Cockroach Janta Party Backs INDIA Bloc’s Nov 1 Rally; Demands Resignation of Gyanesh Kumar Over SIR Voter Deletions

NEW DELHI: In a strongly worded press statement, the satirical political entity "Cockroach Janta Party" formally announced its support for the opposition INDIA Bloc’s scheduled rally on November 1, demanding the immediate resignation of Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged voter exclusion under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.

The group stated that "the fundamental principle of democracy is that people get to choose their government, not that the government gets to choose its voters," asserting that this core premise has been undermined by the ongoing SIR process. According to the statement, Kumar has "lost the trust required to oversee free and fair elections," making his resignation vital to restoring the independence and credibility of the Election Commission of India (ECI).

Invoking the constitutional foundation laid by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar and Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, the statement highlighted that the Constitution guaranteed universal adult suffrage across caste, religion, gender, and economic divides at a time when millions had never cast a ballot. The founding premise, it noted, was to expand democratic inclusion rather than restrict it.

Raising concerns over electoral management, the release claimed that the current SIR exercise has triggered widespread anxiety regarding the arbitrary removal of eligible citizens from voter rolls. "Instead of making it easier for citizens to exercise their voting rights, we are witnessing growing fears of exclusion," the party stated, reiterating that the statutory duty of the Election Commission is to safeguard every citizen's franchise rather than erect administrative barriers.

The demonstration on November 1 is expected to bring together various opposition parties and civil groups protesting against alleged irregularities and voter list purges ahead of upcoming polls.