Nirmala Sitharaman's husband Parakala Prabhakar to join nationwide anti-SIR protest on Oct 23
Noted economist Parakala Prabhakar, who is also Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's husband, will join Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke and actor-activist Prakash Raj in a nationwide protest against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls on October 23.
Organised by the newly formed People Against SIR alliance, the protest will bring together activists, public figures, farmer leaders and political voices demanding the scrapping of the electoral roll revision exercise and the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.
“Har gali mein Jantar Mantar! Friday, October 23, 2026. People's march to restore democracy. Let's rise to the challenge,” Prabhakar wrote in a social media post announcing his participation.
Har gali me Jantar Mantar ! Friday, 23 October, 2026 People’s March to Restore Democracy Let’s Rise to the Challenge https://t.co/JFq3tzujsS
— Parakala Prabhakar (@parakala) October 21, 2026
Other prominent figures expected to join the demonstration include senior advocate Prashant Bhushan, farmer leader Rakesh Tikait, All India Students' Association (AISA) president Neha Bora and author Tushar Gandhi.
The alliance has also appealed to INDIA bloc parties to participate, although their involvement has not yet been confirmed.
Who is Parakala Prabhakar?
Prabhakar, an economist and author known for his criticism of the Union government's economic policies, has emerged as a prominent voice questioning the BJP-led government's decisions and the functioning of democratic institutions.
He has also participated in protests organised by the CJP, including a demonstration at Bengaluru's Freedom Park on October 8, alongside Prakash Raj and YouTuber Dhruv Rathee.
Despite being married to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Prabhakar has consistently expressed views critical of the ruling party.
His book, The Crooked Timber of New India, examines issues including demonetisation, unemployment and what he describes as the erosion of democratic institutions.
Born in Narsapuram in Andhra Pradesh, Prabhakar met Sitharaman while both were associated with Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Delhi. The couple married in 1986.
His political career includes an association with actor Chiranjeevi's Praja Rajyam Party in 2009.
Between 2014 and 2018, he served as communications adviser to the Andhra Pradesh government led by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
He resigned in April 2018, following the Telugu Desam Party's withdrawal from the National Democratic Alliance amid a dispute over special category status for Andhra Pradesh.
People against SIR alliance seeks nationwide mobilisation
Formed on October 14, the People Against SIR alliance has brought together groups representing students, farmers, Dalits, Adivasis and minorities to oppose the electoral roll revision exercise.
The alliance has alleged that the SIR process has resulted in the deletion of large numbers of eligible voters, particularly those belonging to marginalised and vulnerable communities.
Its claim that 13 crore voters have been excluded is an allegation that requires independent verification.
The group is calling on citizens to organise demonstrations in their neighbourhoods and establish local protest sites on October 23.
Its campaign slogan, “Har haath mein Tiranga, Har gali mein Jantar Mantar” (the Tricolour in every hand, a Jantar Mantar in every street), seeks to decentralise the agitation beyond the national capital.
The mobilisation comes as the INDIA bloc and the CJP have announced a pause in their ongoing protests against the SIR exercise and the CEC, creating an opportunity for the newly formed alliance to expand its campaign.
Jantar Mantar restrictions add to political tensions
The planned demonstrations also come amid heightened tensions over access to designated protest venues in Delhi.
The alliance's call for neighbourhood-level protests assumes added significance following reports that Jantar Mantar was denotified as a protest site.
Opposition parties have increasingly linked their campaign against the SIR to broader concerns about electoral transparency and alleged voter manipulation.
The controversy intensified after an Indian Express investigation reported instances of disagreement among Election Commissioners over decisions taken during the preceding 10 months.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has repeatedly used the term “vote chori” to accuse the BJP of benefiting from alleged electoral irregularities.
The BJP and the Election Commission have contested various opposition allegations relating to electoral processes.
With prominent activists, public figures and civil society groups expected to participate, the October 23 mobilisation could provide a fresh platform for the campaign against the SIR.
The scale of participation and the response from political parties remain to be seen.
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