The pressure group, Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) protest over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise of electoral rolls kicked off at Bengaluru’s Freedom Park on Thursday, with the outfit’s founder Abhijeet Dipke, actor-activist Prakash Raj and YouTuber Dhruv Rathee in attendance.
During the protest, a string of videos were displayed, featuring people claiming to have been affected by voter-list exclusions. The protest’s organisers alleged that eligible voters had been wrongly removed during the SIR exercise. A People’s Tribunal had also been planned to hear accounts from people across Karnataka, followed by a ‘Chappal Protest.’
A snap from the event, featuring Abhijeet Dipke, Dhruv Rathee, Prakash Raj and others
“We have the streets”: Dipke
Addressing the attendees of the gathering, Dipke launched a sharp verbal attack over what he called ‘vote theft’ and alleged mass deletions from electoral rolls.
He asserted, “Why is there vote theft? In 2024, there was a 2% difference between BJP and opposition. So now they are deleting 30 crores votes across the country. Narendra Modi may have power, but we have the streets. We will reclaim our power from here.”
He further alleged that the slogan of ‘one nation, one election’ concealed an intention to create ‘one nation, one party,’ drawing a comparison with Nazi Germany and referring to Adolf Hitler.
He made the remarks as the protestors hailed slogans, demanding that the SIR exercise be scrapped and that the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), Gyanesh Kumar resign. Reports emerging from the venue claimed that the gathering included women, students and people from various sections of the society.
Prakash Raj voices demand for SIR rollback
Actor Prakash Raj also addressed the event, saying the issue went beyond the demand for the CEC’s resignation. He said, “Adivasi, poor, Muslims and minorities have been denied their vote,” adding that voters had effectively been deprived of their electoral rights.
Prakash Raj addressing the gathering
He went on to say, “Our fight is not just about the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar. If he goes, someone else will come. We want SIR scrapped. Then Gyanesh Kumar should be investigated and a case should be filed against him.”
Furthermore, he accused politicians of taking voters for granted, saying that the citizens were being forced to approach political offices to assert their right to vote. He added, “They have insulted the voters of the country. It's only once in five years these politicians come pleading to us. Now we are made to beg in front of their offices for our votes.”
Rathee attends event as special guest
Another still from the gathering
Rathee, who had been invited to the occasion as a special guest, joined the stir after confirming his participation ahead of the event. His presence alongside Dipke and Prakash Raj added prominence to the gathering.
The CJP and its allies have demanded that deletions which occurred during the SIR exercise be revoked and that the pre-SIR electoral rolls be retained. They have also called for Kumar’s resignation, alleging irregularities in the electoral process.