On 10 October, students, activists, and Opposition leaders responding to the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)’s call to protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar faced a massive security deployment across Delhi. Around 14,000 to 23,000 police and RAF personnel were deployed, with heavy barricading, roadblocks, and widespread restrictions that brought large parts of the capital to a standstill. As police chased, manhandled, and beat peaceful protesters, many sought shelter inside Gurdwara Bangla Sahib.
As detentions continued into 11 October, the gurdwara stood tall between the protestors and the police personnel.
This is not the first time Gurdwara Bangla Sahib has sheltered protestors. During the CJP protest against Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in July, the gurdwara offered refuge to many protestors trying to escape the police lathi-charge and possible detention.
Now, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa has condemned the use of the Gurdwara Sahib as a place of protest in a posted video on social media. The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) President Harmeet Singh Kalka, a former member of the Delhi Legislative Assembly, has also posted a video questioning the use of the gurdwara premises for protests.