On October 14, 2026, CJP leader Abhijeet Dipke announced a Tiranga March in Delhi, urging supporters to assemble at Connaught Place on October 16 to wave the national flag. The call came shortly after the detention of party members Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, who had been arrested for allegedly unfurling the tricolour. Dipke framed the march as a peaceful demonstration to assert that displaying the flag should not be treated as a criminal act.
The Tiranga March is positioned within a broader effort by opposition groups to challenge the government’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and its restrictions on public protests in Delhi. Dipke’s appeal aligns with the opposition’s strategy to highlight perceived encroachments on democratic freedoms through symbolic flag‑waving actions.
In response to the unfolding situation, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi called a meeting that brought together leaders from the INDIA bloc, civil society representatives, and activists. The gathering aimed to discuss the detentions, the planned march, and the broader implications for protest rights in the capital.
The call for the march emerges amid a backdrop of continuing protests and legal proceedings targeting CJP members.
Beyond Delhi, Dipke indicated that similar Tiranga marches would be organised in other cities following the arrests of Das and Ranka. The leader emphasized that the protests would be peaceful and focused on the right to display the national flag without fear of legal repercussions.
The arrests of Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka have drawn criticism from various opposition leaders, who contend that the detentions constitute an overreach by authorities. They argue that the actions of the two CJP members were merely an expression of patriotic sentiment and should not have resulted in custodial measures.
According to police accounts, the case against Das and Ranka stems from an alleged violation of peace bonds and obstruction of police duties. Authorities claim that unfurling the tricolour in Jantar Mantar without prior permission breached conditions tied to earlier legal undertakings, prompting the detention.
Dipke’s appeal explicitly named Connaught Place in central Delhi as the focal point for the October 16 gathering. He urged supporters to converge there with tricolours in hand, turning the commercial hub into a site of peaceful protest.
The call for the march emerges amid a backdrop of continuing protests and legal proceedings targeting CJP members.
One of the central claims reiterated by Dipke and party sources is that Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were arrested specifically for unfurling the tricolour. The party maintains that no other offense was alleged in the initial detention.
Further, the CJP asserts that Das and Ranka were jailed exclusively for the act of waving the national flag, with no additional charges such as violence or property damage being levied against them.
Abhijeet Dipke’s announcement of the Tiranga March on October 16 is presented as a direct response to the detentions, intended to mobilise supporters in a visible show of solidarity.
Fourteen CJP members were involved in the incident that led to the arrests of Das and Ranka. This figure underscores the scale of the party’s participation in the flag‑waving activity that prompted police intervention.
In a related legal matter, a surety amount of five thousand rupees (₹5,000) was set for an individual named Ajinkya Shinde.
Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were remanded to judicial custody for a period of five days. This duration reflects the initial judicial determination regarding their detention following the alleged flag‑waving incident.
On October 14, 2026, multiple events unfolded: Dipke called for flag‑waving protests, Das and Ranka were arrested for unfurling the tricolour, Dipke subsequently announced Tiranga marches, the two leaders were remanded to judicial custody, and they were described as having been jailed for unfurling the tricolour.
The following day, October 15, 2026, the leaders remained detained. By October 16, 2026, Dipke’s announcement of the Tiranga March was reiterated, setting the date for the planned flag‑waving gathering at Connaught Place.