Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leader Sudhir Sangwan on Thursday (October 1, 2026) alleged that several party volunteers were detained or placed under house arrest across Haryana ahead of Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini’s visit to Hisar, amid protests over the Common Eligibility Test (CET).
Mr. Sangwan alleged that most of those detained had been identified by the police after the CJP extended support to students protesting over the CET. He claimed the volunteers were picked up without prior notice or legal proceedings.
According to Mr. Sangwan, the CJP had submitted memoranda supporting the protesting students to Deputy Commissioners in 14 districts on September 28, 2026. He alleged the police subsequently identified party volunteers associated with the programme.
He said three CJP volunteers were detained in Jhajjar, and several others were either detained or placed under house arrest in different districts. The three volunteers in Jhajjar, he said, were released after noon on Thursday (October 1, 2026), after being picked up around 8.30 p.m. on Wednesday (September 30, 2026). He also alleged that a party office-bearer who went to seek the release of a detained person was herself detained.
Chandramohan, a CJP member, told The Hindu that he was detained from his home in Jhajjar district around 7.30 p.m. on September 30, 2026, a day before he had planned to join the CET candidates’ protest in Hisar.
He alleged that eight to ten policemen in plain clothes surrounded his house and took him to Dujana police station, where he was kept for nearly 16 hours.
Mr. Chandramohan alleged that the personnel did not show him any document or explain the reason for his detention, and that he was not allowed to meet his family or communicate with anyone during that period.
Ajay Deswal, the CJP’s Haryana organisation in-charge, who has been leading the CET protests in Hisar, said the agitation had been continuing since September 21, 2026. He said the protesters met Mr. Saini on Thursday (October 1, 2026) and received a verbal assurance that their demands would be looked into. Following the meeting, the protesters decided to postpone the agitation until December 6, 2026.
Mr. Deswal said the protesters would use the intervening period to tour Haryana, mobilise support and apprise students of their demands. They plan to visit coaching centres, libraries and other places frequented by students, and hold a protest in one district every week. He said a large number of protesters had blocked the road outside the Mini Secretariat before being invited to meet the Chief Minister.
The protesters have demanded the annual conduct of the CET, permanent local employment, and an end to contractual recruitment through the Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam. They also sought a clear Haryana Staff Selection Commission examination calendar, the expediting of pending recruitments, and an increase in sanctioned posts in proportion to the State’s population.
The CET is the State-level screening and qualifying examination for recruitment to various Group C and D posts in Haryana government departments and other public bodies.
Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Sanjay Singh said: “We do not have information. It is to be decided locally by concerned units as per the situation.” The Jhajjar Police PRO did not respond to repeated calls.
Published – October 02, 2026 01:06 pm IST
