Prakash Raj urges people to join anti-SIR protest in Bengaluru with Abhijeet Dipke and Saurav Das, calls it ‘most important’

Prakash Raj said that the protest on Thursday will be attended by citizens who have been victims of SIR in the State.

Actor and activist Prakash Raj has been vocal about his criticism of the SIR process. The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), led by founder Abhijeet Dipke, has scheduled a mass Chappal protest and People's Tribunal at Freedom Park in Bengaluru on October 8, 2026, starting at 10:30 am. Prakash Raj has taken to his social media account to urge more people to join the protest and show solidarity.

Actor Prakash Raj is expected to be present at the protest on October 8. (PTI Photo)(PTI10_03_2026_000411B) (PTI)

What Prakash Raj said

Taking to X on Wednesday morning, Prakash Raj urged people to join the protest and said, “Tomorrow. 8th October, Bengaluru Freedom Park. There is going to be a state-level tribunal where victims of SIR, who are the evidences, will come across the State, to Bangalore Freedom Park. All the cockroaches, Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das, and all the young youth organisations and the civil society of Karnataka will be there.”

"Please come in big numbers. Attend this most important protest and the tribunal which is questioning SIR, which has created trauma to every citizen of this country. Especially those victims who have suffered in Bengaluru. Please come, and the general public… this is not just the question of vote. It is an attempt to kill democracy, our constitution. Come in large numbers and by evening, I will announce a special guest. A voice with a spine. You will be surprised, keep guessing. But tomorrow, we will be there from morning. Please walk in, stand and show your solidarity for this great protest which is erupting in the country against this draconian SIR," he added.

What Abhijeet Dipke said

Meanwhile, Abhijeet Dipke left for Bengaluru to attend the People’s Tribunal on SIR and hold an interaction with local residents who were allegedly wrongfully removed from the voters’ list. On Thursday morning, he is scheduled to hold a ‘chappal protest’ at Freedom Park. On October 10, he is scheduled to hold a protest in Delhi and seek the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.

He assured all those willing to participate in the ongoing protests that they were not alone. “I just want you to know that you are not alone. None of us are. We are all in this together.” Dipke said the larger objective should be to build a country where young people can raise their voices without their parents fearing for their safety. “I hope we can build an India where, someday, when our own children take to the streets to raise their voices, we won’t have to fear for their lives the way our parents fear for ours today,” he said.

The CJP on October 2 held a protest at Mumbai's Shivaji Park demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation over alleged discrepancies in the SIR processes. The protest attracted a massive crowd, with celebrities, including Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah, Vishal Bhardwaj and Vishal Dadlani in participation. Earlier, speaking at the protest at Shivaji Park, a ground associated with landmark political rallies, Dipke warned of "Jantar Mantar 2.0" if Kumar did not step down.