Full Breakdown
Mumbai Protest Targets Election Commission Over Voter-List Revision
By Drooid · · How we work
Background & Context
The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), founded by youth activist Abhijeet Dipke, has demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging that the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls removed millions of voters and favoured the ruling BJP. The movement gained visibility after a large gathering at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park, where actors, singers and political figures addressed the crowd.
Timeline
- July 20 – Police action during a prior protest was referenced by Dipke as a test of the right to peaceful assembly.
- August 17 – Union Minister Ramdas Athawale invited Dipke to join the Republican Party of India (Athawale).
- October 3 – Athawale publicly criticised Dipke’s remarks about Dr B R Ambedkar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
- October 10 (scheduled) – Planned “Jantar Mantar 2.0” protest in Delhi if the CEC does not step down.
Data & Statistics
- Dipke alleged that nearly 13 crore voters were removed from rolls nationwide over the past two years.
- He claimed around 40 lakh voters were added to Maharashtra’s rolls before the 2024 Assembly elections.
- The CJP also cited deletions affecting constituencies of opposition leaders such as Arvind Kejriwal, M K Stalin and Mamata Banerjee.
These figures are the party’s own estimates and have not been independently verified.
Official Statements & Responses
- The Election Commission defended the SIR exercise, saying it is being carried out “under the applicable rules” and that all three commissioners approved the process unanimously.
- Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis called the CJP’s narrative “fake” and said attempts to push it “will not succeed.”
- BJP spokesperson Ajay Alok reiterated that protests are legitimate but must follow legal procedures, warning that failure to obtain permission could lead to detention.
- Congress general secretary K C Venugopal accused the government and the Election Commission of “snatching” common-man votes and framed the protests as a “do-or-die fight” for democracy.
Criticism & Opposition
Union Minister of State for Social Justice Ramdas Athawale condemned Dipke’s statements about Ambedkar, Modi and Fadnavis as “highly objectionable and disrespectful,” warning that the Republican Party of India would take “strong action” if the remarks continued. He also rejected Dipke’s claim that former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru “brought Ambedkar into prominence,” arguing it ignored Ambedkar’s own central role in drafting the Constitution.
Verbatim Quotes
- “This person is just travelling around the world with our money. One thing is that he keeps saying, 'I have sold tea, I have sold tea, I have sold tea.' Why did you sell tea? Did we ask you to sell tea? We said you could have gone to school, studied, and got a job.” — Abhijeet Dipke, founder
- “Abhijeet Dipke has made an incorrect statement about Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. He has also been making highly objectionable and disrespectful remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. He should stop making such statements, otherwise the Republican Party of India (RPI) will take strong action against him,” — Ramdas Athawale
- “Following the press conference held by the three Election Commissioners, their fake narrative has been busted.” — Devendra Fadnavis, Maharashtra chief minister
What’s Next
The Election Commission says it will continue the SIR process while monitoring the situation, and law-enforcement agencies have signalled readiness to enforce protest-permit requirements. No independent audit of the alleged voter-list changes has been announced, leaving the core dispute unresolved.