CJP marches to Delhi demanding resignation of CEC, announces demonstration at Jantar Mantar on October 10
New Delhi. Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) has announced to intensify its agitation demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. After the demonstration at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park on October 2, CJP founder Abhijit Deepke announced that if Gyanesh Kumar does not resign, supporters from across the country will reach Delhi on October 10 and protest at Jantar Mantar. Deepke has described this proposed movement as peaceful.
CJP had earlier planned to take its movement to different cities of the country in a phased manner. After starting the movement from Mumbai, there was talk of protesting in other cities including Goa, Kolkata and then reaching Jantar Mantar in Delhi. Now the organization has changed its strategy and announced a direct demonstration in Delhi on October 10.
After the demonstration in Mumbai’s Shivaji Park, Abhijeet Deepke announced his march to Delhi through social media. He said that if Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar does not resign from the post, CJP supporters from different parts of the country will reach Delhi. Naming it ‘Jantar-Mantar 2.0’, he appealed to the people to join the movement.
Deepke also clarified his stand regarding the situation of Delhi Police stopping the protesters from reaching Jantar Mantar. He said that if Delhi Police stops the protesters on the way, then the demonstration will be held at the same place where they are stopped. According to him, the movement will remain peaceful and CJP will raise its demands following the path shown by Mahatma Gandhi.
CJP’s current agitation focuses on the demand for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The organization has raised questions regarding the decisions related to Special Intensive Revision of Voters List i.e. SIR and the functioning of the Election Commission. Allegations of alleged irregularities in the election process and voter list are being made by CJP. These are the allegations of the organization and the Election Commission’s stand on these has been different.
Earlier, a large number of people participated in the CJP demonstration at Shivaji Park in Mumbai. The demand for resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner was raised prominently in the demonstration. During this, Abhijeet Deepke told the stage that the movement will not end here and if needed, it will be taken to Delhi. A few hours later he announced the date of October 10.
CJP has said that his Delhi protest will be peaceful. Deepke has also appealed to the people participating in the protest to protest peacefully. He called upon the citizens to reach Delhi demanding fairness and transparency in the election system.
CJP has also expressed apprehension of police action regarding the proposed protest in Delhi. In his statement, Deepke mentioned the police action taken during the last protest and said that this time the organization will stick to its stand of peaceful movement. During a demonstration in Delhi in July, there was a clash between protesters and police and there were reports of people being injured on both sides. The Supreme Court had also constituted a high-level committee to investigate the allegations of police action related to that incident.
CJP’s movement was initially going to start from Mumbai and reach Delhi after passing through different cities. According to the plan of the organization before October 2, after Mumbai, demonstrations were to be held in other cities including Goa and Kolkata and finally a dharna was to be held at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. But after the Mumbai demonstration, the organization decided to shorten the deadline and reach Delhi directly.
Some people from the film and music world also participated in the Mumbai demonstration. Names like actor Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi and musician Vishal Dadlani were present at the protest. The protesters raised demands related to the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner and accountability in the election process.
CJP has also said that the current movement is not a part of any opposition alliance and the organization is protesting independently regarding its demands. Earlier, Abhijeet Deepke had said that the organization will continue the agitation until the demand for resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner is met.
Now the next big stop of CJP’s movement has been said to be Delhi on 10th October. The organization has appealed to the supporters to reach the capital. However, what arrangements are made by the administration and Delhi Police regarding the proposed protest, will become clear later.
At present, the CJP movement which started from Shivaji Park in Mumbai is now preparing to move straight towards Delhi. The organization says that if Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar does not resign, there will be a demonstration at Jantar Mantar on October 10. If the protesters are stopped from reaching there, then CJP has announced to hold a peaceful demonstration at the same place, where the police will stop them.