Pune: The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) will hold a ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ protest at the Ambedkar Statue near the Collectorate in Pune on Saturday, October 17, from 4 pm to 7 pm, to express solidarity with party leaders Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das and other protesters arrested or detained for unfurling the national flag at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
The party said it had received permission to hold the protest at the Collectorate after its request to organise the demonstration at Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) was not approved. The programme aims to bring citizens together under the Tricolour and demand Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke had called for the ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ protest to be held nationwide on Friday. The Pune unit has appealed to citizens and supporters to participate peacefully and uphold democratic rights and the dignity of the national flag.
According to the party, Ranka and Das were sent to five days of judicial custody and lodged in Tihar Jail after allegedly violating their peace bonds and trespassing at Jantar Mantar.
The party’s request to hold the protest at SPPU was reportedly declined in view of a Management Council resolution passed in August 2026. The resolution states that the university would not permit demonstrations on national issues unrelated to the university on its campus. It referred to an earlier CJP protest against the NEET-UG paper leak, which was held at the university.
Kushal Gupte, a CJP member in Pune, said he had approached Chaturshrungi Police Station on October 14 to seek permission for the demonstration. He said the police referred to the university’s circular and indicated that they could not grant permission for a protest on the campus.
However, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone IV) Chilumula Rajnikanth said the police had neither granted nor denied permission at that stage, adding that discussions with the concerned authorities were ongoing.
The CJP has questioned the university’s decision, arguing that the right to vote and voter registration are relevant to students, many of whom are first-time voters. The party has also demanded a public clarification from SPPU and assurances that the restrictions on protests would be applied equally to all organisations.
The ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ programme is scheduled to take place at the Ambedkar Statue near the Collectorate from 4 pm to 7 pm on October 17.
