NEW DELHI: YouTuber Dhruv Rathee on Wednesday called for unity to protect India’s democracy after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi extended support to the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) for the first time, following the arrest and judicial custody of its leaders.Rathee reposted Rahul Gandhi’s post on X and wrote, “Unity is our strength. All Indians should unite in saving India and its democracy.”Rahul’s support came after CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were sent to five days of judicial custody and lodged in Tihar Jail. The two were detained a day earlier while attempting to enter the Jantar Mantar premises.In his post on X, Rahul said, “Waving the Tricolour at Jantar Mantar in a peaceful protest is not a crime. Jailing youth for it is an act of cowardice.”“Students. Youth. Journalists. The INDIA bloc. Different banners, one cause. All protests are one: citizens demanding their constitutional rights,” he added.The former Congress chief also echoed a demand raised by CJP leaders before their detention, saying, “Jantar Mantar belongs to the people of India. We will reclaim it.”
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The Centre recently de-notified Jantar Mantar as a designated protest site and identified three alternative locations for demonstrations in the national capital.The arrests have drawn criticism from several opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Aam Aadmi Party supremo and former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, former Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin and former Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, who have criticised the Modi-led Centre over the action against the CJP leaders.CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke also thanked opposition leaders for extending support to the party and its activists.