The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) is planning a ‘Jail Bharo’ protest on October 2 because the Mumbai Police denied them permission to hold a peaceful demonstration at Shivaji Park. Following the refusal,
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke declared that if their right to protest is suppressed, they will launch a “Jail Bharo Andolan” (fill-the-jails movement) on Gandhi Jayanti. The situation boils down to a conflict over the reason for the protest and the legal restrictions on the chosen venue:
WHY THE CJP IS PROTESTING
The CJP is conducting a nationwide agitation demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and protesting against the Election Commission of India (ECI). The party’s core grievance stems from issues related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. They had previously given an ultimatum for the CEC to step down by September 26, failing which they called for protests.
Based on Indian Express reports, the CJP claims that the Election Commission’s SIR process led to mass voter deletions that disproportionately favor the ruling party. The reports stated that fellow election commissioners questioned Kumar over alterations made to voter lists, fueling allegations of institutional bias.
Founder Abhijeet Dipke and co-convenors like Saurav Das labelled Kumar a threat to democracy, demanding his resignation, a freeze on the revision process, and an independent judicial probe.
The Election Commission of India has defended its actions, stating that differences of opinion inside institutions are normal and that all decisions regarding the electoral roll revision received unanimous backing from the commissioners.
WHY THE MUMBAI POLICE DENIED PERMISSION
According to official statements, the Mumbai Police clarified that the restriction is strictly regulatory, citing the following reasons:
Legal Limitations on the Venue: The local police are not legally empowered to clear political gatherings at Shivaji Park due to a 2013 Bombay High Court order and a subsequent 2016 Maharashtra government directive restricting its use.
Lack of Civic Clearance: The organizers did not secure the mandatory permission from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
Public Disturbance: Shivaji Park is designated as a silence zone. The police expressed major concerns regarding noise pollution and heavy traffic disruptions in the area.
The Mumbai Police have advised the CJP organizers to seek an alternative location within the city to hold their demonstration legally. However, the CJP leadership maintains that the denial is an attempt to suppress citizens’ voices.
