Protest

PM Modi will lose 2029 Lok Sabha polls, says CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke

CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke on Saturday said he would continue carrying the national flag across the country despite arrests and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP of attempting to control people's food habits, personal relationships and voting rights. Addressing a protest meeting organised as part of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP)'s 'Jantar Mantar at Kochi' campaign against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, Dipke said the fight would continue until an independent and impartial electoral system was established in the country. Referring to his arrest in Delhi along with CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka for entering Jantar Mantar with the national flag, he said he would continue carrying the Tricolour wherever he went. "I was sent behind bars for raising this Tricolour. Saurav and Ashu, my two brothers, were also sent behind bars for raising it. The last time this happened in India was when w

Delhi Police Crime Branch questions CJP leaders Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka appeared before the Delhi Police Crime Branch on Thursday in connection with an investigation, police sources said. The two leaders reached the Crime Branch office in Rajouri Garden around 11 am, where a team of officers is questioning them, the sources said. They appeared before the Crime Branch in connection with two FIRs registered against them for allegedly entering the denotified protest site at Jantar Mantar on October 13. The two FIRs, registered at Connaught Place and Parliament Street police stations, were later transferred to the Crime Branch for investigation. Both leaders were summoned to join the probe earlier as well, but they had earlier sought more time and did not appear. The cases relate to the alleged violation of restrictions at Jantar Mantar, where CJP members had staged a protest and unfurled the national flag. Further details are awaited.

France faces fresh wave of protests amid deepening budget deadlock

The country's main unions from the public and private sectors have called for a nationwide mobilization, bringing together disparate sources of anger, including the grassroots Yellow Vest movement

Bangladesh garment factories close as workers clash with police in protests

Police in Bangladesh fired tear gas and used stun grenades Wednesday to disperse garment workers protesting for higher wages, police and witnesses said. Hundreds of factories remained shut after days of protests disrupted the country's garment industry, which earns about USD 40 billion a year from exports. Bangladesh has some 2,500 garment factories. Workers are demanding a minimum monthly wage of 30,000 takas (USD 245), up from 12,500 takas. They say rising living costs and inflation have eroded their purchasing power. The industry employs about 4 million workers, mostly women from rural Bangladesh. After days of demonstrations in the capital, Dhaka, violence was reported in several industrial areas on its outskirts. In Fatullah, in Narayanganj district outside Dhaka, dozens of people were injured in clashes between protesters and police, according to media reports. Police fired tear gas and used stun grenades. Prothom Alo, Bangladesh's largest Bengali-language daily, reported t

Delhi HC to hear lawyers' plea seeking action against suspended ACP, cops

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday agreed to hear on November 6 a plea by lawyers seeking action against suspended Delhi Police ACP Manasvi Vashishta and other officials for allegedly threatening advocates. The matter was mentioned before a bench of Acting Chief Justice Nitin Wasudeo Sambre and Justice Sanjay Sharma for urgent listing. "List it on Friday," the bench said. Initially, a group of lawyers urged the court to take suo motu cognisance of the issue. The bench, however, declined to initiate proceedings on its own and asked them to file a proper plea along with all available material. On Tuesday, the lawyers had told the court that remarks such as "use of AK-47" and "kale coat ke gunde" (goons in black coats) had been made against advocates. The controversy stems from an October 23 incident at Shahdara police station, where advocate Lalit Bansal allegedly sustained a serious head injury during a scuffle. The incident was followed by a confrontation between lawyers and polic

No one can claim indefinite right to occupy designated protest site: SC

Supreme Court said protest sites cannot be occupied indefinitely, stressing the need to balance the right to protest with the right to trade and earn a livelihood, particularly for daily-wage workers

SC seeks Centre, others response on plea against protest at Ramlila Maidan

The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought responses from the Centre and others on a plea by traders' organisations seeking a halt to the ongoing protests against the chief election commissioner during the festive season, and said that the protest site cannot be occupied for "all times to come". A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana was hearing several pleas, including one filed by the Kirana Committee Delhi alleging loss of business due to a protest at the Ramlila Maidan. "You can't occupy a site at all times. Where will farmers, journalists, etc., go? Everyone has the right to protest. Designated time must be given for designated period," the CJI said. The bench was hearing a batch of pleas, including the one filed by the traders, and on issues of alleged mass detention, police brutalities, closure of Metro stations and internet shutdown. The bench asked the traders' bodies to make the organisers of the anti-CEC protest parties to their pl

Delhi Police ACP suspended over personnel's protest outside headquarters

Delhi Police's Assistant Commissioner of Police Manasvi Vashistha, who joined the protest by personnel outside the Police Headquarters against the transfer of two officers, has been suspended, police sources said on Tuesday. The suspension comes amid controversy over the protest, in which police personnel gathered outside the headquarters seeking revocation of transfer orders. The action against the ACP was taken in connection with the incident, said the police source, adding that further details were awaited. There was no immediate official statement from the Delhi Police on the suspension.

