Actor Prakash Raj and Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Saturday stepped up their criticism of the Election Commission and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls at a protest in Kochi, Kerala. While Raj called on the younger generation to reclaim the Constitution and democracy through the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi, Dipke vowed to continue his campaign against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar until India had an independent and impartial electoral system.
The demonstration, titled ‘Jantar Mantar at Kochi’, was organised by the CJP to demand the withdrawal of SIR and Kumar’s resignation. Hundreds of young people, civil rights activists and other citizens took part in the gathering. Around 500 activists joined a march led by Prakash Raj from Marine Drive to Rajendra Maidan, where the public meeting was held. Participants carried national flags and raised slogans against the Election Commission.
Prakash Raj invokes Gandhi, Bhagat Singh and Ambedkar
Addressing the gathering, Raj said the struggle to protect democratic rights should be led by citizens rather than political parties. He urged people to support the younger generation, which he said was prepared to defend the Constitution and democracy.
Recalling his participation in an earlier protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, the actor said he had witnessed lakhs of young people assembling with courage and determination.
"I was there in Jantar Mantar. It was not just their strength; it was not just their fearlessness. I witnessed lakhs and lakhs of youngsters in one place, brave and young," he said.
Raj said that young people, often criticised for being preoccupied with their mobile phones, were instead discussing the ideals of freedom fighters and leaders such as Bhagat Singh and B R Ambedkar, as well as the sacrifices made during India's freedom struggle.
"Those youngsters were talking about Ambedkar. Those youngsters were talking about Bhagat Singh. That is the youth to which this country belongs," he said.
He expressed confidence that the younger generation would reclaim the Constitution and democracy through the spirit of Mahatma Gandhi, and called on citizens to stand behind them in their fight for democratic rights.
Dipke vows to continue campaign against Gyanesh Kumar
Dipke, who arrived in Kochi to attend the protest, said the agitation against the Chief Election Commissioner would continue until the country had an independent and impartial electoral system.
Speaking to reporters after arriving at Cochin International Airport, he described the demonstration as a people's protest and said he had come at the invitation of the organisers and Prakash Raj. He alleged that elections conducted under Gyanesh Kumar could not be trusted and claimed that the process was being manipulated to benefit one political party.
Dipke also claimed that Kerala had the largest number of registered CJP members, according to the party's database.
The CJP founder hit back at allegations that external forces were controlling the party to destabilise India. Questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi over India's reported commitments concerning Russian oil purchases and trade tariffs with the United States, Dipke said: “They talk of external forces controlling the CJP to destabilise India. I want to ask Modi: who was it that surrendered to Trump?”
Dipke recalls arrest, says he will continue carrying Tricolour
Addressing the gathering, Dipke said he would continue carrying the national flag across the country despite arrests and police action. He accused Modi and the BJP of attempting to control people's food habits, personal relationships and voting rights.
Referring to his arrest in Delhi along with CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, Dipke said the three had faced action for entering Jantar Mantar with the national flag during their protest against SIR and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
"I was sent behind bars for raising this Tricolour. Saurav and Ashu, my two brothers, were also sent behind bars for raising it. The last time this happened in India was when we were ruled by the British," he said.
The Delhi Police had denotified Jantar Mantar as a designated protest site before the incident. Das and Ranka were arrested after entering the area and waving the national flag. They spent about a week in judicial custody and were released on October 21 after giving an undertaking that they would not organise further protests at the site while it remained denotified. Dipke was subsequently detained ahead of a Tiranga March announced by the party in Delhi. CJP leaders were also questioned by the Delhi Police Crime Branch in connection with cases linked to protests in the national capital.
The Kochi demonstration marked the CJP's first major public protest in south India since the police action in Delhi. The party had announced the event under the slogan ‘Save Democracy! Cancel SIR!’ and called on supporters to gather at Rajendra Maidan. Other CJP representatives who participated included national secretary Afreen Nawaz and South India in-charge Vijay Reddy Mallangi.