Left, CJP unity on 'people of India versus BJP' protest as Opp ups ante against regime

Neha Bora and Saurav Das address the media at the Press Club of India on Wednesday. PTI

Left student unions and the Cockroach Janta Party on Wednesday held their first joint media conference, demonstrating unity over the October 10 protest against chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and urging people to prepare for a prolonged agitation.

The news conference, held at the Press Club of Delhi, was attended by All India Students' Association (AISA) president Neha Bora, CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ratna Singh, SFI chief Adarsh Saji, AISF head Viraaj Devang and Association of Students for Alternative Politics leader Eeshna Gupta.

The Left groups and the CJP projected the battle as one between "we the people of India" and the BJP. They said they would take to the streets against "vote theft" during the "second season" of Jantar Mantar protests. The leaders demanded Gyanesh's resignation over the SIR.

Das called Gyanesh the "number one traitor and the original anti-national".

Referring to the Supreme Court's assertion on Monday that it had not approved any changes to Form 6, through which Indians apply for registration as new voters, and calling Gyanesh a "liar", the CJP leader said: "If people like him are part of the system then the country will never be developed because he is stealing our voting right." The poll panel had appeared to suggest that the changes in Form 6 -- to declare whether the applicant's parents or grandparents figured on the previous SIR's rolls -- had the court's approval.

Das urged people outside Delhi to come prepared for a prolonged agitation. "I appeal to everyone across the country to join us, book train and flight tickets. Pack your bags. It will be a long fight," he said.

"This fight is not going to be easy," Das said, recalling the police crackdown on protesters during the Jantar Mantar movement in July that culminated in education minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation.

"This is not a day's fight. It will continue for a long time. We will have to face many difficulties," Das added.

The CJP said the fight would not stop at Gyanesh's resignation but continue till the electoral system was overhauled, including initiation of criminal proceedings against the CEC and the repeal of the 2023 law governing appointments to the EC.

Das said he had received inputs that the BJP was mobilising "Right-wing extremists" to derail the October 10 protest. "Does the BJP want civil war in this country? You (BJP) are instigating the people of the country against each other," he said.

Neha said the movement was to save democracy, welcoming the Opposition protests led by Rahul Gandhi.

"The fight has only one name and that is 'we the people of India versus the BJP'," she said.

Neha accused the BJP of taking the support of the EC, police and the administration to destroy democracy and derail their protest.

"We can see that every party of the INDIA bloc, common people, civil rights groups, students' organisations and the common people of this country are one side, while on the other side are the Election Commission and the BJP," she said.

"If we fight this battle together, we will fight it strongly, standing shoulder to shoulder, and fighting as one. The last time we were united and on the same page, a cabinet minister had to resign. This time it will be the chief election commissioner," Neha said.

"If those people do not practise democracy from Parliament, then the common people of this country will make them practise democracy from the streets and will practise democracy themselves. This democracy was never dependent on the BJP or the RSS, nor will it ever be."

The Democratic Youth Federation of India, All India Youth Federation and the Revolutionary Youth Association have also extended their support to Jantar Mantar 2.0.