New Delhi- Delhi is under tight security lockdown ahead of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led protest planned for Saturday, October 10, at Jantar Mantar, with authorities imposing major restrictions on metro and rail services while CJP leader Ashutosh Ranka issued a strongly worded moral appeal to police personnel across the country.

The CJP, along with other groups including the All India Students’ Association, has called for a large gathering to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Rakesh Tikait of BKU has officially extended its support to the protest. Protesters allege large-scale disenfranchisement, including the marking of living voters as “dead” on draft rolls. Ranka had earlier urged so-called “dead voters” to arrive at Jantar Mantar with placards reading “I Am Alive.” Delhi Police have not granted permission for the demonstration and have enforced prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), declaring any gathering illegal.

In a message addressed to police forces nationwide and shared widely on social media, Ashutosh Ranka appealed to officers’ conscience ahead of the protest. The statement, originally in Hindi, reads in part:

“We know that whatever is being made you do at this time is happening on orders from above. But how can you raise your hands against our children like this? How can you take them away in the darkness of the night like common thugs?

Does your conscience bear witness to this? Isn’t your sense of morality being wounded by doing all this? If these were your own children, would you treat them the same way?

Even during British rule, there were some policemen who fired on their own countrymen, claiming they were just doing their duty. But remember, today the nation still regards those policemen as traitors.

The blood of July 20 is on the hands of the Delhi Police. Is that what you want too?

You know we are all students who read and write. We are fighting for justice. We are fighting for our rights. You also know that we are people who believe in Gandhi and Ambedkar. We are people who walk the path of non-violence and the Constitution. We will neither raise our hands nor resort to violence.

But you should also know that no matter what you do, we will reach Jantar Mantar tomorrow under any circumstances. And we will fight the historic battle to save the country.

The decision is yours- how do you want to be remembered in history: like General Dyer, or like the martyr Mangal Pandey?”

Ranka’s appeal referenced the violence during the CJP’s July 20 “Chalo Sansad” march, when Delhi Police used force including lathi charges and tear gas against student protesters. The July agitation, which lasted over a month at Jantar Mantar, ultimately contributed to the resignation of then Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan

Metro Restrictions & Train Cancellations

In an unprecedented move, Delhi Police has written to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) recommending the closure of entry and exit gates at 57 metro stations from 9 pm on Friday, October 9, until the situation normalises on October 10. Train frequency at these stations may also be reduced to curb potential “unruly crowd movement” toward sensitive locations such as Jantar Mantar.

Affected stations include major hubs such as Rajiv Chowk, Central Secretariat, Patel Chowk, Janpath, New Delhi, Mandi House, ITO, Supreme Court, Indraprastha, Kashmere Gate, Karol Bagh, INA (both lines), Hauz Khas, Lajpat Nagar, Jamia Millia Islamia, Vishwavidyalaya, and others across multiple lines. Commuters have been advised to plan alternate routes.

Authorities have deployed over 23,000 central forces personnel, including CAPF companies, to assist Delhi Police. Plans include 37 blocking points in the New Delhi district, dedicated detention centres in all 15 districts, and the use of facial recognition to monitor individuals with prior records. Police have directed officers to prevent protesters from leaving their home districts where possible.

According to a Hindu report, police officials visited local mosques and market places in Old Delhi and announced that Section 163 of BNSS is in place in the New Delhi area, requesting citizens to not participate in the protest.

Delhi Police DCP Shrishti Pandey reiterated that Section 163 remains in force and any unauthorised gathering will attract legal action. She urged people to prioritise safety and use lawful channels to raise concerns.

CJP leaders, including Ranka, Saurav Das and Abhijeet Dipke, have claimed they face possible preventive detention under the National Security Act or similar provisions but have said they are prepared for arrest. They maintain the protest will remain peaceful and non-violent, in the tradition of Gandhi and Ambedkar, while insisting supporters will still reach Jantar Mantar.

As the capital braces for Saturday, the combination of Ranka’s moral appeal to the police, large-scale transport restrictions, and heavy security deployment underscores the high stakes surrounding the October 10 mobilisation over the integrity of India’s electoral process.