CJP Protests at Shivaji Park Demanding Resignation of Gyanesh Kumar
Over 10,000 protesters gathered at Shivaji Park in Mumbai on Friday to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The demonstration was organised by the Cockroach Janta Party on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti. Despite police denying official permission for the event, a massive crowd assembled at the iconic ground, prompting the deployment of heavy security across the area.
The protest formed part of an ongoing campaign launched by the Cockroach Janta Party against the Election Commission. The political outfit raised serious concerns over the functioning of the poll body and alleged widespread irregularities within the current electoral rolls.
While addressing the large gathering at Shivaji Park, party founder Abhijeet Dipke spoke out against communal divisions and declared that Hindu-Muslim divisive politics would not work in Maharashtra. He called on both communities to remain united for the nation to progress.
"This country will only move ahead if Hindus and Muslims stay together, and whoever wants to do such politics, let them go to Pakistan and do such politics," Dipke said while delivering his speech to the crowd at the ground.
Dipke subsequently announced that the movement would be escalated to the national capital if the poll chief does not step down from his post. Writing in a post on X, Dipke stated, "If Gyanesh Kumar doesn't resign, cockroaches from across India will march to Delhi & protest at Jantar Mantar on October 10." He maintained that the scheduled demonstration would be a peaceful agitation, appealing to every citizen seeking free and fair elections to join the march.
A number of prominent figures from cinema and civil society attended the demonstration in solidarity with the campaign. Those present at Shivaji Park included veteran actors Naseeruddin Shah and Shabana Azmi, filmmakers Vishal Bhardwaj and Hansal Mehta, singer-music director Vishal Dadlani, and Tushar Gandhi, the great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi.
