Bengaluru: The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) national convenor Abhijit Dipke on Thursday, October 8, accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of “murdering democracy and vote theft,” and said protests will go on till Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar resigns from his post.
Presiding over a protest held by civil society groups and CJP in Bengaluru against SIR, he alleged that voter deletions under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) were aimed at disenfranchising those opposed to the BJP and accused PM Modi and the Election Commission of murdering democracy and causing vote chori or vote theft.
“We will hit the streets, reclaim democracy and continue agitation till the CEC resigns,” he added.
The protest held a “people’s tribunal” where people across Karnataka are to raise their issues regarding the deletion of names from electoral rolls. A “chappal protest” will follow the tribunal.
Not here for regime change: Dhruv Rathee
YouTuber Dhruv Rathee addressed the protest and clarified claims that he arrived in India for regime change. “I have not come here for regime change. Neither Elon Musk nor George Soros has funded me. I have come here with my own money,” he said.
The YouTuber alleged that vote chori concerned every citizen, reminding even the BJP supporters that voting is their right. “Whether you vote for the BJP, whether you vote for the Congress, or whether you support any other party, this is an issue that concerns every citizen of the country.”
Rathee stressed that his participation was not on behalf of any political party. “If you believe that every citizen in this country should have the right to vote, then you too should support our cause, and you should also come and join the protest.”
“They were real, genuine voters,” he said, referring to the deletions during West Bengal SIR. “They were on the electoral rolls before the elections and they were on the electoral rolls afterwards, but they were not on the rolls at the time of voting.”
He used similar examples from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Goa. “Names are being added at will, names are being removed at will – everything is being done according tosomeone’s wishes,” Rathee claimed.
“That is why I say: ‘Vote thief, leave the seat.’ That is why we say that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar must resign,” he said.
‘Who are they to take away our votes?’
At the protest, actor-activist Prakash Raj demanded scrapping the SIR exercise, alleging it was not merely about the deletion of votes, but an attack on the dignity and rights of citizens.
Hitting out at the Centre and the EC for “insulting the voters,” Raj said politicians approached voters every five years seeking their blessings and votes, but they were now being forced to seek restoration of their votes.
“Who are they to take away our votes? This is serious wrongdoing,” he said, raising slogans, “Vote chor, gaddi chor.”
