The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) reiterated its stand on illegal immigration with the slogan “Detect. Delete. Deport.” amid protests against the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The party posted the message on X as Congress MP Shashi Tharoor backed a demonstration in Kochi, Kerala, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The protest, organised as “Jantar Mantar at Kochi” by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), began at Marine Drive and proceeded to Rajendra Maidan. Actor Prakash Raj led the procession, with demonstrators carrying national flags and placards demanding the withdrawal of the SIR and Kumar’s resignation. Organisers put the number of participants at around 500. Police personnel were deployed along the route to regulate traffic and prevent road blockades.
The demonstration took place amid a continuing dispute over the Election Commission’s exercise to check and update electoral rolls. Opposition parties have alleged that eligible voters have been wrongly removed or are at risk of losing their voting rights. The BJP maintains that names of ineligible persons, including illegal immigrants, should be excluded.
Shashi Tharoor backs Kochi protest, demands Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor supported the CJP’s “Jantar Mantar at Kochi” protest, saying citizens had the right to express their views in a democracy.
“We believe in democracy; let them protest. Let’s see what people think,” Tharoor told ANI.
The Thiruvananthapuram MP also demanded accountability from the Election Commission over alleged irregularities in the revision exercise.
Tharoor accused the poll panel of introducing unauthorised changes to Form 6, allowing the mass filing of objections through Form 7 and using software that allegedly restricted the powers of Electoral Registration Officers (EROs).
Form 6 is used to apply for inclusion in electoral rolls, while Form 7 is used to seek the deletion of an entry or raise objections to the inclusion of a voter.
Referring to proceedings in the Supreme Court, Tharoor claimed that several decisions taken during the revision had been found questionable and were being withdrawn.
“The rights of Indian citizens to vote cannot be taken away by anybody else,” he said.
He alleged that some actions taken during the exercise were “illegal, unauthorised, unconstitutional or unfair” and said Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar should accept responsibility.
The Election Commission has defended its procedures during the revision exercise. Allegations concerning voter deletions and changes to electoral forms have also been raised in proceedings before the Supreme Court.
Prakash Raj leads anti-SIR protest march in Kochi
Actor-activist Prakash Raj led the procession from Marine Drive to Rajendra Maidan, where a public meeting was organised. Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) state president Chintha Jerome also joined the march.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, who arrived at Cochin International Airport on Saturday afternoon, said the demonstration had been organised by citizens concerned about the electoral process. He said he had travelled to Kochi at the invitation of local organisers and Prakash Raj.
“The fight against Gyanesh Kumar will continue until we get an independent and impartial election system in India,” Dipke told reporters.
He alleged that elections under the present Chief Election Commissioner could not be trusted and claimed that the electoral process was being manipulated to benefit one political party.
Dipke also expressed confidence that young people from Kerala would participate in large numbers, claiming that the state had the highest number of registered CJP members in the organisation’s database.
