A protest led by Abhijeet Dipke’s Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) began at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park on Friday evening, with demonstrators demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged electoral irregularities. The gathering prompted tighter security around the ground and Dadar station, while police monitored traffic and access routes in central Mumbai.
The protest was scheduled for 4pm and was described by the party as a “jail bharo andolan”. Navbharat Times reported that actor Naseeruddin Shah, singer Vishal Dadlani and others reached the protest site in support of Dipke. The report also said that a large number of people had gathered at the venue by around 5.55pm.
Police and railway authorities increased security around Shivaji Park and Dadar station before the demonstration. Security personnel were deployed at strategic locations, and barricades were placed on major roads leading towards the ground. Officials said the arrangements were intended to prevent any untoward incident and maintain traffic movement in the nearby Dadar area.
The protest also affected the immediate residential neighbourhood. A local resident cited by Navbharat Times objected to the demonstration being held in the area, saying that it was disturbing the locality’s peace and daily routine. The resident argued that such demonstrations should not be permitted in a residential area. Police officials said they were keeping a close watch on the situation to maintain law and order and ensure that nearby traffic remained orderly.
During the gathering, Dipke challenged Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to arrest protesters demanding the CEC’s resignation. He also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi in remarks to supporters, alleging that the Prime Minister’s international travel was funded by ordinary people’s hard-earned money. Those remarks were political statements made during the protest and were not independently established in the report.
The demonstration featured satirical memes, film dialogues and slogans directed at Kumar. Placards reportedly included calls for the CEC to resign and references to democracy. The protest organisers’ stated demand was linked to alleged electoral irregularities, but the report did not provide details of any specific complaint, legal proceeding or official finding concerning those allegations.
The event placed Shivaji Park’s role as a major public gathering space alongside the practical demands of a dense central Mumbai neighbourhood. Security arrangements around the ground and Dadar station, road barricading and the management of pedestrian and vehicle movement became immediate administrative concerns as the gathering continued. Police said they would continue monitoring the area for law-and-order and traffic requirements.
