KOLKATA: Former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday extended her support to the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) agitation seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, as the outfit stepped up its protests in Delhi and Mumbai over its demands.Banerjee was speaking to reporters at the Kolkata airport after returning from Delhi, where she attended an INDIA bloc meeting.“We are fully supporting the Cockroach (Janta) Party and all the young generation and students. And my humble request, please stop these atrocities,” she said.The CJP launched its nationwide protest on October 2, beginning with an agitation at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park. The organisation has been demanding Kumar’s resignation and has said the protests will continue until he steps down.The CJP’s campaign has focused on its allegations concerning the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and its demands for changes in the functioning of the Election Commission.The organisation has announced further protests in Delhi and other cities.In Delhi, a proposed October 2 protest at Jantar Mantar prompted security restrictions, with Delhi Police imposing restrictions in the area amid the planned demonstration.Banerjee had in August also extended support to a CJP protest in Delhi over alleged irregularities in the NEET medical entrance examination.The CJP has now announced another protest in Delhi, with founder Abhijeet Dipke saying the group will march to the national capital on October 10 if Gyanesh Kumar does not resign.Dipke said the proposed Jantar Mantar protest would be peaceful and urged people supporting free and fair elections to join the agitation.(With PTI inputs)
