CJP to protest against CEC Gyanesh Kumar in Mumbai on October 2, Dipke challenges CM Fadnavis

Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijit Dipke addresses a press conference at the Press Club in Mumbai on Thursday, October 1, 2026 | Photo credit: Emmanual Yogini

Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke said on Thursday (October 1, 2026) that the group will hold a protest on Friday (October 2, 2026) at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park, a zone of no sound or silence. The main demands of the protesters include the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and the filing of a criminal complaint against him.

The CJP also sought to freeze the Special Intensive Review (SIR) list and make the process of appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner transparent with the participation of civil society. After Mumbai, the group will hold protests in six other cities, ending at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi by the end of October.

“CEC is a traitor”

“Gyanesh Kumar is a traitor. He doesn’t deserve to be CEC. He is a puppet of Amit Shah and Narendra Modi. 13 crores have been deleted from the electoral roll since 2024. The difference between NDA block and INDIA was just 2% (they got rid of 4%1 elections in 2024) while democracy in the country and no real democracy,” said Mr. Dipke.

He added that since a large number of people have been affected by the smear, many will take to the streets. “If Gyanesh Kumar does not resign, they will seek Narendra Modi’s resignation,” he said, claiming that Mr. Kumar had won the election for Mr. Modi.

He raised concerns about Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), claimed that all electronic machines can be hacked, and demanded that elections be held using ballot papers.

Reacting to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s statement on three-day police custody for the protesters, he said that he was not minded even by three months’ detention. “I want to say to Mr. Fadnavis, mi punha yein (‘I will be back,’ a reference to Mr. Fadnavis’s past statement that he will return to power).”

No permission to protest

Meanwhile, the Mumbai Police did not give permission for the CJP’s protest. The Bombay High Court is ruling on petitions seeking permission to hold public events at Shivaji Park. The area designated for protests in the city is Azad Maidan. Asked if the group had approached the Supreme Court seeking permission, Mr. Dipke said, “What will happen in court? Taareekh pe taareekh (referring to prolonged court hearings).”

Asked why he did not decide to protest at Azad Maidan, he said, “We can protest anywhere. We want to protest only in Shivaji Park.”

“SC still guilty”

When asked why the group did not wait for the Supreme Court to hear the pending petitions on the electoral roll and SIR issues, he accused the apex court of the same. “Which Supreme Court? The same court that didn’t allow people to vote in West Bengal elections?” he asked.

Reacting to the charge that we are the B team of the Congress, Mr. Dipke said, “Sit down and decide whose B team we are. The Congress accuses us of being the B team of the RSS and the BJP. The ruling party accuses us of being the B team of the Congress.”

Death of an IIT student

Mr. Dipke was asked about reservation in education. While replying, he asked why no one was challenging the quota reservation for management. He said it was shameful that the parents of an IIT Bombay student who died by suicide had to protest to get justice.

“Many students have died in IITs. Is there enough representation? There is not. People need to feel that they belong there. How can you justify that a child can die by suicide for cheating? How inhumane can you become? Children from tribal areas have to go through a lot to be in such places. That parents are still sitting on protest to seek justice for their child. It is shameful,” he said.

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Published – 01 Oct 2026 21:56 IST