3 min readNew DelhiOct 17, 2026 01:21 PM ISTEconomist and Padma Bhushan awardee Devaki Jain. (Source: FB/ PTI)At 93, economist and Padma Bhushan awardee Devaki Jain is still taking to the streets to fight for causes she believes in. A veteran of several protest movements, from the Narmada Bachao Andolan in the 1980s to the Right to Information (RTI) movement in the 1990s, Jain joined the Cockroach Janata Party’s (CJP) “Tiranga March” at Connaught Place in New Delhi on Friday, saying that the fight for justice and constitutional rights must continue.Jain said, the sight of a younger generation taking up similar causes reminded her of the movements she had been part of. “I think it’s a very good fight, and I’m so pleased that this generation is thinking of fighting for these things, like constitutional rights,” she said.For Jain, who is a retired professor of Economics and has seen generations of protesters take to the streets, Friday’s march was also a reminder of her own years in activism. Recalling the slogans raised during past movements, she said, “I love these ‘zindabad’ slogans. We used to sing them, so it reminds me of that time. We walked for miles during the struggle when the Narmada dam was being built.”Asked why she chose to join the CJP’s October 16 protest, Jain said, “I think it’s very important to fight for it. But imagine the government supporting the man who is a corrupt official. So, I’m for the removal of him (referring to Gyanesh Kumar’s exit). So, I support them,” she said.Jain also drew a comparison between the police response to protests today and the arrests she recalled from her years of activism. “You’ve all not been arrested. That means our democracy is still working. We used to get arrested in our times,” she said.“I don’t know whether PM Modi is sensitive to public opinion, but the opinion everywhere will be that this man is crushing democracy. That help us in a fight against the PM and the economic policies which we don’t like,” the retired professor stated.The CJP, which has been calling for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to step down over irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls, had announced a two day protest. This time the protest is against the arrests of its leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka earlier this week. Since Jantar Mantar is no longer a notified protest site, the group has chosen Central Park, where the party planned to gather on Friday and Saturday.© IE Online Media Services Pvt LtdStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on InstagramTags:Cockroach Janata PartyDelhi protestAdvertisementLoading Recommendations...AdvertisementLive BlogIndia News Live Updates, 17 October 2026: One dead, several injured as DTC bus collides with multiple vehicles in Delhi40 minutes agoJailer 2 Box Office Collection Day 2 Live Updates: Rajinikanth film witnesses 40 percent drop, earns Rs 209 cr56 minutes agoIran-US War Live News Updates: CENTCOM says US controls Hormuz, blocked $25 billion in Iran oil exports1 hour agoIndia News 16 October 2026: Abhijeet Dipke, Neha Bora detained, Delhi CJP protest ends with scuffles16 hours agoJailer 2 Collection Day 1 Live: Rajinikanth’s actioner earns over Rs 140 crore16 hours agoAdvertisement