Residents of Dadar‑Shivaji Park stood in front of Shivaji Park’s gates, chanting that the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) had no legal right to hold its Oct 2 protest there, and demanded the police intervene.
The CJP’s agitation, dubbed "Jail Bharo," seeks the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The party has already mobilized nationwide, but this time it chose Mumbai as the launchpad.
Local residents pointed to a Bombay High Court ruling from January 4 2013 that restricts public gatherings in the park, and a Maharashtra government order from January 20 2016 that limits the use of Shivaji Park for protests. "There are hospitals and nursing homes in the area," one resident said, noting that an ambulance struggled to pass through the crowd.
Mumbai Police, citing the same court and government orders, denied the CJP’s request and advised the organizers to seek another venue. Police spokesperson Rakesh Mehta said the denial was in line with the court’s silent‑zone designation for the park.
In response, CJP spokesperson Anil Deshmukh said the party would not back down, insisting it would still launch its nationwide agitation from Mumbai on Oct 2. Residents have warned that they will press the police and courts if the protest goes ahead.
One resident, who declined to be named, told reporters that the park had been a cultural hub for decades, and that the sudden shift to a protest zone would disrupt the daily lives of many senior citizens living nearby. He urged the authorities to uphold the court’s silence and protect the area’s quiet character.
tags: ["Mumbai", "Protest", "CJP", "Shivaji Park", "Election"]