New Delhi: All India Students’ Association (AISA) National President Neha Bora was detained by the Delhi Police on Friday, minutes after the detention of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder and Convener Abhijeet Dipke while on his way to take part in the ‘Tiranga Assembly’, called by him at the Central Park in Connaught Place (CP) at 5 p.m.
Bora, along with workers of AISA and other left-wing parties, was detained from near Mandi House while on her way to take part in CJP’s ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ protest.
Dipke had called the ‘Tiranga Assembly’, urging people to gather at the Central Park in New Delhi’s Connaught Place and wave the Tricolour in protest against the arrest of his party’s Co-conveners Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka.
However, the CJP Chief was served two notices by the Delhi Police earlier on Friday, urging him to refrain from staging the gathering at CP, as the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has not given permission for the same and that prohibitory orders are in place at the venue.
The police also said that legal action will be taken for violating the prohibitory orders.
Speaking to IANS, CJP spokesperson Mehar Pasricha said: “Our main goal today is to emphasise that it is our right to decide where we unfurl the Tricolour. No one should dictate where we can wave our national flag; we will do it ourselves.”
Emphasising that the national flag has long been a symbol of patriotism, Pasricha added: “There should be no restrictions or obstacles placed in our way. Two of our comrades were detained from Jantar Mantar and jailed simply for waving the flag. But we are not backing down. Many CJP volunteers, various student organisations, and members of the public have gathered here because they believe no one should tell us what we can or cannot do.”
Meanwhile, according to officials, one of the notices was issued to Dipke on behalf of the New Delhi district authorities under the Delhi Police Act, instructing individuals not to visit Central Park, as Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) is currently in force.
A second notice was issued by the South West Delhi authorities, reminding the CJP Chief that he, along with Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das, were previously ‘bound down’ (placed under a legal undertaking) following their preventive detention at the airport and subsequent production before a court.
This relates to the court’s directive requiring them to refrain from causing any public disturbance for a period of one year.