'Doing a real disservice': K Annamalai supports CJP leaders, raises concerns over ongoing custody

NEW DELHI: Former Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai on Tuesday voiced support for the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) and raised questions over the Delhi Police's approach regarding party leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka. Speaking to journalists, Annamalai stated that the prolonged judicial custody of the CJP figures brings up serious concerns regarding the rule of law.

"I'm a little bit concerned in our country. I have a feeling they (Delhi Police) have taken the law into their hands, and the judge gets recused... I may not agree with many of the CJP's modes of protest. I may not agree with some of the antics of CJP. That's a different argument. But I completely support CJP in terms of the questions they want to raise," Annamalai stated.

He continued, "It is for the government to answer. But to arrest them for a violation and again to drag them in terms of how they spend their time in jail, that is only going to make the leaders of CJP stronger. I'm afraid of saying that the Delhi police are doing a real disservice."

Touching upon another issue, he stated that Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi possesses every right to scrutinize the SIR process, provided it does not lead to institutional harm. "Rahul Gandhi has every right to question the SIR process, but institutional damage should not be caused," he remarked.

On Monday, a local court in Delhi extended the judicial custody of the CJP leaders by an additional two days. They are accused of accessing Jantar Mantar—which is no longer an authorized site for protests—and obstructing police officers on official duty. Alongside fellow CJP workers, they had waved the national tricolour at the venue and shouted slogans against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar prior to being detained under preventive custody. According to their legal counsel, the bail sureties were turned down because of an apparent discrepancy in documentation. The leaders are slated to appear before the court on Wednesday.

At the same time, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi's governance while commending Das and Ranka for staying resolute after spending five days in judicial custody.

"You must be feeling very strong keeping a 26-year-old Saurav Das in jail. You must be feeling very strong beating children on the streets. You must be feeling very strong putting up barricades across Delhi and dragging students on the streets," Dipke remarked. He argued that Das and Ranka merely visited Jantar Mantar to wave the national flag before being remanded, alleging their judicial hearings were persistently delayed. "Is this strength? Hiding behind the police, hiding behind the courts, is this Narendra Modi's strength?" Dipke asked.

Key quotes

• K Annamalai: "I may not agree with many of the CJP's modes of protest. I may not agree with some of the antics of CJP. That's a different argument. But I completely support CJP in terms of the questions they want to raise."
• K Annamalai: "I'm afraid of saying that the Delhi police are doing a real disservice."
• Abhijeet Dipke: "Hiding behind the police, hiding behind the courts, is this Narendra Modi's strength?"