‘Gyanesh Kumar biggest anti-national’: CJP seeks CEC’s resignation, has 2 more demands

A day after an explosive Indian Express exposé revealed how the two Election Commissioners repeatedly flagged issues with the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), to no avail, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has threatened to launch a nationwide movement unless Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar resigns within 48 hours.

CJP founder Abhijet Dipke openly alleged that CEC Kumar works at the behest of top BJP leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. “Gyanesh Kumar is the biggest anti-national of this country because he is the biggest threat to Indian democracy. He should resign at once,” he said.

Take a stand: Dipke

Dipke also had appeals for both political parties and the people. In his appeal to political parties, Dipke said, “If you know that elections are being rigged, take a stand. You cannot participate in polls and complain about rigging too.” In his appeal to people, he said, “It’s about your rights. People like Gyanesh Kumar cannot snatch your right to vote. He can become Narendra Modi’s peon if he wants to. If Kumar doesn’t resign within 48 hours, CJP will start a nationwide movement.”

Also read: EC dissent row: How Bengal’s SIR concerns went unheeded

But what does the CJP plan? The three CJP leaders, Dipke, Sourav Das and Ashutosh Ranka said they would go to each state and appeal to the people to come out on the streets and protest seeking their right to vote. “Why does BJP’s Sambit Patra reply when question is being asked of the Election Commission? Either Sambit Patra should go and sit in the EC or Gyanesh Kumar should join the BJP,” Dipke said.

CJP’s three demands

Das laid down three demands of the CJP. First, the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar and immediate initiation of criminal proceedings against him. “Answer who gave him orders. He could not have done of this alone. Someone in the government was remote-controlling him. Who is that person?” Das said.

“Second, immediately put on hold all upcoming polls. Freeze the SIR process. Roll back the voters’ list to January 2025. Constitute an independent inquiry commission which will inspire public confidence and look into all decision-making processes of SIR. The Supreme Court is equally culpable (because it turned down all petitions against the SIR process and put a legal stamp on it). The apex court must order the seizure of all SIR-related documents. These should be in your custody so that these cannot vanish overnight,” he added.

Also read: Appointment dispute and internal dissent: EC faces a checks-and-balances question

“Third, repeal the 2023 law on the appointments of EC officials. Make a new law that inspires public confidence with the active participation of civil society members,” Das said.

What SIR has done

Ranka reminded the public that the deletion of names from the electoral rolls is not limited to the denial of the right to vote. Those who found their names deleted from the electoral rolls have also been told that they would not be eligible for the various government schemes.

Dipke also pointed out how strong regional parties such as Shiv Sena and NCP in Maharashtra were split and the election symbols awarded to the “BJP proxy” faction—a process now being faced by the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal.

He also narrated how the BJP’s vote percentages went up in various states after the arrival of Gyanesh Kumar. “His performance for the BJP is so extraordinary that he should resign immediately and join the party,” Dipke remarked.

‘They have turned country into a joke’

“This corrupt and broken system, which has turned our country into a joke, must change. But how will it change if your right to vote is snatched from you?” said Das. He also narrated citing the Indian Express report to explain how Gen Z is being systematically blocked from voting and how powers related to EC are being centralised, with Seema Khanna, an official who reports to Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, deciding on SIR process and voters’ list.

Also read: Petition seeks contempt action against CEC Gyanesh Kumar, alleges violation of SC orders

The CJP, which has been running campaigns on issues like school infrastructure and tribal education, said such efforts would not bring any change if people’s right to vote was compromised, calling the protection of elections the key to addressing other problems facing the country.

What IE report exposed

The Indian Express reported on Wednesday that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally objected at least 14 times over the past 10 months to decisions and orders of the Election Commission, including on addition, deletion and restoration of voters and changes to the voter registration process during the SIR of electoral rolls.

The Opposition has demanded the scrapping of SIR and the impeachment and arrest of CEC Kumar, while the EC has claimed that all decisions, including SIR, have been unanimous and with the approval of both the Election Commissioners and the CEC.

Later on Wednesday, Das alleged in a post on X, “Both the CBI and ED are being pressured by the regime to raid close associates of the two Election Commissioners. Both of them are resisting pressure to hold a joint press conference with Gyanesh Kumar and unequivocally refute and trash the Indian Express report.

Also read: EC SIR row: INDIA bloc gets ammunition, but Modi govt may brazen it out

“The same had happened to (former Election Commissioner) Ashok Lavasa. His family members were sent IT notices before he was pressured to resign. This is completely unacceptable. The government has totally forgotten that this is post-Jantar Mantar India and the public cannot be fooled through such illegal and fraudulent tactics.”