Abhijeet Dipke Accuses Meta of Taking Down Reels Demanding Gyanesh Kumar's Resignation

Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke on Sunday, September 27, accused Meta of cracking down on Instagram reels that call for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Dipke claimed that hundreds of such videos have been taken down and several accounts banned, allegedly at the request of the BJP-led government. He described the actions as a violation of free speech and tagged Meta and the Internet Freedom Foundation.

The accusation comes amid heightened political pressure on Kumar and the Election Commission of India over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. Abhijeet Dipke Warns of Nationwide CJP Protests Starting October 2 if CEC Gyanesh Kumar Fails To Resign.

This Is Violation of Free Speech, Says Abhijeet Dipke

Why is @Meta cracking down on reels demanding the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar?

Hundreds of such videos are reportedly being taken down, and several accounts have also been banned on the request of the BJP Government.

This is violation of free speech, @Meta.@internetfreedom pic.twitter.com/ktBcngptRM

— Abhijeet Dipke (@abhijeet_dipke) September 27, 2026

Background on the Controversy

Gyanesh Kumar, a former IAS officer, has served as Chief Election Commissioner since February 19, 2025. He is the first person appointed under the 2023 law governing the selection of election commissioners. His tenure has drawn criticism from opposition parties over the SIR exercise, which involves updating voter lists in several states.

An Indian Express investigation recently reported that the other two election commissioners, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, formally objected at least 14 times over 10 months to decisions taken without their knowledge, including those related to adding or deleting names from electoral rolls. The Election Commission has maintained that differing views are part of institutional deliberations and that its orders follow legal procedures.

Demands for Resignation

Opposition leaders, including Congress figure Rahul Gandhi, have called for Kumar to step down. The Cockroach Janta Party issued a 48-hour ultimatum around September 24, demanding his resignation, a freeze on the SIR exercise, restoration of earlier electoral rolls, an independent inquiry, and repeal of the 2023 appointment law. The party has warned of nationwide protests, planned to begin on October 2 from Mumbai if the demands are not met.

A purported resignation letter from Kumar addressed to the President circulated on social media in recent days. The Election Commission dismissed it as fake. Congress and other opposition parties are preparing fresh parliamentary notices seeking Kumar’s removal. Previous attempts have not succeeded. The BJP and state governments under its control have defended the Election Commission’s work and described the criticism as politically motivated. Did Mumbai Police Deny Permission for CJP Protest at Shivaji Park?

Meta’s Content Actions

Dipke’s claim about Meta’s removals of resignation-related reels aligns with earlier reports of Instagram restricting posts linked to protests, including content from Cockroach Janta Party members and other political accounts. Meta has previously cited compliance with legal requests under India’s IT Rules in such cases. The company has not issued a specific public response to the latest accusation as of Monday morning. Kumar’s term as Chief Election Commissioner is scheduled to continue until January 26, 2029. The political debate over the Election Commission’s functioning and the SIR process is expected to intensify in the coming weeks.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 28, 2026 08:29 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).