CJP leaders Ashutosh Ranka, Saurav Das and Ajinkya Shinde were among about 20 volunteers detained after entering the protest site to “reclaim” the venue, where they waved Indian flags and chanted slogans as police arrived.
The detentions came amid a growing campaign by CJP supporters and opposition parties against revisions to voter lists that critics say favour Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The protests have taken place almost daily this month, with demonstrators demanding Kumar’s resignation over the changes, which the Election Commission has defended, denying that the revisions favour any political party and saying voters whose names were wrongly deleted can re-enroll.
Tensions escalated after police restrictions disrupted CJP plans for a weekend demonstration, during which thousands of protesters, including movement leaders, were detained.
Thousands more joined an opposition-led protest march on Monday, a day before the latest confrontation at Jantar Mantar.
In response to the demonstrations, Delhi Police announced on Monday that Jantar Mantar, an open-air astronomical observatory long used as a protest venue, would no longer be designated an official demonstration site, identifying three alternative locations for public gatherings.
CJP leaders and supporters nevertheless proceeded with their planned action at Jantar Mantar, jumping a gate and barricades to enter the restricted area before being taken into custody.
Following the detentions, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke condemned the move in a post on X, declaring, “You cannot denotify the resistance.”
A video posted to his account showed about a dozen volunteers entering the site, waving the Indian flag and chanting slogans as police moved in.
Dipke had earlier warned that removing Jantar Mantar’s official protest status would not stop the campaign against the voter list revisions.
“If Modi thinks taking away Jantar Mantar will put an end to protests, he is mistaken. Jantar Mantar is not just a location but a spirit of resistance that nobody can ever take away,” he said.