Delhi Ramlila to feature giant cockroach effigy amid anti-CJP protests
A 30-foot cockroach effigy will be burned alongside traditional figures at Delhi's Ramlila, a move tied to cleanliness drives and ongoing Cockroach Janata Party protests.
Organisers of Delhi's annual Ramlila have planned to set ablaze a 30-foot cockroach effigy together with the traditional figures of Ravan, Kumbhkaran and Meghnad at the Pitampura venue. The Shree Keshav Ram Leela Committee explained that the insect stands for dirt and is meant to highlight the Swachh Bharat and Swachh Delhi cleanliness initiatives. Committee president and BJP MLA Ashok Goel emphasized that the act is not politically motivated but a moral message of good overcoming evil.
The timing coincides with persistent protests by the Cockroach Janata Party, which has been rallying in the capital against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar following earlier demonstrations that forced former education minister Dharmendra Pradhan to resign. Activists, students and journalists have faced detentions during these rallies, which have moved from Jantar Mantar to a march on Parliament.
Why it matters
The effigy burn links a cultural festival to a national cleanliness drive while reflecting heightened political tension over election-related protests.
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