New Delhi, October 2026: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has accused Delhi Police of excessive force and mistreatment of its leaders and student wing activists during a protest at India Gate demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
According to the party, senior AAP leaders and members of its student wing, AAP Student Association (ASA), marched from Jantar Mantar to India Gate to press their demand. Police allegedly manhandled several protesters and detained Delhi AAP president Saurabh Bharadwaj, MLAs Sanjeev Jha and Kuldeep Kumar, along with other leaders, before forcing them into a bus.
AAP alleged that some police personnel lifted Bharadwaj by his legs, leaving his head pointing downwards and causing him difficulty in breathing, before releasing him.
Reacting to the incident, AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal strongly criticised the police action, describing the alleged conduct as shocking. He accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of surpassing Adolf Hitler in authoritarian behaviour.
After being detained, Bharadwaj alleged that police personnel handled him roughly, carrying him upside down as if he were a football. He questioned why the police had not registered a First Information Report (FIR) against their Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) or arrested the officer concerned despite the presence of a large police force.
Bharadwaj said protesters had gathered peacefully to demand justice for a woman but were subjected to mistreatment. He questioned the conduct of police personnel towards political leaders and journalists, asking how ordinary citizens might be treated if public representatives faced such alleged behaviour.
He described the incident as an extreme example of police excesses and called on people to gather at India Gate to raise their voices against what he termed injustice. He also demanded that the BJP-led government at the Centre be held accountable.
AAP MLA from Burari, Sanjeev Jha, said those in power could not evade public questions, regardless of their authority. He maintained that concerns regarding the electoral process and voting rights should be addressed through transparency and facts rather than silence, pressure or police action.
Jha accused Gyanesh Kumar of undermining the country's democratic process and alleged that the police were attempting to protect him. He said the protest would continue until Kumar was removed from office.
“We will defend the country's democracy, even at the cost of our lives, and will continue our struggle until Gyanesh Kumar resigns,” Jha said, according to the party's statement.
AAP MLA from Kondli, Kuldeep Kumar, also demanded Kumar's resignation, accusing him of facilitating the deletion of votes belonging to poor people. He alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were protecting the Chief Election Commissioner.
Kuldeep Kumar said the party would continue its agitation on the streets and in legislative forums until its demands were addressed and Kumar was removed from office.
The allegations and demands were made by AAP leaders in response to the police action during the protest.
