‘Jantar Mantar 2.0’ If CEC Doesn’t Resign: Abhijeet Dipke Targets BJP Government Over SIR, Voter Rolls

Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Friday demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in voter rolls and warned of a “Jantar Mantar 2.0” agitation if his demand was not met. He further said the protest would escalate to a demand for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s resignation if Kumar did not step down.

Addressing a gathering at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park, Dipke alleged that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls had resulted in the deletion of eligible voters and claimed that the exercise posed a threat to democracy.

Dipke’s Allegations Over Voter Deletions

Dipke claimed that voter deletions represented around 13–14% of the electorate and argued that such changes could influence election outcomes. He cited alleged deletions in Delhi, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal to support his claims.

The allegations are part of a wider political dispute over the SIR exercise and the Election Commission’s handling of electoral rolls. The Election Commission has faced questions over the process, while reporting by The Indian Express has highlighted disagreements among election commissioners over some decisions related to the exercise.

The Commission has maintained that decisions were taken through its established majority-based process and has introduced changes aimed at facilitating voter inclusion and reducing inconvenience.

CJP Announces Wider Agitation

Dipke said the Mumbai protest was the beginning of a broader campaign against the Election Commission. The CJP had announced the agitation after Mumbai authorities denied permission for the proposed Shivaji Park gathering, citing restrictions relating to the venue, noise and traffic. Dipke subsequently announced a “Jail Bharo Andolan”.

The protest drew support from several public figures, including actors Shabana Azmi and Naseeruddin Shah and musician Vishal Dadlani, according to reports.

Attack On BJP And Maharashtra Politics

Dipke also targeted the BJP-led government and criticised the political defections involving legislators between 2022 and 2024. He alleged that elected representatives had switched parties under pressure and described the phenomenon as an “IPL-style auction”.

He further accused the BJP of weakening regional political forces in Maharashtra and criticised the Shiv Sena faction led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

Dipke also attacked the government’s political messaging around religion, saying Hindu-Muslim politics would no longer work and calling on young voters to look beyond religious divisions.

Dipke’s Remarks On Gandhi, Ambedkar And Nehru

During his speech, Dipke invoked Mahatma Gandhi, B R Ambedkar and Jawaharlal Nehru, describing Gandhi as the “soul”, Ambedkar as the “backbone” and Nehru as the “mind” of India.

He also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and accused the BJP-led government of harassing citizens through repeated administrative exercises.

Police Response And Protest Escalation

Dipke praised the Mumbai Police for its handling of the Shivaji Park gathering while criticising the Delhi Police over its response to previous CJP demonstrations.

He also challenged Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis over his reported warning of police action against protesters, saying CJP members were prepared to face arrest.

The Shivaji Park demonstration is part of a wider campaign by the CJP seeking Kumar’s resignation and raising allegations over the SIR process. The group has said it plans to take its agitation to other cities as well.