The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Wednesday said its agitation against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar would continue until the electoral system is overhauled, asserting that even Kumar's resignation would not end the protest.
CJP co-convener Saurav Das said the protesters would not step back even if Kumar resigned, as the electoral system needed to be "cleaned up". He alleged that the BJP's pushback against the campaign reflected a "lust for eternal power".
The CJP, along with student organisations, called for a united mobilisation ahead of its October 10 protest against the Election Commission (EC).
At a joint press conference in Delhi, the groups urged people from across the country to travel to the national capital and prepare for a prolonged agitation.
"This fight is not going to be easy. I appeal to everyone across the country to join us, book train and flight tickets," Das said.
The press conference was attended by representatives of the All India Students' Association (AISA), All India Students' Federation (AISF), Students' Federation of India (SFI) and the Aam Aadmi Party's student wing, Association of Students for Alternative Politics (ASAP).
The groups also backed the October 6 protest march by INDIA bloc MPs towards the EC office, framing the confrontation as a larger battle to defend democracy and the Constitution.
Das said the demands included Kumar's resignation and criminal proceedings against him, a freeze on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, a halt to upcoming elections, restoration of the January 2025 voters' list and an independent inquiry.
The CJP also demanded repeal of the 2023 law governing appointments to the EC and called for an independent selection process for election commissioners.
AISA president Neha Bora said there was no divide between the student-led mobilisation and the Opposition's protests against the EC.
"There are no divisions. We, the people of India, versus the BJP. If we lead this fight unitedly, we will do it effectively," Bora said.
Backing the INDIA bloc MPs who marched towards the EC office on October 6 demanding Kumar's resignation, Bora said elected representatives had a duty to take to the streets to raise public issues and defend people's rights.
"If ever there was a time to desert the BJP, it is now," she said, urging those aligned with the BJP to join the campaign to defend democracy and the Constitution.
The call for unity comes days after an online spat between the CJP and sections aligned with the Congress. Das, however, said the participating organisations were united despite differences in political affiliations and ideologies, describing their campaign as a larger fight to change a "broken system".
On permission for the October 10 protest, Das said the organisers had submitted a formal intimation at the Parliament Street police station on Wednesday along with undertakings.
"Please don't use the word permission. Who is Delhi Police to give us permission?" he said, adding that an intimation was sufficient.
"We will cooperate with Delhi Police and we hope Delhi Police will cooperate with us," he added.
SFI's Adarsh Shaji accused Kumar of undermining Indian democracy and described the confrontation as a fight between "democracy and autocracy".
(With inputs from PTI)
