Mumbai: Defying heavy police barricading and the denial of official permission, thousands of protesters gathered at Mumbai’s iconic Shivaji Park on Friday under the banner of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). Led by CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, the demonstration called for the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.
The massive protest, organized to coincide with Gandhi Jayanti, witnessed significant participation from prominent Bollywood personalities, including veteran actors Naseeruddin Shah and Shabana Azmi, alongside singer-composer Vishal Dadlani.
The protesters, actively chanting slogans like “Gyanesh Bhai, Istifa Dijiye” (Brother Gyanesh, please resign), outlined their primary demands: the resignation of and criminal proceedings against the CEC, an immediate halt to the ongoing SIR exercise, and the restoration of the January 2025 electoral rolls.
Taking to the stage, Vishal Dadlani led the crowd with “Go Gyanu Go” chants, expressing his solidarity with the youth-led movement. “I am celebrating Gandhi Jayanti here for the first time in my life. Sometimes it feels like the light is fading, but because of you all, the entire sky is illuminated. India’s future is visible here,” Dadlani told the gathering. He further added, “Today is Gandhi Jayanti. Whatever you have to say, say it with love. Send them off with love.”
Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah was also seen interacting with Dipke at the protest site, praising his efforts and thanking him for inspiring the youth to voice their concerns over critical national issues.
The atmosphere briefly grew tense when the public address system was reportedly cut off during Dipke’s speech. Addressing the crowd, the CJP founder commended the local law enforcement while taking a sharp dig at the state government. “I salute the Mumbai Police and am proud of them because they allegedly had orders from above to shoot me, but they did not,” Dipke claimed.
Directly challenging Maharashtra’s leadership, Dipke stated, “If I am put in jail, I will repeat what you used to say—I will come back, I will come back.”
Parallel protests were also held at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, where various student organisations and social activists gathered to echo the CJP’s demands. In response to the planned demonstrations, authorities in both Mumbai and Delhi had deployed paramilitary forces, erected extensive barricades, and stationed riot control teams to maintain law and order.