MUMBAI: “They are doing it forcefully. This protest should not take place,” a Mumbai’s Dadar resident said, opposing the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) planned protest at Shivaji Park on Friday and saying such demonstrations disturb peace in the area.Speaking to the media, a local resident said, “They are doing it forcefully. This protest should not take place…”The CJP has announced a nationwide protest beginning in Mumbai on Friday, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The party has alleged that the electoral process and the right to vote are being undermined.CJP chief spokesperson Saurav Das said the protest would begin at Shivaji Park and later be taken to different parts of the country.“The entire country has now realised that no matter how many campaigns we run. This broken, corrupt system is eating up the lives and futures of the young people of this country,” Das said.He said the protest would focus on the right to vote, arguing that no change could be brought about if people were deprived of that right.“We have been demanding change, but none of it will happen if the only tool left to change anything in our society, the right to vote, is taken away from us,” Das said.He said the younger generation wanted changes to ensure what he described as a level playing field.“Therefore, to ensure that everybody has a fair shot at changing the system and that there is a level playing field for a better system, the young generation of this country has decided that we need to get this fixed,” he said.Das said the agitation would continue across the country and would end only when Kumar resigned.“The protest will begin at Shivaji Park tomorrow, and from there, we will take this protest to the entire country. We will ultimately end it only when Gyanesh Kumar resigns,” he said.CJP spokesperson Abhijit Dipke said the party expected Mumbai Police to cooperate with the protest and maintained that the agitation would remain peaceful.“I feel the police will fully cooperate because the previous protests held here in support of the Cockroach Janta Party were also held at the same place and the police fully cooperated,” Dipke said.He added that he expected Mumbai Police to allow the protest to take place.Dipke also said the youth would not be deterred from raising their concerns.“Gen Z does not get scared. Gen Z will not be scared now. Now the issue is about Gen Z rights. If Gen Z is stopped from voting, then what will remain for Gen Z in this country?” he said.He also alleged that the BJP’s electoral gains were linked to decisions and calculations made by Kumar.“At present, the BJP is not winning elections on the face of Narendra Modi. It is winning elections on the fingers and calculations of Gyanesh Kumar,” Dipke said.The CJP’s protest comes amid its demands for Kumar’s resignation and calls for changes in the functioning and appointment process of the Election Commission. The Election Commission currently lists Gyanesh Kumar as the Chief Election Commissioner.The Mumbai Police had earlier denied the CJP permission to hold its October 2 protest at Shivaji Park. The party subsequently announced a “Jail Bharo Andolan”.
