Mumbai: The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has said it will hold a protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on October 10 if Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar does not resign over alleged irregularities in the revision of voter lists.
The announcement came a day after thousands gathered at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park for an unauthorised rally demanding Kumar’s removal, prompting CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke to shift the agitation back to the national capital.
‘Cockroaches Will March To Delhi’
Dipke issued a blunt challenge on X: “If Gyanesh Kumar doesn’t resign, cockroaches from across India will march to Delhi and protest at Jantar Mantar on October 10.”
He added: “If Delhi Police tries to stop us, wherever they stop us will become our Jantar Mantar,” while insisting the protest would be non-violent and rooted in Gandhian methods.
Recalling the July 20 clashes in Delhi, when student protesters and security forces were injured in confrontations near Parliament, Dipke said: “We will walk on the path shown by Mahatma Gandhi. It is up to the govt and the Delhi Police whether they respect our right to peaceful protest or repeat the brutality we witnessed on July 20.”
Describing the campaign as an effort to “save our democracy”, he appealed to citizens seeking “free and fair elections” to join the October 10 mobilisation, as reported by India Today.
Mumbai Stir Draws Stars, Gen Z
The Delhi warning followed a huge Mumbai protest that drew thousands, including actors Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah, singer Vishal Dadlani, filmmakers Vishal Bhardwaj and Hansal Mehta, and Tushar Gandhi.
Demonstrators held signs saying “Gyanu must go” and “Democracy saaf”, while some reworked Bollywood lines into slogans: “Vote churaya mera, kisne o sanam? Gyanu ne.”
Speaking to the crowd, Dipke cautioned that youth-led marches would spread nationally if the CEC remained: “If Gyanu doesn’t resign, Nandu will have to resign, because he is the one actually rigging elections.”
Core Demands On SIR, Voter Lists
The CJP wants Kumar’s ouster, restoration of pre-2024 voter lists by scrapping SIR, a freeze on 2025 rolls, and more transparency in the selection of Election Commissioners.
Dipke has claimed about 13 crore voters have been struck off in two years, allegations the Election Commission denies, maintaining SIR decisions were unanimous.
The October 10 call is being billed by Dipke as “Jantar Mantar 2.0”, widening the movement from exam-leak protests to a larger fight over electoral credibility.