2 hrs ago
CJP Vows Nationwide Protest Until Election Chief Resigns
Ashutosh Ranka leads a group called the Cockroach Janata Party, or CJP.
He wants Election Commission chief Gyanesh Kumar to resign.
The CJP says about 13 crore voters may have been removed from election lists.
These alleged removals happened during a review of voter rolls in many parts of India.
Ranka says the election chief should explain the issue publicly.
He said the CJP will hold protests across the country starting October 2.
The group also says Assam’s election boundaries were changed unfairly, although the article does not confirm that claim.
The CJP says police detained more than 40 of its members in Assam before releasing them later that day.
Ashutosh Ranka said the Cockroach Janata Party will begin a nationwide protest on October 2 and continue until Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar resigns.
The CJP alleges that around 13 crore names were removed from electoral rolls during the Special Intensive Revision across 30 states and Union territories.
Ranka challenged Kumar to address the allegations publicly and respond to findings reported by The Indian Express.
Ranka also alleged that Assam’s constituency delimitation benefited the BJP-led government, claims not independently established in the article.
The CJP said more than 40 members detained by Assam Police before a volunteers’ meeting were released later on Sunday and called the detention illegal.
- Who
- Ashutosh Ranka and the Cockroach Janata Party are demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
- What
- The CJP renewed allegations about the removal of around 13 crore names from electoral rolls and announced a nationwide protest.
- Where
- The proposed protest is nationwide, while the reported detention occurred in Dispur, Assam, and the CJP also discussed a denied protest venue in Mumbai.
- When
- Ranka made the statements on Monday; the protest is scheduled to begin October 2, following the CJP’s September 24 resignation demand.
- Why
- The CJP says Kumar undermined voter rights through the Special Intensive Revision and related election decisions.
CJP’s allegations and demands
Government and election authorities’ position
Removal of voter names
CJP’s allegations and demands
The CJP alleges that around 13 crore people were defrauded when their names were removed from electoral rolls during the Special Intensive Revision.
Government and election authorities’ position
The article says the Bharatiya Janata Party defended Gyanesh Kumar and the Election Commission, but it does not provide a detailed response from Kumar or the Commission to the allegations.
Assam delimitation
CJP’s allegations and demands
Ranka alleges that Assam’s constituency boundaries were redrawn to benefit the BJP-led government and claimed that voters from one village could vote in three constituencies.
Government and election authorities’ position
The article provides no response from the Assam government or the Election Commission to this allegation.
Police detention and protest permissions
CJP’s allegations and demands
The CJP called the detention of its members in Assam illegal and questioned why permission was denied for its October 2 protest in Mumbai.
Government and election authorities’ position
The article reports that police said they had orders from higher authorities but does not provide a fuller explanation for the detention or the Mumbai permission decision.
Key facts
- Protest start
- October 2
- Resignation target
- Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar
- Alleged voter deletions
- Around 13 crore names
- Electoral review
- Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls
- Geographic scope alleged
- 30 states and Union territories
- Assam detention
- More than 40 CJP members were detained for about 10 hours and released later on Sunday
- Reported EC concerns
- The Indian Express reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi repeatedly raised questions about the revision
Quotes
Ashutosh Ranka
Leader and co-founder of the Cockroach Janata Party
“For 48 hours, the ball was in Kumar’s court; now it is in CJP’s court. We will start our nationwide protest on October 2, and we won’t back down till he resigns. CJP is a platform which, if it gets involved in any matter, doesn’t let go of it until we win.”
telegraphindia.com
“All was controlled from the top. The government was trying to bully us, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was trying to frighten us…but the more you try to douse, the more the revolution will spread”
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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