New Delhi: Soon after her release from detention at the Narela Police Station on Sunday, October 4, All India Students’ Association (AISA) president Neha Bora said, “We are not dogs, insects or vermin. We are citizens of this country, not people who can simply be stuffed into vehicles and whisked away.”
In a video on social media, Bora can be heard saying, “They think we are dogs, cockroaches that they can beat up, detain in police stations 50 kms away…today we showed we are not dogs, cockroaches, or insects but the citizens of this country. The citizens of this country have the right to ask questions of those in power. It is our right to ask what deal they and the ECI strike on our votes.
She added, “When we are picked up from a designated protest site, it is also our right to go back there and register our claim over it.”
Bora was allegedly taken away by the Delhi Police in an unauthorised vehicle during the protest demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The AISA official handle on X said Bora was released, but her bag and phone were missing. “AISA president Neha Bora has been released at Narela Industrial Area Police Station. However, her phone and bag are not with her. We are sending a team of lawyers to the police station to ensure her safety and assist her.”
The earlier post read, “AISA president Neha Bora has been picked up by Delhi Police in an unauthorised vehicle, WITHOUT A SINGLE FEMALE CONSTABLE! WE DO NOT KNOW WHERE THEY ARE TAKING THEM! THEIR WHEREABOUTS ARE UNKNOWN! “
Another post from Bora’s handle asked where the Delhi Police was taking her.
Meanwhile, there was no immediate reaction from the Delhi Police to the allegations.
Earlier in the day, the mobilisation began from Andhra Bhawan Circle on Ashoka Road, with protesters marching towards Jantar Mantar and raising slogans while attempting to reach the designated protest site amid a heavy police presence.
The protesters and security personnel clashed briefly as police tried to prevent them from crossing the barricades. Purported visuals from the site circulated on social media, showing Bora attempting to climb over a barricade while police officials tried to stop her.
Political activist Yogendra Yadav also shared visuals and clips from the march on his X. Calling the SIR anti-women, he called for its rollback.
Ongoing protest
The protest is part of the larger agitation happening across cities over the alleged irregularities in the Election Commission’s functioning, conduct of the SIR exercise and mass deletion of voters.
The fresh mobilisation in Delhi came a day after more than 150 protesters were detained here on Saturday. More than 500 protesters, including student activists and political leaders, were detained during demonstrations in central Delhi on Friday as well. Bora, AAP leaders and activist Yogendra Yadav were among those detained.
Police had denied permission for Friday’s gathering and deployed additional personnel in central Delhi. Several roads leading towards Jantar Mantar were barricaded, and access to some metro stations in the vicinity was temporarily restricted during the earlier protests.
The latest mobilisation is taking place amid heightened security in the area, with police personnel positioned at multiple points and barricades put up to regulate the movement of protesters.
It follows The Indian Express investigation, claiming that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi objected on record at least 14 times over the last 10 months to decisions and orders on the SIR that they said were issued without their knowledge or recommendation.
However, the EC has asserted that differing views and observations are a normal part of deliberations in any institution and that all its orders carry full legal sanction and follow established statutory procedures.
(With PTI inputs)
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