Mumbai: Tricolours draped across shoulders, flags held aloft and satirical placards taking aim at the Election Commission marked the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ protest at Azad Maidan on Friday. While the turnout remained modest compared with the crowds anticipated by organisers, citizens, activists and political figures gathered to express solidarity with the party’s detained leaders and raise concerns over electoral democracy.
Protest Against Leaders' Detention
Called by the CJP, the protest was a response to the detention of its founder Abhijeet Dipke and spokesperson Saurav Das, among other party members, amid demonstrations in Delhi. The party had appealed to citizens to assemble at Azad Maidan with the national flag, turning the Tricolour into the central symbol of the gathering.
“We will wave our country’s flag and no one can stop us,” social activist Anjali Damania said, after she was also detained during the protests.
Tricolours Dominate Protest Scene
At Azad Maidan, several protesters tied the Tricolour to their backs, while others continued to wave it through the day. The gathering had a distinctly youthful presence, with young participants joining activists and political supporters. Some had travelled from different parts of Mumbai, while others came from Delhi to express solidarity with the campaign.
The protest also carried a satirical edge. Placards asking “Can I be your next PM?” stood alongside posters criticising Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The slogans and signs reflected the protesters’ anger over the revision of electoral rolls and their demand for accountability from the Election Commission.
Protesters Raise Voting Rights Concerns
For some participants, the issue went beyond the detention of CJP leaders. They said the right to vote was central to democracy and that concerns over names being deleted from electoral rolls needed to be addressed.
“It is a matter of democracy. Voting is our right, and if our names are removed from the electoral rolls, we have nothing left as citizens. We will not be able to hold people accountable,” said Shikha Das, a protestor.
The Mumbai gathering was part of the CJP’s wider ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ campaign, with a parallel demonstration called in Delhi. The party has been demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The Election Commission has denied allegations of political bias and said eligible voters whose names have been wrongly deleted can seek re-enrolment.
Despite the relatively low turnout at Azad Maidan, the presence of activists and political figures lent the gathering support. For those who attended, waving the national flag was both an expression of patriotism and a way to register dissent over what they see as threats to democratic rights.
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