India's 'cockroach' movement pledges more protests if election chief does not resign

India's young nationalist movement, known as the Cockroach Janata Party, has vowed to escalate protests nationwide if the nation's Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, does not step down within 48 hours. The demand for Kumar's resignation emerged following a report that highlighted factionalism within the Election Commission over the overhaul of voter eligibility, resulting in millions losing their voting rights.

Two high-ranking officials reportedly raised concerns to Kumar over 14 occasions in the past decade, but their grievances went unaddressed, with decisions made without their input. Despite the Election Commission's claim that internal disagreements are commonplace and all actions are lawful, Cockroach Janata Party founder Abhijeet Dipke issued an ultimatum at a press conference in New Delhi.

The youth-led movement, initially a satire online platform, has since spearheaded one of India's largest youth protests over education reform. The group's efforts to inspect government schools and advocate for improvements in infrastructure, staffing, and facilities would prove futile if voters are disenfranchised, Dipke stressed.

Opposition parties have also called for Kumar's removal, accusing him of isolating commission members. Following the Indian Express report, Cockroach Janata Party co-convener Saurav Das urged a suspension of the ongoing voter roll revision and established an independent commission to scrutinize decisions made during the process. Das also demanded criminal proceedings against Kumar.