CJP's Abhijeet Dipke gives CEC Gyanesh Kumar 48 hours to resign, warns of nationwide protests

New Delhi: Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Thursday gave Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar 48 hours to resign, warning of a nationwide agitation if he failed to step down.

Addressing a press conference in Delhi, Dipke accused Kumar of threatening India's democracy and demanded his immediate resignation.

Also read | Who appoints India’s Election Commissioners? Supreme Court sends law challenge to larger bench

"Chief Election Commissioner is the biggest anti-national. Gyanesh Kumar is the biggest anti-national of this country. He should resign immediately because he is the biggest threat to India's democracy," Dipke said.

He also questioned the Election Commission's role in determining who gets to vote, alleging that the government was deciding voters' eligibility since Kumar took over as Chief Election Commissioner.

Also read | ‘Am I not a citizen?’ Kapil Sibal questions CEC Gyanesh Kumar after receiving voter notice

"What did democracy mean in our country? Democracy meant that the people would elect the government. Since Gyanesh Kumar became the Chief Election Commissioner, the government has been deciding who will be allowed to vote and who will not. Is this democracy? What kind of definition of democracy is this? You have turned the entire concept of democracy upside down," he said.

Dipke warned that the party would launch a nationwide agitation if Kumar did not resign within 48 hours.

Also read | ‘What did CEC Gyanesh Kumar do?’: Kharge attacks poll panel over reported EC differences

"If within 48 hours Gyanesh Kumar doesn't resign, the Cockroach Janata Party will start a nationwide agitation. We won't step back till the time Gyanesh Kumar resigns," he added.

The CJP, which has been campaigning on issues such as school infrastructure and tribal education, said protecting people's right to vote was essential to addressing the country's other challenges.

The party indicated that electoral reforms and changes in the functioning of the Election Commission would be among its key concerns.

Dipke's remarks came amid a controversy over differences within the Election Commission, with two election commissioners reportedly dissenting over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.