‘Narendra Modi Vote Chor’ slogan raised as CJP’s SIR protest begins in Bengaluru; Dhruv Rathee, Prakash Raj join

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has begun its protest against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls at Freedom Park in Bengaluru on October 8, with YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, actor-activist Prakash Raj and CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke joining the mobilisation.

The protest follows a People’s Tribunal organised by CJP, where people whom the organisers describe as victims of the SIR exercise were brought together to share their experiences and raise concerns over alleged discrepancies and deletions from electoral rolls. 

As the protest began, Dipke addressed the gathering at Freedom Park and opened his speech by asking protesters to raise the slogan, ‘Narendra Modi Vote Chor.’

The slogan was raised during the demonstration as protesters gathered to voice their opposition to the SIR exercise and raise concerns over electoral rolls.

The political allegation in the slogan is attributed to the protesters and CJP, rather than presented as an independently established fact.

Rathee and Prakash Raj are among the prominent faces participating in Thursday’s mobilisation.

Prakash Raj has previously spoken publicly about concerns surrounding SIR, while Rathee had confirmed his participation in the Bengaluru programme through a social media video.

What is the protest about?

CJP has organised the Freedom Park protest to highlight what it alleges are wrongful exclusions of eligible voters from electoral rolls during the SIR exercise.

The People’s Tribunal preceding the protest featured accounts from people whom the organisers claim were affected by the revision.

The claims of wrongful deletion have been raised by the organisers and participants and should not be treated as independently established in every individual case.

CJP has also been demanding action against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and has called for an independent inquiry into the SIR exercise.

The organisation has sought restoration of the January 2025 voters’ list and a freeze on the revision process.

The Bengaluru protest is also significant because it comes just two days before CJP and several student organisations plan to hold a larger demonstration at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on October 10.

The proposed Delhi mobilisation has been announced by CJP along with student organisations including AISA, AISF, SFI and AAP’s student wing ASAP.

The groups have said the protest will focus on their concerns over electoral rolls, alleged exclusion of voters and what they describe as wider threats to the electoral process.

CJP co-convener Ashutosh Ranka has separately alleged that right-wing fringe groups have been mobilised ahead of the October 10 protest to unleash violence against peaceful protesters.

He has insisted that the CJP demonstration will remain peaceful, saying, ‘Haath hamara nahi uthega.’ The allegation has not been independently verified.

The developments in Bengaluru are therefore being closely watched ahead of the October 10 mobilisation in Delhi, where CJP and its allied student organisations are expected to step up their campaign against the SIR exercise and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.