Published Oct 08, 2026 | 12:19 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 08, 2026 | 2:42 PM
Protesters who arrived early at Freedom Park. (Kerthivas/South First)
More than 2,000 protesters have descended on Freedom Park in Bengaluru on Thursday, 8 October, raising slogans and dissent over the conduct of the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls across India, and demanding the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Demanding fair elections, the protesters also called for a return to paper ballots instead of electronic voting machines.
YouTuber and political commentator Dhruv Rathee joined the protest organised by a coalition of progressive groups and various civil society organisations. This was Germany-settled Rathee’s first public protest in India.
National Film Award-winning actor Prakash Raj addressing the protesters on Thursday.
Other noted protesters included actor-activist Prakash Raj, economist Parakala Prabhakar, writer Devanuru Mahadeva, Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and founder Abhijeet Dipke, among others. Prabhakar is the husband of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
The protest is witnessing huge Gen Z participation. The protesters alleged that the Election Commission of India has become a “puppet” of the NDA-led Union government.
Earlier in the morning, protesters started arriving in large numbers. “The streets belong to us,” Dipke had said before the protests began.
Dipke had also posted that “mass detentions being done before the 10 October protest (in New Delhi). Modi thinks he can silence dissent by putting people behind bars.”
“The more people you detain, the more people will show up!” he had gone on to warn.
Located in the heart of Bengaluru, the park reverberated with anti-SIR slogans as charged-up protesters kept flowing in.
The Bengaluru demonstration is considered to be a prelude to a larger youth-led protest scheduled for Saturday, 10 October, at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
More than 2,000 people are attending the protest at Freedom Park.
The main programme in Bengaluru is expected to begin at 4 pm. Police have tightened security and put up barricades to maintain law and order.
The protest includes two named programmes:
People’s Tribunal: Testimonies on alleged SIR irregularities and voter deletions. The tribunal has begun.
Chappal (footwear) Protest: A demonstration in solidarity with women journalists who alleged sexual harassment during a Delhi protest.
The crowd grew steadily as members of the All India Democratic Students’ Organisation (AIDSO) coordinated the initial stages of the gathering. Scores of Indian national flags and Karnataka flags were waved in unison, while protesters of different age groups held placards condemning what they described as the deteriorating state of democracy.
People were seen waving the Tricolour and Karnataka’s state flag. (Keerthivas/South First)
“Janavirodhi SIR raddagali” (Scrap the anti-people SIR), shouted a protest leader, with the crowd responding, “Raddagali, raddagali!” (Scrap it, scrap it).
The chants were punctuated by cries of “Inquilab Zindabad” and slogans demanding Kumar’s resignation. Protesters also raised demands against the acquisition of farmers’ land in Vijayapura district.
Representatives of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Young Democrats were among those present. Speakers invoked Mahatma Gandhi’s tradition of non-violent protest and acknowledged the participation of farmers’ organisations and other civil society groups.
The CJP had held a protest in Mumbai on 2 October.
Also Read: Rahul Gandhi ‘guarantees’ CEC will be brought to justice
YouTuber and political commentator Dhruv Rathee is at the rally.
Protesters arriving at Freedom Park. (Keerthivas/South First)
Soon after the CJP announced Rathee’s participation, pro-Sangh Parivar social media handles had gone into overdrive. Claiming Rathee is a German national, some questioned his participation in a protest in India, while others dug up his previous social media posts.
On Wednesday, 7 October, actor-activist Prakash Raj said Neha Bora of the All India Students’ Association and Aishe Ghosh of the Students Federation of India would participate in the Bengaluru protest.
“Please come in large numbers! Stand with all the cockroaches who will be there. Aishe Ghosh will be there. Neha Bora will be there. All young organisations will be there. Civil Society will be there. And the victims of SIR from across the districts of Karnataka will be there. Let’s come together to raise our voice in solidarity against this draconian SIR!” the actor said on X.
According to CJP leader Ashutosh Ranka, they will also attend “the People’s tribunal on SIR, interacting with Kannadigas who have been wrongfully removed from the voters list.”
An anti-protest post on Facebook.
“This would be followed by a “Chappal protest” in solidarity with our women. Look forward to seeing you all in large numbers!” Ranka said.
The CJP protest comes a day after fierce protests by the Opposition MPs, led by the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, in Delhi.
The MPs, who reached Jantar Mantar for a march demanding the CEC’s resignation, were stopped by Delhi Police metres from the designated protest site.
Rahul Gandhi, flanked by party workers, resisted police attempts to remove him.
However, Gandhi, along with other Opposition MPs, including Priyanka Gandhi, was forcibly removed from the site by police personnel despite resistance. Gandhi was seen being lifted by the police and pushed into a Tempo Traveller. Police later released the leaders.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