French protest violence eases, Germany sees riots ahead of school return

French authorities expressed relief Sunday after mass protests over rising living costs resulted in less violence than previous weekends. But police expect new demonstrations as high schools at the heart of the movement reopen Monday after their autumn break. Germany faced its own challenges after nationwide protests Saturday ended with rioters attacking police and looting stores in some cities. Around Europe, hundreds of thousands joined overwhelmingly peaceful marches Saturday inspired by young people, despite scattered unrest. In Paris, rioters targeted police with Molotov cocktails at the end of Saturday's march on the city's eastern edge, injuring three officers and setting a car ablaze, police said. Across town, masked groups hurled fireworks at officers at a viewpoint across from the Eiffel Tower, and police charged repeatedly, sending panicked visitors fleeing the area. Overall, however, the violence was less severe than on Oct. 17, when a city hall was torched and more than

INDIA bloc leaders marches to Ramlila Maidan with crowds marching alongside

INDIA bloc leaders on Sunday moved in an open canter from the Minto Road-Connaught Place junction towards the Ramlila Maidan where they will hold a rally, scaling up their agitation against alleged "vote chori" and to press for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation. Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, TMC's Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee, CPI(M)'s MA Baby, CPI's D Raja, CPI(ML) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, JKNC's Frooq Abdullah, PDP's Mehbooba Mufti, among others, reached Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge's residence, from where they proceeded to Minto Road in open vehicles. From there, along with other leaders, they slowly moved towards Ramlila Maidan under the "Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao' march, with a crowd of supporters and workers walking alongside. Amid a sea of flags and banners against Kumar and the Modi government over the issue of "vo

INDIA bloc protesters gather at Ramlila Maidan, demand CEC's resignation

Many supporters arrived in Delhi on Sunday morning, while several others had reached the national capital on Saturday or earlier as parties mobilised their cadres from different states for the protest

French government says 320,000 people protested nationwide on Saturday

The French government estimated that 320,000 people protested nationwide Saturday in demonstrations focused on high living costs, fewer than in previous demonstrations. Mass protests on October 17 drew more than 500,000 people around France, and demonstrations on October 24 drew 410,000, according to government estimates. Organisers' turnout estimates are much higher. The Interior Ministry told reporters that of the 320,000 protesting Saturday, 70,000 people are estimated to have turned out for the main protest in Paris, which police moved outside the city centre to reduce the risk of unrest around government buildings and tourist sites after a last-minute court battle.

Centre extends CAPF deployment in Delhi in view of INDIA bloc protest

The Centre has extended for the third time the deployment of 270 Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) companies in Delhi till November 16 in view of the INDIA bloc rally at Ramlila this weekend and the possibility of "flash protests" by certain groups, official sources said on Thursday. These combat units were brought to Delhi for the protests by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) early this month. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Thursday extended the deployment of a total of 270 companies in Delhi from October 31 to November 16 in view of the INDIA bloc protest and rally at Ramlila grounds on Sunday, the possibility of flash protests by certain outfits and for maintenance of law and order during the ongoing festival season, the sources told PTI. The Delhi Police, at whose disposal these CAPF units have been placed, has been asked to coordinate their deployment, the sources added. The extension was approved at the request of the Delhi Police, they said, adding that a similar ...

Jamia students refuse to call off stir, demand definite date for polls

The protest demanding restoration of the Jamia Millia Islamia Students' Union (JMISU) entered its 16th day on Tuesday, with students refusing to call off their agitation despite the university's decision to hold elections within 15 days of the approval of the union's constitution. The protesting students have maintained that the administration must announce a definite date for the polls, which have not been held since 2006, and set a timeline for approving the constitution. The agitation continued a day after the university issued an order stating that students' union elections would be held within 15 days of the approval of the union's constitution. The order also revoked suspension and show-cause notices issued to students during the ongoing protest and provided for a committee to inquire into the conduct of security staff during the agitation. However, the students said the decision fell short of their demands, questioning the absence of a deadline for approving the ...

