Agencies | Mumbai:
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Friday launched the second phase of its protest movement at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over what it alleges are irregularities in the electoral process and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke later joined supporters at the venue as the youth-led group stepped up its campaign against the Election Commission. Activists and members of civil society organisations gathered at Shivaji Park, where heavy police deployment was reported.
CJP spokesperson Saurav Das appealed to Mumbaikars to join the protest, while Dipke announced a ‘Jail Bharo Andolan’ at the venue.
The protest comes amid a wider dispute over the functioning of the Election Commission and the ongoing SIR exercise. The CJP has said it plans to take the campaign to other parts of the country.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said allegations against the Election Commission had already been addressed and rejected what he described as a “fake narrative”.
“The entire matter has been exposed. Following the press conference held by the three Election Commissioners, their fake narrative has been busted. Yet, attempts are still being made to push this fake narrative. They will not succeed in this,” Fadnavis said.
Dipke, meanwhile, challenged the Maharashtra government to arrest protesters gathered at Shivaji Park as part of the campaign seeking the CEC’s resignation.
A counter-protest was also reported at Shivaji Park, with one participant criticising Dipke and the CJP and asserting that the demonstration in support of constitutional values was being held peacefully.
Addressing supporters at Shivaji Park, Dipke spoke about Mahatma Gandhi and Dr B R Ambedkar.
“Gandhi is the soul of the country,” he said, while highlighting what he described as the continuing influence of Gandhi’s ideology.
He also said, “Gandhi is soul, Ambedkar is backbone of India,” referring to the contributions and influence of the two national figures.
Actor Naseeruddin Shah and singer Vishal Dadlani also joined the CJP protest, according to reports. Other public figures, including actress Shabana Azmi and actor Prakash Raj, were also reported to have expressed support for the protest.
Dipke had earlier announced the ‘Jail Bharo Andolan’ for 4 pm at Shivaji Park. The CJP had initially planned a protest against Kumar at the venue but said Mumbai Police had denied permission.
Police subsequently said they were not empowered to grant permission for a gathering at Shivaji Park in view of a 2013 Bombay High Court order, and described the area as a silence zone.
On Thursday, Dipke was briefly escorted to the Marine Drive police station after gathering with supporters carrying placards. He was released shortly afterwards.
The CJP has also said it will not join the Opposition’s planned October 6 protest against the Election Commission, maintaining that its campaign is independent.
The Mumbai agitation comes alongside protests in Delhi against the Election Commission and the SIR exercise.
Social activists, student groups and opposition leaders have backed a planned gathering at Jantar Mantar, with AISA, RJD Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha and Supreme Court lawyer Prashant Bhushan among those supporting the protest. AAP leaders Atishi, Sanjay Singh and Manish Sisodia have also appealed to people to attend.
Delhi Police denied permission for the proposed gathering and deployed additional personnel, including Central Armed Police Forces, around Jantar Mantar and other parts of the New Delhi district. Barricades were also placed at key entry and exit points.
The protests are part of a wider political dispute over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
The controversy intensified after an Indian Express investigation reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally recorded objections at least 14 times over a 10-month period concerning decisions and orders related to electoral-roll management, voter registration, deletion and restoration of names, and access to the electoral database.
The report said some of the objections concerned steps that the two commissioners said were taken without their knowledge, while they also raised concerns over the centralisation of access to the electoral-roll database.
The Election Commission, however, has rejected the suggestion that the SIR decisions were taken without the approval of the full commission. The poll body has maintained that decisions, including those concerning SIR, were taken unanimously by all three Election Commissioners.
The competing claims over the functioning of the poll panel have since become a major point of political and public debate, with the CJP and opposition groups demanding accountability from the Election Commission and the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar.
