30-foot-high cockroach effigy triggers AAP-BJP war of words

30-foot-high cockroach effigy triggers AAP-BJP war of words left Effigy of Ravan, Kumbhkaran and Meghnad alongside a cockroach effigy burning during Dussehra celebrations in Pitampura, New Delhi on October 20, 2026. Sushil Kumar Verma Sushil Kumar Verma SUSHIL KUMAR VERMA NEW DELHI, 20/10/2026: Effegy of Ravan, Kumbhkaran and Meghnad alongside cockroach effigy burning during Dussehra celebrations in Pitampura, New Delhi on Tuesday.

Photo: Sushil Kumar Verma / The Hindu “Deliberate alteration of Sanatan customs and hurting of religious sentiments: The festival of Dussehra, or Vijayadashami, is a highly sacred event governed by ancient Hindu rituals, scriptures and longstanding traditions New Delhi  A 30-foot-high effigy of a cockroach at a Ramlila triggered a political war of words between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Also Read: Delhi Ramlila to burn 30-foot ‘cockroach’ effigy alongside Ravan Meanwhile, Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke thanked organisers for giving them “free publicity”. The effigy was set on fire later in the evening. CJP’s Abhijeet Dipke thanks Delhi Ramlila organisers for ‘free publicity’ over cockroach effigy CJP’s Abhijeet Dipke thanks Delhi Ramlila organisers for ‘free publicity’ over cockroach effigy The Shree Keshav Ram Leela Committee, which organises the annual event in Pitampura, has said the cockroach effigy is intended to symbolise filth and dirt and promote cleanliness under the Swachh Bharat and Swachh Delhi campaigns CJP’s Abhijeet Dipke thanks Delhi Ramlila organisers for ‘free publicity’ over cockroach effigy storyline 1 Earlier in the day, the AAP filed a complaint with the Lieutenant Governor, T.S.

Sandhu and the Delhi Police against the organisers of the Shri Keshav Ramlila Committee (NSP Pitampura), including its president and BJP MLA Ashok Goel, and also against Labour Minister Kapil Mishra for allegedly deliberately hurting religious sentiments by introducing and planning to burn a 30-foot cockroach effigy alongside the traditional effigies of Ravana. Mr. Goel claimed that they were burning the effigy of the cockroach as a symbol of burning “filth”, and Aam Aadmi Party Delhi unit president, Saurabh Bharadwaj, was frustrated with losing power in Delhi.

Attacking the AAP, Mr. Mishra said, “The cockroach’s puppet is burning, and the termites are in pain.” Cockroach effigy at Delhi Ramlila event triggers queries; organisers say promoting cleanliness Cockroach effigy at Delhi Ramlila event triggers queries; organisers say promoting cleanliness Shree Keshav Ram Leela Committee president Ashok Goel said the 30-foot effigy symbolises filth and is unrelated to the Cockroach Janta Party, as social media users question the timing Cockroach effigy at Delhi Ramlila event triggers queries; organisers say promoting cleanliness storyline 1 He alleged that Naxalites and corrupt forces have gathered together to hatch conspiracies against the country.

“But just as truth’s victory happens, untruth’s defeat happens in the same way; the defeat of these anti-country forces in India is certain,” Mr. Mishra said. In his letter, Mr. Bharadwaj requested to register a First Information Report (FIR) under the relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and initiate immediate administrative and legal measures. “Deliberate alteration of Sanatan customs and hurting of religious sentiments: The festival of Dussehra, or Vijayadashami, is a highly sacred event governed by ancient Hindu rituals, scriptures and longstanding traditions.

The burning of effigies is associated with specific mythological figures representing particular forms of evil, as described in the Ramayana. The unauthorised addition of an insect-themed effigy to a religious ritual distorts sacred traditions, mocks the solemnity of Sanatan customs and deeply hurts the religious sentiments of the Hindu community,” Mr. Bharadwaj said.