Mary Millben Alleges US Donors Fund CJP Protests

• Mary Millben alleges unnamed US donors are funding CJP protests.
• The singer provides no publicly verified evidence for the funding claim.
• The protests centre on Gyanesh Kumar and the voter-roll revision exercise.
• Millben urges young Indians to organise peacefully in support of democracy.

GG News Bureau
Washington, 14th Oct: American singer Mary Millben has alleged that certain US-based donors are funding the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), a political satire outfit involved in protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the Election Commission’s voter-roll revision exercise.

In a post on X on Wednesday, Millben claimed that some donors followed a pattern of targeting conservative leaders internationally by identifying individuals educated in the United States, radicalising them and financing activities intended to create unrest in their home countries. She did not publicly identify the alleged donors or provide evidence substantiating the claim.

The allegations come amid protests by CJP members and opposition parties over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and demands for accountability from the Election Commission. The opposition has questioned aspects of the exercise, while the demonstrations have widened into a broader political confrontation over electoral processes and democratic rights.

Without naming CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, Millben referred to the alleged role of US-educated individuals in such movements. Dipke, who studied at Boston University, has attracted attention in India through the satirical outfit’s political messaging on social media.

Millben expressed support for the Modi government and urged Indians, particularly young people, to speak out against what she described as attempts by foreign forces to disrupt the country’s governance. She also called for a peaceful counter-movement to oppose CJP’s activities.

“There should always be a counter movement to uphold democracy and freedom,” she said in her post, urging young Indians to organise peacefully.

Millben is known for her patriotic performances and came into the spotlight in India during the country’s 75th Independence Day celebrations in 2022. In 2023, she performed India’s national anthem during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the United States.

The funding allegation adds another dimension to the political dispute surrounding the Delhi protests. However, no independently verified evidence establishing foreign financial support for CJP was presented in the claims described above. The distinction between political allegations and substantiated findings remains important as the controversy develops.