Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) – the political pressure group – is all set to launch its ‘Mumbai Chalo’ protest on October 2 (today) demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar amid the SIR row. CJP and Opposition parties have upped the ante against the government and the Election Commission of India (ECI) after an Indian Express report claimed that the two Election Commissioners — Vivek Joshi and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu — had raised objections in relation to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise being carried across the country. It also claimed that the two ECs had questioned the inclusion of Form 6 and other issues related to the electoral roll revision campaign. Ever since this report surfaced in public, the Opposition has been attacking the government and accusing CEC Gyanesh Kumar of taking decisions unilaterally in the election body. They accused the CEC of working on the behest of the BJP government, reviving the ‘vote chori’ charge.
As the row erupted further and the Opposition and CJP tried to build the pressure on the government, the Election Commission a few days ago issued an official clarification saying that all the decisions were taken unanimously. The commission also put out a photo of all three top polls officials.
However, even after the EC’s clarification, the Cockroach Party and Opposition have been building up the case against the Centre and continue to demand Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation. Not just the resignation, they have also been demanding the CEC’s impeachment, roll back of voter lists to pre-SIR status, cancelling all the elections that were held under Gyanesh Kumar’s chairmanship and also probing the CEC under criminal charges.
While the CJP has announced that it will hold a protest at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park, the opposition parties will demonstrate against the government at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. However, neither the CJP nor the Opposition has got permission to hold the protest at their desired venues.
The Maharashtra government allotted Azad Maidan for the CJP to hold their agitation in Mumbai but the party remained firm on holding it in Shivaji Park.
Mumbai Ramps Up Security
With just hours left for the protest in Mumbai, railways beefed up security and deployed additional commercial staff at Dadar station.
Dadar, part of Western and Central Railway’s network in the metropolis, is among the country’s busiest stations and the closest to the iconic Shivaji Park.
Around 40 additional staff, including Railway Protection Force personnel, have been deployed at the station in view of the proposed agitation, a Central Railway spokesperson said.
A Western Railway spokesperson said 50 additional staff and RPF personnel have been deputed.
‘Gyanesh Has To Go’: CJP Remains Firm
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke announced that his outfit would hold a protest on Gandhi Jayanti seeking the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
No Permission
Incidentally, Mumbai police has denied permission for the proposed protest, citing restrictions governing gatherings at Shivaji Park, absence of the required civic permission and concerns over traffic and movement of emergency vehicles.
Dipke Announces ‘Jail Bharo Andolan’
On Wednesday, Dipke announced that a “Jail Bharo Andolan” will begin from Mumbai’s Shivaji Park on Gandhi Jayanti, alleging that the Election Commission’s functioning was not in the interest of the country.
After reaching Mumbai, Dipke said that the protest movement would start from Shivaji Park on October 2 and appealed to all political parties to participate in the agitation.
He alleged that the “dictatorship” of the Election Commission was a matter of concern and claimed that collective efforts were needed to bring change in the country.
Oppn Backs CJP
Supporting the remarks made by NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar regarding alleged misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) in elections, Deepak said that everyone should come together to address concerns related to the electoral process.
Earlier, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray and UBT Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray held a joint news conference on Tuesday and announced that a protest march against the Election Commission will be held on October 4, with the march proceeding from Byculla to the BMC headquarters.
Raj Thackeray said, “A joint protest march will be held on the 4th. The march will proceed from Byculla to the BMC headquarters. This protest will be directed against the Election Commission.”
The MNS chief said his party had been raising questions over Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and the functioning of the Election Commission for several years.
“For several years, we have consistently raised questions regarding EVMs and the arbitrary actions of the Election Commission, yet no solution has been found so far,” he said.
“I would like to invite all parties to join this protest march,” Raj Thackeray added.
He also extended support to the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) proposed “Jail Bharo Andolan” against the Election Commission.” We will extend our full support to the CJP’s ‘Jail Bharo’ movement,” the MNS chief said.
With inputs from PTI
