"First deny permission, then register FIRs": IYC Legal Cell Chairman alleges Delhi Police ‘high-handedness’ ‘nexus’ behind restrictions on protests

Alleging a “nexus” behind the denial of permission for protests and subsequent registration of FIRs against Opposition leaders, India Youth Congress (IYC) Legal Cell national chairman Advocate Roopesh Singh Bhadauria on Thursday accused the Delhi Police of “high-handedness” and said the two developments were connected.

Alleging a “nexus” behind the denial of permission for protests and subsequent registration of FIRs against Opposition leaders, India Youth Congress (IYC) Legal Cell national chairman Advocate Roopesh Singh Bhadauria on Thursday accused the Delhi Police of “high-handedness” and said the two developments were connected. Bhadauria’s remarks came as the Delhi High Court is set to hear on Friday a plea filed by the IYC challenging the Delhi Police’s refusal to grant permission for its proposed protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar at Jantar Mantar.

Speaking to ANI about the petition, Bhadauria said the IYC had approached the Delhi Police on September 25 seeking permission for a protest between October 1 and 10, but received a blanket rejection on October 1. "On 25th of September, we had sought permission to protest. We had filed a representation before the DCP's office. The permission which we were seeking was from 1st of October up till the 10th. On the 1st, we got a kind of blanket order. Without citing much, they stated that they cannot give us permission to protest," Bhadauria said.

He alleged that the denial of permission subsequently contributed to protests taking place on the streets and questioned the police's handling of the situation. "So the nexus is clear. That is when the president himself came before the High Court. The court is of a positive note that, since there are so many people on the streets and chaos is happening, it's only happening because the Delhi Police categorically denied permission," he said.

Bhadauria said the IYC had challenged not only the police's October 1 order but also the standard operating procedure and government order governing permissions for protests. "We have also challenged the SOP and the government order regarding permissions. The matter will be taken up within 24 hours. They've said that by morning it'll be listed and we'll hear the pleas," he said.

The matter was mentioned before a division bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Nitin Wasudeo Sambre on Thursday by Senior Advocate Sanjay Ghose. The court agreed to list the matter on Friday and said the counsel could mention it again if the matter was not listed within 24 hours. The petition has been filed by IYC national president Uday Bhanu Chib against the October 1 order rejecting the organisation's request to hold a demonstration. According to the plea, the IYC had sought permission for a peaceful protest involving around 100-150 people and had expressed willingness to comply with conditions concerning security, traffic management and public order.

The IYC has argued that while police can regulate public gatherings, a blanket restriction cannot be imposed without considering the circumstances of a particular event. It has also challenged the alleged mechanical application of guidelines governing protests and public assemblies. On the FIRs registered following the Opposition protests, Bhadauria alleged that the IYC had not been provided copies of the cases.

"We have not been supplied with a copy of the FIR. That's how they play. They categorise it under the sensitive category," he said. He alleged that the sequence of events indicated a deliberate pattern in which permission was first denied and protesters were subsequently booked.

"First, they will deny the permission so that the INC workers, along with their leader, LoP Rahul Gandhi, come onto the streets. Once they are on the streets, you're going to register frivolous FIRs where they can be detained and released. These two matters are connected. This is complete high-handedness of the Delhi Police," Bhadauria said. Delhi Police have registered three FIRs in connection with the Opposition's Wednesday protest, with more cases being registered. The cases relate to alleged assault on police personnel, obstruction of government work, pushing and manhandling, and misbehaviour with police personnel. The names of Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also figure in the details of the FIRs registered so far.

The cases came after INDIA bloc MPs were stopped by Delhi Police while attempting to proceed towards Jantar Mantar for a protest against CEC Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Rahul Gandhi was among the Opposition MPs detained during the protest, while Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was also detained. The Congress leaders have accused the authorities of using excessive force during the action.

Bhadauria said the IYC had separately approached the court over the alleged use of excessive force. "We've already been in the process of another petition, which we have filed. It's a writ petition against the Delhi Police for using excessive use of force. We have so much evidence to produce," he said. (ANI)