The Cockroach Janata Party, or CJP, has announced that nationwide protests will begin from October 2 if India’s Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar does not resign by today, Saturday, September 26. The announcement comes amid an ongoing dispute over alleged changes to voter lists before elections in several important states.
CJP founder Abhijit Deep told the outlet that the protest would begin from Mumbai on October 2. It would later be spread to different cities across India.
Earlier on Friday, leaders and activists of the opposition Congress protested in different areas of the country demanding Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation. Reuters reported that police used tear gas and water cannons in several places to disperse protesters.
Why October 2?
Last Thursday, October 24, the CJP gave the chief election commissioner a 48-hour deadline to resign. The party says that if he does not resign within that time, a nationwide movement will begin on Gandhi Jayanti, October 2.
In a post on social media platform X, Deep said that if Gyanesh Kumar does not resign, the movement will begin from Mumbai on October 2 and spread to different cities in India.
The CJP has accused the Election Commission of undermining voters’ rights. It claims changes made to voter lists could benefit Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, or BJP. However, these allegations have not yet been proven.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission said differences of opinion among officials are normal in an institution made up of multiple members. The commission also said the steps it has taken are lawful. The report said other election commissioners had raised questions about some decisions on voter list management.
Congress and other opposition parties have also accused the Election Commission of manipulating voter lists in collusion with the BJP. However, both the Election Commission and the ruling party have rejected the allegations.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report