Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Saturday vowed to take his campaign against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar across the country, declaring that arrests would not stop him from carrying the national flag at protests against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Addressing a protest meeting in Kochi, Dipke accused the Narendra Modi government of seeking to control people's food choices, personal relationships and voting rights, and alleged that the SIR exercise was being used to influence electoral outcomes.
The protest, held under the party's 'Jantar Mantar at Kochi' campaign, began at Marine Drive and concluded at Rajendra Maidan. Around 500 activists participated in the rally, according to the organisers. Actor Prakash Raj led the march, while Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) state president Chintha Jerome also joined the protest.
Dipke's remarks came against the backdrop of his detention in Delhi, along with CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, for allegedly entering Jantar Mantar with the national flag. He likened the arrests to repression during British rule and said he would continue carrying the Tricolour across the country.
"I was sent behind bars for raising this Tricolour. Saurav and Ashu, my two brothers, were also sent behind bars for raising it. The last time this happened in India was when we were ruled by the British," he said.
"I want to tell Narendra Modi that I will carry this Tricolour everywhere, in every part of this country. If you want to arrest me, you can arrest me in Delhi, Maharashtra, Keralam or Tamil Nadu. Arrest me from every part of the country, but I will come back again and raise this Tricolour," he added.
The CJP has demanded the withdrawal of the SIR exercise and Kumar's resignation, alleging that elections conducted under the present Chief Election Commissioner could not be trusted.
Speaking to reporters after arriving at Cochin International Airport earlier in the day, Dipke said the campaign would continue until an independent and impartial electoral system was established.
"The fight against Gyanesh Kumar will continue until we get an independent and impartial election system in India. That is very necessary because, under Gyanesh Kumar, elections cannot be trusted. They are being rigged only to help one party, and we have seen plenty of examples of that," he said.
At the protest meeting, Dipke accused the government of progressively restricting individual freedoms, saying its alleged interference had extended from personal choices to the right to vote.
"They first wanted to control what you eat, then whom you can marry and love, and now they have come to a point where they want to control whom you vote for," he said.
He also invoked B R Ambedkar, Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, describing them as the three leaders whose ideals shaped the country. Calling Gandhi the soul of India, Ambedkar its backbone and Nehru its mind, he said Prime Minister Modi could never surpass their stature.
"Even if you remain in power for 120 years, you will never become bigger than Ambedkar, Gandhi and Nehru," he said.
Dipke had been detained ahead of a Tiranga March announced by the party in Delhi, following the arrests of Das and Ranka. CJP leaders were also questioned by the Delhi Police Crime Branch in connection with cases registered over the protests in the national capital.
Police personnel were deployed along the Kochi rally route to regulate traffic and prevent road blockades.
(With inputs from PTI)
