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

India's Cockroach Youth Movement has vowed to organize protests nationwide if Election Commission Chief Gyanesh Kumar refuses to resign within 48 hours. The demand for Kumar's resignation emerged after a report revealed internal conflicts within the poll panel over the reform of voter eligibility, resulting in millions of voters losing their ability to cast votes.

Two members of the Election Commission reportedly raised concerns to Kumar at least 14 times over ten months, but their grievances were disregarded, with some decisions being made without their input. The Election Commission of India dismissed the concerns, stating that disagreements are common in any organization and asserting that all their actions are legal.

The movement's founder, Abhijeet Dipke, announced the ultimatum during a press conference in New Delhi, stating that no progress will be made as the Election Commission is compromised. Saurav Das, co-convener of the Cockroach Janata Party, vowed to lead a nationwide agitation and a sit-in protest in Delhi, with further details to be revealed soon.

Opposition parties have also joined the call for Kumar's removal, accusing him of isolating the commission members. The movement, initially a satirical online campaign, gained momentum with large-scale protests over exam irregularities. Das emphasized that the group's efforts to audit school infrastructure and tackle corruption would be futile if people were denied their right to vote.

The movement has also called for a suspension of the voter roll revision and the establishment of an independent commission to investigate the process, demanding criminal proceedings against Kumar.