Modi govt has turned ‘mother of democracy’ into ‘muzzled democracy’: Kharge

• Kharge accuses Modi government of turning India into a “muzzled democracy”

• Delhi Police detains over 500 protesters attempting to reach Jantar Mantar

• CJP protest against CEC Gyanesh Kumar centres on alleged voter-list manipulation

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday accused the Narendra Modi government of turning India from the “mother of democracy” into a “muzzled democracy”, alleging that the authorities were detaining people who questioned the government.

Kharge alleged that the “cowardice” of the BJP-RSS was on full display, claiming that youths, students, lawyers, journalists, social activists, farm union leaders, YouTubers and content creators were being detained.

“Modi government has turned the ‘Mother of Democracy’ into a ‘Muzzled Democracy’!” he said in a post on X.

The Congress chief asserted that detentions, arrests, imprisonment, lathis and pellets would not deter people from defending their rights. He said young people had been at the forefront of shaping the country's future since the freedom struggle.

Kharge said the Congress, along with the united Opposition, would fight what he described as a “tyrannical regime” and continue to defend democracy, the Constitution and the fundamental rights of Indians.

His remarks came as protesters attempted to reach Jantar Mantar for a proposed demonstration called by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Delhi Police detained more than 500 protesters attempting to reach the protest site, according to the report. Sources said the detentions took place across the New Delhi area, where police were using drones to monitor the movement of people seeking to join the demonstration.

Security was tightened across the national capital to prevent any breach of peace. Delhi Police had denied the CJP permission to hold the demonstration at Jantar Mantar, citing security considerations and procedural requirements.

The CJP had called the protest over allegations of voter-list manipulation during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and changes relating to Form 6, which is used for voter registration.

The allegations concerning voter-list manipulation were the basis of the proposed demonstration.