NEW DELHI: As the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) intensifies its campaign demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation, a group calling itself the Laal Hit Janta Party has emerged as a satirical counter to the outfit.At a meeting in the national capital on Sunday, the outfit called for constitutional values, accountability and responsible public participation, while reiterating its opposition to the CJP’s demonstrations, according to a statement issued by the organisation.The outfit urged young citizens, particularly Gen Z, to engage in democratic processes through peaceful protests, factual communication and legal channels. Its motto is: “Nation First, Respect for the Constitution, Democracy as Our Identity,” while its guiding principle is: “Strong in Opposition, Peaceful in Action, Committed to the Nation.”According to news agency PTI, the meeting was held at Malviya Smriti Bhawan on Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg and was addressed by convenor Ayan Bhatnagar and filmmakers Richa Gupta, Pawan Nagpal and Atul Gangwar.The group’s name appears to be a satirical reference to a popular insect-control brand, mirroring the CJP’s name. The outfit had earlier held a gathering at Janpath, where around 200 people assembled to denounce alleged assaults on police personnel and abusive language directed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi during protests.Speaking to IANS, Bhatnagar had said the group was not formed to challenge the CJP through public debate.“The Lal Hit Janta Party was not formed to contest elections, as we have already made clear. We stand against CJP and its protests. We oppose cockroaches who want to weaken the country’s democracy and attempt to create anarchy in the country,” he said.“We will gather in different groups, on both large and small scales, present our views and arguments, and take our message forward. We will show them that a party like the ‘Lal HIT Janta Party’ now exists to challenge them. If you have the courage, come and debate,” Bhatnagar added.
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In its statement on Sunday’s meeting, the organisation said political debate over electoral processes should be based on verified evidence, transparent procedures and constitutional mechanisms. It also stressed the importance of preserving the independence and credibility of constitutional institutions, including the Election Commission, amid calls for Kumar’s resignation.These developments come against the backdrop of widespread demonstrations against the CEC regarding alleged irregularities in electoral roll revisions. The protesters, including opposition parties, the CJP and several student groups have claimed that the exercise led to the deletion of lakhs of voters’ names and raised questions over changes to Form 6, which is used to register as a voter. These allegations, however, remain subject to verification.The counter-outfit called for questions about political organisations, their funding and alleged links to unlawful activities to be examined through verified documents, lawful investigations and official findings.