Dhruv Rathee, Prakash Raj, And CJP Lead Anti-SIR Freedom Park Protest In Bengaluru Demanding CEC Gyanesh Kumar Resignation

Dhruv Rathee, Prakash Raj, and CJP (Cockroach Janta Party) leaders have launched a massive street agitation in Bengaluru against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Actor and activist Prakash Raj released a video appeal urging people to assemble at Freedom Park for a People Tribunal and protest demonstration. The mobilization gained major traction after popular digital commentator and YouTuber Dhruv Rathee arrived in the city to physically join the protest, marking his direct on-ground entry into the growing public movement against the Election Commission of India.

The Freedom Park demonstration was organized by the Cockroach Janta Party, founded by Abhijeet Dipke. The gathering brought together student outfits including AISA, AISF, SFI, and ASAP, along with civil society activists Neha Bora, Aishe Ghosh, and Saurav Das. Protesters organized a People Tribunal where local citizens and voters from across Karnataka districts presented accounts of having their names removed from electoral registries during recent revision drives. Following the tribunal, demonstrators held a symbolic chappal protest to show anger against top election officials and express solidarity with women journalists allegedly harassed during earlier demonstrations in New Delhi.

Prakash Raj declared in his address that the agitation is a fundamental fight to protect constitutional voting rights. Welcoming Dhruv Rathee as an outspoken voice joining the movement, Raj said citizens must resist arbitrary voter omissions. Addressing the crowd, Dhruv Rathee called on the country youth to defend democratic institutions, warning that systemic removal of genuine voters cannot be tolerated in a democracy. Rathee also urged people living around the national capital to turn up in large numbers for a follow-up demonstration at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.

The coalition demands include the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, a complete rollback and freeze on the Special Intensive Revision process, restoration of the January 2025 voter lists, an independent inquiry into voter roll deletions, and the repeal of the 2023 law regulating election commission appointments. CJP leadership stressed that demonstrations will continue across states until complete transparency and full safeguards for voter registration are established.