The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)’s ‘Chappal Protest’ began at Bengaluru’s Freedom Park on Thursday, with YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, actor-activist Prakash Raj and CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke among those participating in the demonstration. Protesters raised “Vote Chor, Vote Chor” slogans at the venue while demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the scrapping of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The programme began with a People’s Tribunal on SIR, where people from across Karnataka who claim to have been affected by the electoral-roll revision shared their experiences and concerns. The tribunal has been organised by civil society groups as part of the wider campaign against alleged voter deletions during the SIR exercise.
What Dhruv Rathee Said
Speaking at the demonstration, the YouTuber clarified his position and said, “I have not come here for regime change.” He further alleged, “Zero transparency, zero accountability from the Election Commission.”
“What happened in Bihar? Over 40 lakh names were deleted but Gyanesh Kumar didn’t say a word until the Supreme Court asked these names to be made public.” He alleged that 14 lakh names were added suddenly in Uttar Pradesh “Who are these people? While in goa, even though EROs wanted to add, ECI didn’t allow,” Rathee said.
What Prakash Raj Said
Addressing protesters at the People’s Tribunal, Prakash Raj alleged that several marginalised communities had been deprived of their voting rights.
“Adivasi, poor, Muslims and minorities have been denied their vote. Because you can't kill them, you have taken their votes. 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,” he said.
Rathee had confirmed his participation in the Bengaluru event in a video shared on social media, describing the protest as a fight to “save democracy”. Prakash Raj had also appealed to citizens to participate in the demonstration.
CJP spokesperson Saurav Das, in a post on X, said, “All well-meaning citizens have united in this fight against Gyanu and his masters! The entire country is out on the road seeking accountability!”
‘Vote Chor’ Slogans At Freedom Park
Women, students and other participants raised slogans demanding Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation and the scrapping of the electoral-roll revision. Posters carrying messages including “Error 404 - Name Not Found”, “Don’t erase us, hear us” and “Grand Theft Democracy” were also displayed at the protest.
Participants accused the authorities of “vote theft” and alleged that the SIR exercise could undermine the voting rights of eligible citizens.
What Abhijeet Dipke Said
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke also addressed the gathering at Freedom Park and criticised the idea of “one nation, one election”, alleging that it could lead to “one nation, one party”.
“One nation and one election is a slogan, but the intention is one nation, one party. This was the plan of Hitler as well. Modi should ask what happened to Hitler. He had to shoot himself,” Dipke said.
He further alleged that voter deletions were being carried out because of the narrow electoral margin between the BJP and the Opposition in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
“Why is there vote theft. In 2024, there was 2 per cent 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 said.
Why Is CJP Holding The Protest?
The Bengaluru demonstration is part of the CJP’s wider campaign against the SIR exercise and the Election Commission under Gyanesh Kumar. The party and other participating organisations have alleged that eligible voters are being removed from electoral rolls during the revision.
The protesters are demanding that all voter deletions made during the SIR exercise be reversed and that the electoral rolls maintained before the revision be restored. They are also demanding Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation and an investigation into what they allege are irregularities in the electoral-roll revision process.
CJP’s Three Demands
The CJP has outlined three key demands as part of its campaign:
* Gyanesh Kumar’s immediate resignation and criminal action against him.
* Immediate suspension of the SIR exercise.
* An independent and neutral process for appointing Election Commissioners.
What Is The ‘Chappal Protest’?
The CJP has described the ‘Chappal Protest’ as a symbolic demonstration in solidarity with women and to highlight concerns over women’s safety.
CJP Karnataka, in an Instagram post, urged women participating in the protest to bring their own chappals, which would later be donated to people in need. The protest is set to begin at 4 PM today.
The Bengaluru protest is part of the CJP’s broader mobilisation against the SIR exercise and its demands for accountability from the Election Commission.