Bengaluru police warn against protest gathering near Town Hall Sunday

Bengaluru police on Friday issued a warning against gathering near the city’s Town Hall for a ‘peaceful human chain’ protest.

The police took this step after a satirical online group named ‘Cockroach Janata Party Karnataka’ circulated a poster on social media inviting people to such a protest.

The poster called for a gathering at Town Hall on Sunday, stating, “All cockroaches and supporters of the Cockroach Janata Party, join us to show your strength and send a message to the deluded administration.” It also included the slogan, “It’s time to show strength not just online, but on the streets.”

Following the circulation of this information, Bengaluru city police issued a statement clarifying that no one had sought permission for the protest, nor had any request been made to the Greater Bengaluru Authority.

According to the police, as per the High Court’s order, protests are only allowed at ‘Freedom Park’, making such street demonstrations prohibited.

Bengaluru police advised the public not to spread or share the message on social media platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and X (Twitter), and not to gather near Town Hall.

The poster featured an image of cockroaches holding placards reading “Namma Hakku” (Our Rights) and marching towards Vidhana Soudha. It stated, “Come, cockroaches, let’s send a message. There are no leaders here; we are our own leaders. There is no organization; citizens uniting is an organization in itself.”

Notably, the ‘Cockroach Janata Party’ is a satirical political movement started by former Aam Aadmi Party political strategist Abhijit Dipke on May 16. It was initiated in response to a remark by India’s Chief Justice Suryakant, who reportedly referred to young unemployed Indians as “cockroaches”. However, the Chief Justice later clarified that he had been “misquoted” by the media.