Delhi in ‘Super Emergency’: Mamata Banerjee after detention during anti-CEC protest

• Mamata Banerjee says Delhi's situation has gone “beyond Emergency”

• Delhi Police detains Banerjee and TMC leaders after their dharna on South Avenue

• TMC leaders allege they were stopped from joining the CJP protest at Jantar Mantar

Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee on Saturday said the situation in Delhi had gone “beyond Emergency” after she and several party leaders were detained by Delhi Police while protesting against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Banerjee, along with TMC joint secretaries Derek O'Brien and Dola Sen, Rajya Sabha MP Samirul Islam, Lok Sabha MP Pratima Mondal and former MP Saket Gokhale, staged a dharna at a bus stop on South Avenue after allegedly being stopped from proceeding to Jantar Mantar, around 5 km away.

The leaders had sought to join a demonstration called by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which is demanding Kumar's resignation.

“This has gone beyond an Emergency; it has become a Super Emergency,” Banerjee said, criticising the police action against protesters.

She said maintaining peace was important but alleged that the authorities' actions were neither right for the country nor its people. She also argued that such measures could increase the protesters' popularity.

According to the TMC, the leaders staged the dharna after police denied them permission to leave the area. They held placards, with Banerjee wearing a band-aid over her mouth, to express solidarity with the demonstrators.

Banerjee said the party leaders had been invited by students and young people associated with the CJP protest. However, she alleged that protesters and political leaders were being prevented from entering Jantar Mantar.

She said the group had planned to remain at the site until 5 pm but was subsequently detained by Delhi Police.

“We have received information that he has been taken around on the roads for nearly two hours, so it is better to sit here on the road and make our position clear; our message is simple -- Save India and Save Democracy,” Banerjee said, referring to former Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who was also detained along with CPI(M) leaders.

The TMC chief further claimed that Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal had been scheduled to meet her on Saturday but was also prevented from leaving, according to information she had received.

The detentions came amid heightened security in the national capital, where police had denied permission for the CJP's proposed demonstration at Jantar Mantar, citing security concerns and procedural requirements.

The CJP protest centres on allegations of voter-list manipulation during the SIR exercise and changes relating to Form 6, which is used for voter registration.