New Delhi. Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) has announced to intensify the agitation amid the ongoing deadlock demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and immediate stoppage of the Special Intensive Review (SIR) process. The party says that if its demands are not met, a massive demonstration will be held on October 10 at Jantar Mantar in Delhi.
CJP chief Abhijit Deepke wrote on Twitter, “If Gyanesh Kumar does not resign, on October 10, ‘cockroaches’ from across the country will march to Jantar Mantar in Delhi. If Delhi Police stops us anywhere on the way, then wherever they stop us, that place will become our Jantar Mantar. In our fight to protect democracy and fair elections, we will follow the path shown by Mahatma Gandhi.” The announcement comes just a day after a rally was held in Mumbai’s Shivaji Park despite not getting police permission.
At the same time, during the protest in Delhi on Friday, more than 1100 leaders and student activists including Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi, Saurabh Bhardwaj, Sanjay Singh were detained, despite this there was tension here on Saturday. Amidst heavy police barricades and tight security arrangements, All India Students Association (AISA) workers have again started gathering near Jantar Mantar.
Meanwhile, senior advocates Kapil Sibal, Prashant Bhushan and social activist Avik Saha along with other lawyers and a group of youth are taking out a protest march towards Jantar Mantar. The protesters say that the transparency and fairness of the electoral processes cannot be compromised.
On the other hand, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken cognizance of a complaint regarding the protest organized by CJP at Shivaji Park in Mumbai on October 2. The Commission has issued a notice and summoned action report from the concerned authorities on the allegations of allegedly mobilizing minor children in the protest and using them to stop the police action. CJP had earlier led a month-long agitation at Jantar Mantar over the exam question paper leak issue, after which the then Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had to resign.