Popular YouTuber Dhruv Rathee joins CJP protest

Popular YouTuber and vocal critic of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Dhruv Rathee joined the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) protest at Freedom Park in Bengaluru on Thursday (October 8), drawing fresh attention to the campaign against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Rathee joined CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, actor-activist Prakash Raj and other civil society and youth groups at the protest, which included a “People’s Tribunal” on alleged wrongful deletions from voter lists.

Addressing supporters ahead of the event, Rathee described the protest as a fight to “save democracy” and urged people in Bengaluru to join the programme. He also called on people in Delhi to attend a larger protest planned at Jantar Mantar on October 10.

The CJP has been demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, an independent inquiry into alleged electoral irregularities, suspension of the SIR exercise and restoration of names allegedly removed from electoral rolls.

During the Bengaluru programme, people from different parts of Karnataka who claimed to have been affected by the SIR process were expected to share their experiences at the tribunal. The event was followed by a “chappal protest”, which organisers said was held in solidarity with women.

Rathee, known for his political and social commentary on YouTube, has frequently criticised the BJP-led government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his videos. His participation in the CJP protest has therefore brought additional public attention to the campaign over the electoral-roll revision.