News Desk: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor and former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal was detained by Delhi Police on Saturday, October 10, while attempting to join protests against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. Several other AAP leaders were also detained amid heightened security across the national capital.
Kejriwal’s detention came minutes after he posted a “Challo Dilli” message on social media, appealing to people to join the protest. The demonstration was organised amid growing opposition to the Election Commission’s functioning and concerns surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Before being detained, Kejriwal strongly criticised the security arrangements in Delhi, accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah of creating an atmosphere of authoritarian rule.
“There are police and paramilitary forces everywhere, and people are not being allowed to leave their homes,” Kejriwal said, alleging that protesters were being stopped and detained on roads across the city.
He further claimed that the security restrictions were intended to suppress questions over alleged electoral irregularities. Kejriwal accused the government of attempting to prevent public scrutiny of the issue and asserted that people would continue to raise their voices.
Kejriwal Appeals to the Youth
Addressing reporters before his detention, the AAP leader called on young people across the country to unite in defence of democracy.
“The youth of the country are very angry,” he said, urging people to step out of their homes and participate in the movement.
Kejriwal also referred to the detention of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke, co-conveners Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das, YouTuber Dhruv Rathee and activist Ratna Singh. Their detention came as authorities tightened security ahead of the planned demonstration against the CEC.
Security Tightened Across Delhi
The national capital witnessed a significant deployment of police and paramilitary personnel as protesters attempted to gather at Jantar Mantar and other locations. Barricades were erected at several points, while police detained demonstrators to prevent the gathering from proceeding as planned.
The CJP-led protest has become a major political flashpoint, drawing opposition leaders, activists and public figures. Protesters have demanded accountability from the Election Commission and raised concerns about the electoral roll revision process.
The latest detentions have intensified the political confrontation between opposition parties and the central government. While protesters have described the restrictions as an attempt to silence dissent, authorities have maintained a heavy security presence to manage the situation.
The situation remained tense on Saturday as demonstrations and police action continued at multiple locations across Delhi.
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