Delhi Pitampura Ramlila To Burn 30-Foot Cockroach Effigy For Cleanliness Message

A 30-foot cockroach effigy will be burnt in Delhi's Pitampura this evening alongside Ravan, Kumbhkaran and Meghnad. The unusual addition is part of the Ramlila organised by the Shree Keshav Ram Leela Committee and represents filth and dirt.

The effort backs the Swachh Bharat and Swachh Delhi campaigns. Organisers said the burning is meant to drive home the victory of good over evil and the need to clear dirt from homes, neighbourhoods and society. The cockroach will also appear as one of the asuras in Ravan's army.

Cleanliness Campaign Message

Ashok Goel defended the move. "The decision is not politically motivated and is intended to convey the message of the victory of good over evil while highlighting the importance of cleanliness," Goel, the committee president and BJP MLA, told PTI.

Goel had also said the cockroach would be shown among the asuras in Ravan's army. Organisers say the symbol is being used to highlight the need to eliminate uncleanliness from homes, neighbourhoods and society.

This is not the committee’s first themed effigy. They had earlier set fire to figures linked to Naxalism and terrorism. The cockroach structure took three to four days to build, while the usual effigies need about a month.

Political Reactions Emerge

Protests have already surfaced. The move coincides with demonstrations by the Cockroach Janata Party in the capital, while organisers have denied any political connection and stayed focused on the cleanliness message.

People are expected to gather at the Pitampura grounds this evening as the giant figures are set ablaze on Vijayadashami. PTI also reported online criticism, with several users asking why current political issues were being brought into a religious festival.

"Dussehra symbolises the victory of good over evil. Why turn this beautiful tradition into a platform for contemporary political rivalries?" a social media user wrote to PTI, urging people to ensure festivals unite communities rather than deepen political divisions. Another user told PTI that equating Ravan with a cockroach would not affect the CJP but could hurt Hindu sentiments. "As a Hindu, this is very disrespectful to the religion and everything that I tend to follow in my life. They are politicising Hinduism and mixing things for their own benefit," a user said. PTI reported that others also questioned the religious basis of the initiative and alleged that the festival was being used to advance a political message.