Student groups burn effigies at Delhi Dussehra over voter rolls
This year's Dussehra celebrations in Delhi were not just about protests: student groups and activists turned the festival into a protest, burning effigies of Prime Minister Modi and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Their message? They are upset about recent changes to the voter rolls, using the festival's good-versus-evil theme to call out what they see as threats to democratic rights.
University effigies highlight alleged vote theft
Protesters got creative with their symbols: at university spots, Ravana effigies featured political faces to highlight alleged vote chori (vote theft).
In Pitampura, a giant cockroach effigy was set ablaze by The Shree Keshav Ram Leela Committee as a statement against "filth," with founder Abhijeet Dipke responding on X that it brought them "free publicity."
Around 50 to 60 people joined in at Sangam Park in Rana Pratap Bagh; some even faced brief police detention for their activism.