NEW DELHI, SEP 24 (PTI): The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) Thursday demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar for “undermining” voter rights, and warned of a nationwide agitation, including “Jantar Mantar 2.0”, if he does not step down within 48 hours.
Launching what it termed “Election Commission Thik Karo” campaign, the youth-led outfit said the campaign would focus on the exclusion of more than 13 crore names from draft electoral rolls across 30 states and Union territories during the SIR exercise.
Speaking at a press conference here, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, flanked by its co-convener Saurav Das and spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka, alleged that electoral process had been “rigged” and the right to vote was being taken away from citizens.
“If Gyanesh Kumar does not resign within 48 hours, we will start a nationwide protest, before coming for a protest in Delhi,” Dipke said, adding that if CEC doesn’t resign, “Jantar Mantar 2.0 will definitely happen”.
CJP said if CEC Kumar does not resign, the party would launch a nationwide agitation followed by an indefinite sit-in in Delhi.
The remarks came a day after The Indian Express revealed that questions were repeatedly raised on issues related to SIR of electoral rolls within three-member EC by two election commissioners, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi.
CJP presented three demands: the resignation of the poll panel chief, independent investigation into decisions taken during SIR, including identification of officials who authorised disputed changes and directions; halting SIR exercise and restoration of earlier voter rolls and transfer of all relevant SIR records and files to the Supreme Court or an independent judicially supervised inquiry; and reforms in the appointment of CEC and ECs.
It also demanded that Sandhu and Joshi publicly clarify their recorded objections and that EC publish the relevant objection notes and responses. CJP co-convener Das alleged that steps are being taken to keep young voters out, as ruling party feels ‘Gen Z’ is not supporting them. CJP spokesperson Ranka appealed to the youth to come forward to save democracy.
