New Delhi — The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has announced plans for a major demonstration in the Indian capital on October 10, intensifying pressure on Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to resign from his post.
Abhijeet Dipke, the founder and convener of the party, issued a statement declaring that “cockroaches from across India” would march to New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar landmark if Kumar does not step down. “If the Delhi Police tries to stop us, wherever they stop us will become our Jantar Mantar,” Dipke said, emphasizing that the protest would remain peaceful and follow the path of nonviolence pioneered by Mahatma Gandhi.
The call to action comes shortly after a large gathering at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park on Friday, where thousands protested against the election chief despite police denying permission for the assembly. In contrast, a similar protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on the same day, which coincided with Gandhi Jayanti, resulted in the detention of several opposition politicians and student leaders.
Tensions have escalated since the movement began as online satire in May. The protests gained significant momentum in July, leading to the resignation of then-Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. On October 2, Delhi Police detained more than 700 demonstrators, including former Delhi Chief Minister Atishi, after imposing Section 163 restrictions that barred assemblies of more than five people.
Despite the crackdown, the CJP maintains that the upcoming march is essential to safeguarding free and fair elections in the country. Dipke described the movement as “a fight to save our democracy” and urged citizens to join the mobilization.
Detaining 700 people including Atishi seems like a heavy-handed response to a protest about election integrity.
I thought online satire was dead in May. Why are thousands still showing up to Shivaji Park?
A political party named after cockroaches demanding the CEC’s resignation? This is getting absolutely absurd.