From Gyanesh Kumar to a giant cockroach, Delhi’s Dussehra takes a political turn

Members and supporters stage a protest through buring effigy of Ravan with poster of Narendra Modi Face on Dussehra, demanding CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation in New Delhi on October 20, 2026. | Photo Credit: Shashi Shekhar Kashyap From a Ravana bearing the faces of the country’s top political figures to a giant cockroach set to join the traditional demons in the flames, Dussehra in Delhi on Tuesday (October 20, 2026) became another occasion for protesters to take their grievances to the streets.Also read | CJP seeks urgent hearing in Delhi High Court challenging judicial custody of Saurav Das, Ashutosh RankaAs demonstrations demanding the rollback of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the resignation of Chief Election CommissionerGyanesh Kumar continue across Delhi, student organisations, activists and political workers invoked the festival’s symbolism of good triumphing over evil to target those they hold responsible for “attack on democratic rights”.At the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) headquarters on Raisina Road, members of the student organisation and local residents burnt an effigy of multi-headed Ravana bearing the faces of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat, Gyanesh Kumar, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and industrialists Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani.On Dussehra, NSUI members burned an effigy of Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and CEC Gyanesh Kumar at the NSUI Headquarters, 5 Raisina Road, New Delhi, to protest against Vote Chors and demand the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar. Against Vote Chors, we will raise our voices! ✊🇮🇳 https://t.co/MTJekDt2dG— NSUI (@nsui) October 20, 2026“Against Vote Chors, we will raise our voices,” the organisation said.A similar protest unfolded near the University of Delhi’s North Campus, where around 50–60 students, members of the Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS) and sanitation workers gathered at Sangam Park in Rana Pratap Bagh to burn an effigy depicting Mr. Kumar as Ravana. Students, members of the Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS), and sanitation workers gathered at Sangam Park in Rana Pratap Bagh to burn an effigy of Gyanesh Kumar, dressed as Ravana. | Photo Credit: Special arrangement Protestors said the move was meant to symbolise the victory of good over evil and oppose “vote chori.” A few activists were detained by the Delhi Police and later let go.CPI(M) leaders and workers also staged a demonstration near AK Gopalan Bhawan in New Delhi, demanding Mr. Kumar’s resignation. They burnt an effigy bearing “SIR” and “vote chori”.The protests came after the Indian Youth Congress burnt a Ravana effigy bearing a cut-out of Mr. Kumar’s face at its headquarters in New Delhi on Monday (October 20, 2026).🔥 Vote Chori's Lanka goes up in flames this Dussehra! Indian Youth Congress marked Dussehra with a powerful message, burning an effigy of Chor Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The fight for every vote and every voice continues 🏹 📍IYC HQ, New Delhi https://t.co/YfMVExIA9V— Indian Youth Congress (@IYC) October 19, 2026 The Shri Keshav Ramlila Committee will burn a 30-foot-tall cockroach effigy alongside those of Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Meghnad during Dussehra celebrations in Pitampura, New Delhi, on October 20, 2026. | Photo Credit: Sushil Kumar Verma Meanwhile, in Pitampura, a 30-foot-tall cockroach was burnt alongside the traditional effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Meghnad. The addition came amid the ongoing protests by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), whose founder, Abhijeet Dipke, has been at the forefront of demonstrations against Mr. Kumar and the SIR exercise.The Shree Keshav Ram Leela Committee, which organised the event, said the cockroach represented “filth” and “dirt”.Mr. Dipke responded to a video of the giant effigy on X, thanking the organisers for the “free publicity”. Published - October 20, 2026 07:04 pm IST