Shabana Azmi Joins CJP Protest in Mumbai Over Electoral Rolls

Shabana Azmi joined the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) “Jail Bharo Andolan” at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park on Friday, October 2. The protest focused on concerns regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, with the organisation calling for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Several film and music personalities participated in the gathering, including Naseeruddin Shah, Vishal Dadlani, filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj, and singer Rekha Bhardwaj. Actor Prakash Raj also supported the event through a video message.

Speaking to reporters and later addressing the crowd, Azmi emphasized the importance of voting rights and democratic protest when names are removed from electoral rolls. She stated, “We don’t have to tolerate anything wrong, because this is our country, our Constitution has given us this right.”

Naseeruddin Shah attended the event and met CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke. Meanwhile, Shabana Azmi's husband, Javed Akhtar, responded on X to criticism regarding the protest and noise pollution at Shivaji Park, questioning if similar objections apply to political rallies held at the venue.

The CJP held the gathering despite Mumbai Police denying permission for the protest, which drew a large crowd estimated by police to be in the thousands amid heavy police deployment.