Delhi’s Ramlila ground will host a 30‑foot cockroach effigy this year, set to burn alongside Ravana, Kumbhkaran and Meghnad. The Shree Keshav Ram Leela Committee, under BJP MLA Ashok Goel, says the striking figure represents filth and dirt, echoing the Swachh Bharat and Swachh Delhi campaigns.
Goel told PTI that the decision is not a political stunt. He added that the cockroach, positioned among Ravana’s asuras, symbolizes the triumph of cleanliness over evil. He underscored that the burning will send a clear message to the public.
The timing follows a month‑long sit‑in by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) at Jantar Mantar, culminating in a protest march to Parliament on July 20 that forced former Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to resign. The CJP has since aligned with opposition parties and student groups, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
The next Ramlila performance is slated for May 6, 2026, and the CJP plans to mobilise supporters on the same day to press its demands. Local vendors on the Pitampura ground anticipate a surge in crowds, while a family displaced by recent floods hopes the cleanliness theme will bring tangible improvements.