A 30-foot-tall cockroach effigy will be burnt alongside the traditional effigies of Ravan, Kumbhkaran and Meghnad during a Ramlila celebration in Delhi's Pitampura this year. The unusual addition comes amid ongoing protests by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) in the national capital, although the organisers have denied any political motive behind the decision.
The Shree Keshav Ram Leela Committee, which organises the annual Ramlila event, said the cockroach represents filth and dirt. According to the committee, the initiative is intended to promote cleanliness under the Swachh Bharat and Swachh Delhi campaigns.
Ashok Goel, the committee's president and a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA, told the Press Trust of India (PTI) that the decision was not politically motivated. He said the burning of the effigy was intended to reinforce the message of the victory of good over evil while highlighting the importance of cleanliness.
The cockroach will also feature among the 'asuras' in Ravan's army during the Ramlila performance.
The announcement comes as the Cockroach Janata Party has been holding demonstrations in Delhi over political and electoral issues. The group initially organised protests against former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and has now joined demonstrations demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
In June and July, CJP members staged a sit-in at Jantar Mantar for more than a month before marching towards Parliament on July 20. The demonstrations focused on concerns raised by protesters over recruitment examinations and alleged paper leaks.
The movement has since joined opposition parties and student organisations in protests against alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Protesters have demanded Kumar's resignation, alleging that the revision process has raised concerns over the deletion of eligible voters' names.
The Election Commission has faced criticism over the exercise, while the protests have led to the detention of several activists, students and journalists.
Organisers deny political message behind the effigy
Despite the timing of the announcement, the Ramlila committee has maintained that the cockroach effigy is part of its cleanliness campaign and carries no political message.
The proposed burning will take place alongside the traditional Dussehra ritual of burning the effigies of Ravan, Kumbhkaran and Meghnad, symbolising the triumph of good over evil.
The 30-foot cockroach effigy is expected to become a talking point during this year's celebrations, given the ongoing political controversy surrounding the CJP and its protests in the capital.
The organisers, however, have reiterated that the initiative is intended to promote cleanliness and deliver a social message rather than comment on any political organisation.
