The ongoing agitation led by the Cockroach Janata Party against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has garnered fresh backing from the film industry, with filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj stepping forward to express his solidarity. His participation follows appearances by several prominent artists at the protest site, drawing broader public attention to the demands raised by the political outfit regarding the current voter list revision drive.
Standing Up for Issues Remains an Individual Choice: Vishal Bhardwaj
Speaking during his visit to the demonstration, Vishal Bhardwaj stated that while he was not intimately familiar with every specific development surrounding the controversy, he arrived simply to lend his support to the cause. He noted that deciding whether to intervene in such matters is entirely an individual choice, emphasizing that people from Bollywood or any other field must follow their own conscience.
Bhardwaj pointed out that while some may believe major public figures have an obligation to speak out, nobody should be compelled either way. In his view, anyone who genuinely feels that an injustice is taking place ought to step forward and register their protest, whereas those who see no wrongdoing are equally entitled to stay away without facing judgment.
Demands for Resignation and a Halt to Voter List Revision
The demonstration is being spearheaded by Cockroach Janata Party founder Abhijeet Dipke, whose outfit has made the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar a central demand. Additionally, the protesters are seeking an outright freeze on the Special Intensive Revision, known as SIR, which is currently underway for electoral rolls.
In response, the Election Commission has firmly dismissed allegations of wrongdoing or procedural misconduct. The statutory body maintained that the ongoing revision drive is solely intended to purge the rolls of deceased, duplicate, and ineligible entries, thereby safeguarding the integrity of the electoral register rather than disenfranchising legitimate voters.
Prominent Cultural Figures Gather at Shivaji Park with Shabana Azmi
The momentum behind the agitation surged on October 2 when seasoned actors Shabana Azmi and Naseeruddin Shah, alongside singer-composer Vishal Dadlani, gathered at Shivaji Park in Mumbai. The artists met directly with Abhijeet Dipke to demonstrate collective solidarity with the grievances voiced by the assembly.
Addressing the gathered crowd, Shabana Azmi characterized the right to vote as the fundamental pillar of constitutional democracy. She stressed that citizens must actively defend their franchise if names are arbitrarily struck from voter registries, asserting that peaceful protest is an undeniable right that ensures wrongful actions are never tolerated in a free nation.
