Kochi: The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has announced a fresh protest against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Kerala’s Kochi on November 7, signalling a return to street demonstrations after its founder, Abhijeet Dipke, had indicated a temporary pause in the agitation.

The organisation has called on supporters to assemble at Rajendra Maidan in Kochi at 4 pm on Saturday. The announcement carries the slogan, “Save Democracy! Cancel SIR!”, reiterating the party’s opposition to the Election Commission’s nationwide electoral roll revision exercise.

The latest protest call is significant because it is the first such announcement by the CJP since Dipke released an emotional message during Dussehra, urging supporters to spend time with their families after months of demonstrations and the detention of key leaders.

The announcement also comes amid ongoing police investigations into the party’s October 13 protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, during which its co-convenors Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were arrested.

With the Kochi demonstration, the CJP appears to be restarting its street campaign, keeping its demand for the cancellation of SIR at the centre of its activities.

CJP returns to protests after founder’s appeal for a break

The CJP had been organising demonstrations on several issues since its formation in May. Its initial campaign focused on alleged irregularities in the NEET examination, with the organisation demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

In August, it expanded its activities through the pan-India ‘School Theek Karo’ campaign. The initiative highlighted concerns about school infrastructure, teacher shortages and inadequate educational facilities.

By late September, the organisation had shifted its attention to the Election Commission and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. It began demanding the CEC’s resignation over alleged irregularities in the nationwide SIR exercise.

However, the campaign encountered difficulties following the arrest of its co-convenors Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka after the October 13 demonstration at Jantar Mantar in Delhi.

The protest took place after the site had been denotified as a designated protest location. The two leaders reportedly unfurled the national flag during the demonstration and were subsequently arrested.

Dipke was also detained on October 16, ahead of a planned Tiranga march. With the CJP’s three key leaders facing detention or arrest, the organisation struggled to coordinate the proposed demonstration.

Although the party had claimed to have a Plan B, the planned march did not take place as intended.

Dipke’s Dussehra message indicated a temporary pause

Amid the difficulties, Dipke released an emotional video message on Dussehra, appealing to supporters to spend time with their families during the festive period.

In the message, he spoke about the personal sacrifices made by people participating in the agitation and the difficulties faced by their families.

He particularly referred to Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, who were in judicial custody at the time. Dipke asked supporters to remember the two co-convenors during the celebrations, noting that they could not be with their own families.

He also acknowledged that joining the protests had been the decision of the participants, but their families were also facing the consequences of their involvement.

The message was widely seen as an indication that the CJP might temporarily suspend its demonstrations after several months of sustained activity.

The announcement of the Kochi protest now suggests that the organisation intends to resume its public campaign. However, the latest statement does not indicate whether the party plans to restart demonstrations in other cities or announce a wider nationwide programme.

CJP leaders questioned over Jantar Mantar protest

The Kochi announcement comes shortly after three CJP leaders were questioned by the Delhi Police Crime Branch in connection with two FIRs linked to the October 13 demonstration.

Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka and Ajinkya Shinde appeared before the Crime Branch on November 5. They were questioned for approximately four hours at the agency’s office in Rajouri Garden.

According to police sources, investigators put around 70 questions to the three leaders. The sources also said that the leaders did not respond to some of the questions during the questioning.

The two FIRs were initially registered at the Connaught Place and Parliament Street police stations. They concern allegations of illegal trespass through private property to reach Jantar Mantar and violations of restrictions imposed after the location was denotified as a designated protest site.

The cases were subsequently transferred to the Crime Branch for further investigation.

Following the questioning, Ranka said the CJP would cooperate with the investigation. He also maintained that unfurling the national flag should not be treated as a criminal act.

The police investigation is continuing, and the allegations mentioned in the FIRs remain subject to the legal process.

CJP maintains distance from INDIA bloc’s political activities

The CJP’s decision to announce a fresh protest also comes against the backdrop of its efforts to maintain an independent political identity.

The organisation has expressed support for campaigns against alleged electoral irregularities but has sought to distinguish its activities from those of established political parties and opposition alliances.

On October 31, Dipke met Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee in Delhi. He thanked her for supporting the CJP’s protests against the alleged NEET paper leak and the arrests of its leaders.

The meeting came ahead of the INDIA bloc’s November 1 rally at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi, which was organised around allegations of vote theft and irregularities in the electoral process.

Although Dipke expressed solidarity with the opposition’s campaign, he clarified that the CJP would not formally participate in the rally.

He said the organisation wanted to preserve its identity as an independent and politically neutral platform. He also indicated that the CJP would support organisations raising concerns about alleged electoral irregularities, regardless of their political affiliation.

The position reflects the outfit’s attempt to continue campaigning on electoral and education-related issues without formally aligning itself with a political alliance.

Anti-SIR campaign remains central to Kochi demonstration

The November 7 protest is expected to focus on the CJP’s demand for the cancellation of the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.

SIR has become a major political issue, with opposition parties and other groups raising concerns about the exercise and its possible impact on voters. The Election Commission’s role in revising electoral rolls has also been at the centre of the CJP’s campaign against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The organisation’s latest announcement uses the slogan “Save Democracy! Cancel SIR!”, making clear that the demand remains unchanged despite the recent pause in demonstrations and the police action against its leaders.

The Kochi protest will also indicate how the CJP plans to organise its activities following the arrests and questioning of key members. Its return to street demonstrations comes at a time when the leadership continues to face questions linked to the earlier Jantar Mantar agitation.

For now, the organisation has announced a gathering at Rajendra Maidan at 4 pm on November 7. Whether the demonstration will be followed by a wider campaign across other parts of the country remains unclear.

The Kochi announcement marks a new phase in the CJP’s agitation, with the demand to cancel SIR continuing to shape its campaign against the Election Commission.