Mantar in July against alleged paper leaks.

Initially, several Congress leaders remained sceptical of the group. The party maintained that it had been raising concerns over examination paper leaks and alleged voter-list irregularities through its ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ and ‘Vote Chori’ campaigns well before the CJP emerged as a prominent voice.

The Congress also stayed away from the CJP’s October 10 protest march demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over issues related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The absence was notable as Congress and other INDIA bloc parties had organised separate street protests in the preceding days. The CJP, in turn, did not participate in the Opposition’s march on October 12.

However, Gandhi’s remarks on Tuesday indicated a more unified approach. Addressing the media alongside INDIA bloc allies, he said, “We are standing here together as one; there are no parallel protests, there’s only one protest.”

What Congress Insiders Said

Congress sources told The Indian Express that Gandhi’s message of solidarity with the CJP leaders should be viewed in the context of his repeated calls for protests against Gyanesh Kumar.

One source said Gandhi had already made it clear that the demonstrations should be viewed as a common movement. The source added that his position meant backing those arrested while protesting against the Chief Election Commissioner.

According to another source, Gandhi had urged civil society groups and student leaders to come together, making support for those arrested during such protests consistent with his broader call for unity.

INDIA Bloc Leaders Condemn CJP Arrests

Several INDIA bloc leaders have also criticised the arrest of CJP leaders Sourav Das and Abhishek Ranka, who were sent to five days of judicial custody over allegations of trespassing into Jantar Mantar.

Abhishek Banerjee, Trinamool Congress MP, criticised the arrests in a post on X, questioning the treatment of people who unfurled and waved the national flag in India. He also accused the BJP-led government of undermining democratic freedoms.

Dipankar Bhattacharya, general secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation, said Jantar Mantar was widely recognised as a public protest site in Delhi. He described the custody order against the CJP leaders as a “ridiculous punishment” and called for the site to be reclaimed.

‘Reclaim Jantar Mantar’ Demand Gains Momentum

The opposition leaders’ criticism comes amid a wider dispute over the government’s decision to cancel Jantar Mantar’s designation as a protest site.

The demand to “reclaim” the location has become a common theme among opposition leaders, who argue that citizens must be able to exercise their constitutional right to peaceful assembly.

Gandhi’s latest statement brings the CJP arrests into the broader Opposition campaign against the Election Commission and alleged electoral irregularities. Whether the emerging unity translates into sustained coordination between the Congress, other INDIA bloc parties and the CJP remains to be seen.