New Delhi [India], October 14 (ANI): Opposition leaders on Wednesday mounted a concerted offensive against the Centre over the judicial remand of Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) activists Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka for demonstrating at Jantar Mantar, questioning whether unfurling or holding the national flag in one's own country had become a crime.
Taking to social media platform X, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convener Arvind Kejriwal termed the police action "absolutely ridiculous."
"Is waving our own flag in our own country a crime? This is absolutely ridiculous," the former Delhi Chief Minister wrote.
Echoing the outrage, former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) President MK Stalin warned that jailing protesters would only trigger wider public pushback, while offering legal backing to the arrested youth.
"How many protestors can this government detain? How many young voices can the BJP silence? The more young people they jail, the more ordinary citizens, with no political affiliation, will take to the streets and show them the true power of the people!" Stalin said on X.
Pledging his party's support, Stalin added, "Solidarity with Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das! The DMK stands ready to provide them with all necessary legal representation and support."
Terming the action an assault on democracy, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray also declared that the fight between the "regime" and "patriotic youth" would continue.
"The regime has jailed Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka for holding the tricolour at Jantar Mantar! Since when did holding our own national flag, in our own country by young Indians, become a crime? The regime vs the patriotic young Indians fight shall go on till we reclaim democracy from this dictatorship!" Thackeray stated in a post on X.
The wave of condemnation follows strong remarks by Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, who had earlier described the judicial custody of the activists as an "act of cowardice."
In a post on X, Gandhi said, “Waving the Tricolour at Jantar Mantar in a peaceful protest is not a crime. Jailing youth for it is an act of cowardice. Students. Youth. Journalists. The INDIA bloc. Different banners, one cause. All protests are one: citizens demanding their constitutional rights.”
Asserting that Jantar Mantar belonged to the people of the country, Gandhi further said, “Jantar Mantar belongs to the people of India. We will reclaim it.”
The remarks came after Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) activists Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were sent to five days of judicial custody following their detention during a protest near Jantar Mantar, party member Ajinkya Shinde said on Wednesday, asserting that the activists would not be intimidated by the action. (ANI)
"Waving our own flag a crime?": Opposition unites behind CJP's jailed activists
