The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), the Gen-Z youth protest movement whose sit-in at Delhi's Jantar Mantar against the NEET paper leak led to the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in July, will hold a protest in Mumbai today to press for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation amid reports of dissent within the poll body.
A similiar protest has been announced by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), All India Students' Association (AISA), National Students' Union of India (NSUI) and Indian Youth Congress (IYC) at Jantar Mantar.
The police in both cities, however, have denied them permission.
Delhi AAP chief Saurabh Bharadwaj arrived at the protest site, declaring "protest is out right".
"Without using a car, I have reached Jantar Mantar. You too can reach here. I am sure by the afternoon a lot of Gen-Z, women and youth will reach Jantar Mantar to raise their voice against the Election Commission. Protesting is our right. The police are telling us that we have not been given permission to protest. Six days ago, AAP had applied for official permission for a peaceful protest here," he said.
The police have imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) in the New Delhi district. The order prohibits, without prior written permission, public meetings or assemblies of five or more people, processions, demonstrations, picketing and dharnas. It also bans shouting slogans, making speeches, and carrying firearms, banners, placards, lathis, swords, sticks, brickbats, or similar articles.
The order has been enforced to ensure public safety, maintain public order and facilitate smooth traffic movement, a senior police officer said.
Multi-layer barricades have also been erected in areas leading to Jantar Mantar, including Tolstoy Marg, Janpath Road and Sansad Marg.
The Delhi Metro has also closed entry and exit at 11 stations, including Rajiv Chowk, Central Secretariat, Janpath, Patel Chowk, Seva Teerth, Mandi House, Lok Kalyan Marg, INA, Chawri Bazar, Ramakrishna Ashram Marg and New Delhi stations will remain closed till further notice.
CJP's Protest At Mumbai's Shivaji Park
The CJP has said it will hold a protest at Mumbai's Shivaji Park to demand Gyanesh Kumar's resignation.
The CJP has also warned of launching protests across the country followed by a stir at Jantar Mantar in Delhi from October end if Kumar did not step down.
"Gyanesh Kumar should resign and should face criminal charges," CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke told reporters in Mumbai on Thursday.
"I am not afraid of going to jail. I will come back to protest again, again and again," the CJP leader said when asked about police denying them permission.
Asked about the planned protest by Opposition MPs on October 6 against the Election Commission, he said the CJP won't be a part of any political programme and will remain an independent movement.
"But I really appreciate the efforts of the INDIA alliance. Every Indian must speak about election rigging and INDIA alliance should do it as well," he said.
Why Are They Protesting Against Gyanesh Kumar
The CJP and opposition parties have been criticising Gyanesh Kumar over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and demanding his resignation after it came to light that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had recorded objections on at least 14 occasions over 10 months to decisions and orders, some of which they said were issued without their knowledge.
The Election Commission later clarified that the three-member commission took all decisions, including those relating to the SIR, unanimously.
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