Slogans such as “SIR radd karo” (withdraw SIR) and “Gyanesh Kumar gaddi chhodo” echoed through Bengaluru’s Freedom Park on Thursday as the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) began its major protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Actor-activist Prakash Raj and popular YouTuber Dhruv Rathee joined CJP leader Abhijeet Dipke at the demonstration, where the outfit organised a “People’s Tribunal” to raise alleged irregularities in the revision of electoral rolls. The tribunal will be followed by a “Chappal protest”.
Demanding the withdrawal of the SIR exercise, which has allegedly led to the exclusion of more than 13 crore people across 20 states and Union Territories, Raj stressed that the protest was aimed at restoring citizens’ rights. In his first remarks at the stir, he said he did not participate in the protest for ‘regime change”, news agency PTI reported.
Addressing the protestors gathered at the Freedom Park, the actor said that the Election Commission (ECI) had “insulted the entire country” through the SIR exercise. ‘In this country, people used to decide who forms the government but with SIR, the government is deciding who will vote,” the actor said. The aim is to scrap the SIR,” Raj said. The demand has intensified following an Indian Express report which said that concerns over the deletion and subsequent restoration of voters’ names had also been raised within the Election Commission. Earlier reporting noted: c“I have not come here for regime change,” Rathee said during the Cockcroach Janta Party (CJP)’s SIR protest at Bengaluru’s Freedom Park.
“The aim of this protest is not to remove CEC Gyanesh Kumar alone. If he goes, another will replace him. The protest comes amid continued demands by the CJP and Opposition parties for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the SIR exercise. Actor Prakash Raj is also participating in the protest, led by CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke.
Earlier reporting noted: Dipke shared a video from the Bengaluru where Rathee can be seen raising slogans of ‘vote chor gaddi chodh (vote thief, leave the throne)’ as the crowd repeats after him. Earlier reporting noted: Dhruv Rathee’s first remarks at CJP-led Bengaluru protest: ‘Not here for regime change’ YouTuber Dhruv Rathee was among the popular faces who joined the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)’s Bengaluru protest on Thursday.
Around 1 pm, CJP leaders Dipke, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka reached the site and joined Dhruv Rathee and Prakash Raj on stage, raising their hands together as the crowd chanted slogans of “vote chor, vote chor”. The gathering at Bengaluru’s Freedom Park began drawing larger crowds from Thursday morning, with several activists and civil society organisations arriving at the venue.
