NEW DELHI: After a 37-day protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar earlier this year that ended with the resignation of then education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) is now threatening a fresh nationwide agitation — but this time from Mumbai.CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke on Friday said the party would begin its nationwide protest from Mumbai on October 2, Gandhi Jayanti, if Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar does not resign by Saturday. The protest will subsequently be taken to cities across the country.“If Gyanesh Kumar does not resign by tomorrow, CJP will begin its nationwide protest from Mumbai on 2 October, and take it to cities across India. This Gandhi Jayanti let’s pledge to save democracy,” Dipke said in a post on X.The announcement comes a day after Dipke demanded Kumar’s resignation and warned of a “Jantar Mantar 2.0” if the CEC did not step down within 48 hours.
What happened at Jantar Mantar earlier?
CJP’s first major street agitation was centred on Jantar Mantar and focused on education-related issues, including its demand for Pradhan’s resignation. The protest continued for 37 days, drawing students and supporters to the Delhi protest site.The agitation followed CJP’s campaign over alleged irregularities in government examinations and the NEET issue. The movement grew from a social media campaign into a sustained protest in Delhi, with thousands of supporters joining the demonstrations.Dipke had described the prolonged Jantar Mantar agitation as difficult but said after it ended that it was “just the beginning” for CJP. The organisation is now invoking the possibility of a second Jantar Mantar-style agitation over its demands concerning the Election Commission.
Why is CJP targeting Gyanesh Kumar?
CJP has accused the Election Commission of undermining voters’ rights and alleged that the electoral process has been “rigged”. Dipke has demanded Kumar’s resignation and threatened criminal proceedings against him.The party has also criticised opposition parties for continuing to contest elections while alleging that the electoral process is being manipulated.“Yes, elections are being rigged. But when you continue to participate in rigged elections, you legitimise these elections and help maintain the illusion that they are free and fair,” Dipke said.He questioned whether opposition parties were participating in elections because they feared political extinction if they stayed away. He also accused them of raising allegations of electoral manipulation selectively, depending on the state or political party involved.
CJP’s three demands
CJP has listed three major demands amid the controversy over the functioning of the Election Commission.Its first demand is that Kumar resign and that criminal proceedings be initiated against him. The party has also demanded that Kumar answer who allegedly gave him orders concerning the issues it has raised.The second demand is that upcoming elections be put on hold, the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls be frozen and the January 2025 voter list restored. CJP has also sought an independent inquiry into the SIR decision-making process and demanded that the Supreme Court take custody of SIR-related files.The third demand is repeal of the 2023 law governing the appointment of election commissioners and its replacement with a new law involving civil society participation.
Why did ‘Jantar Mantar 2.0’ come up?
On Thursday, Dipke had said that if Kumar did not resign within 48 hours, CJP would first launch a nationwide protest and then bring the agitation to Delhi.“If Gyanesh Kumar does not resign within 48 hours, we will start a nationwide protest, before coming for a protest in Delhi,” Dipke said, adding that “Jantar Mantar 2.0 will definitely happen” if the CEC did not step down.The latest announcement, however, puts Mumbai at the centre of the proposed October 2 mobilisation, with CJP saying the protest will then spread to other cities.The development comes amid reports of differences within the three-member Election Commission over issues related to the SIR of electoral rolls. The Indian Express reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally objected at least 14 times over the past 10 months to decisions and orders concerning the electoral rolls.The Election Commission has maintained that decisions, including those related to SIR, were unanimous and approved by all three election commissioners.