Jamia orders student union polls within 15 days of constitution approval

Jamia Millia Islamia on Monday ordered that students' union elections be held within 15 days of the approval of the union's constitution and revoked suspension and show-cause notices issued to students during the ongoing protest, according to an official order. The order, issued by Registrar Md Mahtab Alam Rizvi, also provides for the constitution of a committee to inquire into the conduct of security staff during the protest period. The decisions came after the university considered a demand letter submitted by students on hunger strike and their delegates.

Serbia election: Vucic faces tough challenge from student-backed movement

Serbians are voting Sunday in a parliamentary election that is seen as a showdown between the Balkan country's populist leader Aleksandar Vucic and a movement of university students who led protests against him for almost two years. Though Serbia's 6.4 million voters get to choose from 18 parties hoping to enter the 250-member Parliament, the election has taken shaped as a referendum between Vucic's right-wing Serbian Progressive Party and the youth-backed Students' List. The main contenders are believed to be polling neck-and-neck, making Sunday's election the most uncertain in recent years. Turnout is expected to be high and could push most smaller parties below the 3% threshold needed to make it into the assembly. While Vucic has routinely outplayed Serbia's fractured opposition in the past, the leaderless youth movement has proved to be a tough opponent that rattled his firm grip on power in Serbia like no one else could in the past 14 years since his party took office. A ...

Soldiers guard centre of Milan as thousands protest across European cities

Thousands of young people marched on Saturday through the streets of several Italian cities, including Milan, Rome and Turin, as authorities deployed large numbers of police and soldiers in a largely-successful bid to stave off a repeat of the violent clashes and looting that marred similar protests last week. The demonstration in Milan remained peaceful, but there were brief clashes with police in both Rome and Turin. In Milan, thousands of young people marched the streets as soldiers were deployed and luxury boutiques were boarded up, but by late afternoon, most shops had opened, Italian media reported. Premier Giorgia Meloni announced a raft of measures, including sending an additional 500 soldiers to Milan and tougher penalties for minors, who police said made up a large part of the violent protesters last week. In Milan, police detained several minors as a preventive measure, media reported. While protests in France have claimed most international attention, large demonstratio

Police, protesters clash in Paris as 410,000 demonstrate across France

Protesters and police are clashing in Paris, with tear gas fired and projectiles thrown, at the tail end of demonstrations in the capital and elsewhere that the French government says have drawn 410,000 demonstrators nationwide. Paris saw the largest protest on Saturday, with the interior ministry estimating that 110,000 took part in a march on the city's southeastern edge that started peacefully but is ending with violence. Police have fired volleys of tear gas and are also using water cannons to try to disperse people, including some who have thrown projectiles.

AISA chief Neha Bora refuses to sign peace bond, questions curbs on dissent

All India Students' Association president Neha Bora on Saturday said she will not sign a peace bond before a special executive magistrate, a day after the Delhi High Court dismissed her plea challenging a police notice directing her to provide a personal bond of Rs 10,000 with one surety. Questioning the rationale behind the notice, Bora asked, "Whose peace am I being asked to keep?" The police notice, issued on October 17 under Section 126 of the BNSS, asked the student leader to appear before a special executive magistrate (SEM) on October 19 and show cause as to why she should not execute a personal bond of Rs 10,000 with one surety "for keeping peace for a period of inquiry". Addressing the press at the CPI(ML) Liberation Parliamentary office here, Bora said demonstrating peacefully on the streets is a democratic right, and questioned how raising concerns against the government could be construed as a threat to peace. "If we do not ask the government any questions, whose peace

SC panel to hear Jantar Mantar protest violence complaints on Oct 29, 30

The Supreme Court-appointed High Powered Enquiry Committee (HPEC), probing the alleged violence during the July Jantar Mantar protests, will hold a two-day sitting here on October 29 and 30 to hear affected persons and record evidence on the alleged use of pellet guns and harassment of female protesters, officials said on Saturday. The panel will hold its proceedings from 11 am onwards at its office at Shiksha Sadan, 17 Rouse Avenue Institutional Area, they said. Members of the public and anyone affected by the violence can walk in between 11.30 am and 3 pm on October 29 and 30 to submit complaints or representations, or present evidence, provided they carry valid identity documentation. The committee will specifically examine the alleged use of pellet guns, targeted violence and harassment of female protesters, as well as instances of excessive force and property damage on both sides, officials said. Chaired by retired Supreme Court judge Justice R Subhash Reddy, the five-member .