Cockroach effigy at Delhi Ramlila event triggers queries; organisers say promoting cleanliness

Security personnel in riot gear stand guard outside the Election Commission office ahead of a planned protest demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in New Delhi. File | Photo Credit: AP

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

A 30-foot effigy of a cockroach is to be burnt alongside those of Ravan, Meghnad and Kumbhkaran at a Ramlila event in the capital on Sunday (October 18, 2026), prompting some social media users to question its propriety at a religious celebration, even as organisers maintain the initiative aims to promote cleanliness.

The Shree Keshav Ram Leela Committee, which organises the annual event in Pitampura, said the cockroach symbolises filth and dirt, and that the initiative aims to spread awareness about cleanliness under the ‘Swachh Bharat’ and ‘Swachh Delhi’ campaigns.

Committee president and BJP MLA Ashok Goel told PTI the decision was not politically motivated and was intended to convey the message of the victory of good over evil, while highlighting the importance of cleanliness. The cockroach will be depicted among the ‘asuras’ in Ravan’s army, he said.