Javed Akhtar Questions Shivaji Park Residents Over Noise Objection to CJP Protest Against SIR, Asks If They’ll Oppose Political Jalsas Too

Lyricist and writer Javed Akhtar has questioned residents of Mumbai’s Shivaji Park over their objections to the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest at the venue, asking whether they would raise the same concerns about noise pollution when political parties organise rallies there. Akhtar’s remarks came after some Shivaji Park residents urged authorities to cancel the CJP protest, citing noise pollution and inconvenience caused by large gatherings. The CJP protest is being held against the Election Commission and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, with the party demanding his resignation over issues including the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Javed Akhtar Questions Residents’ ‘Same Objection’

Reacting to the residents’ concerns, Akhtar posted on X that he was “so happy” that some Shivaji Park residents were becoming sensitive to noise pollution and were asking authorities to cancel the CJP protest. He then made his central point, saying he was “hundred percent sure” that the residents would raise the “same objection with the same intensity if not more” whenever a political party in Maharashtra planned a jalsa at Shivaji Park. Akhtar’s comment was therefore focused on the consistency of the residents’ objection, rather than directly commenting on the CJP’s allegations against the Election Commission or Gyanesh Kumar. ‘CJP Protest Will Continue Until CEC Quits’: Abhijeet Dipke on Gyanesh Kumar.

Javed Akhtar Questions Residents’ Noise Objection at Shivaji Park

Why Residents Opposed the CJP Protest

Some residents of the Shivaji Park area have objected to the CJP using the ground for its protest, saying repeated demonstrations cause inconvenience to people living nearby. One resident, Sunil Bhagwat, said people regularly visit the park for walks and questioned who would be responsible for the inconvenience caused to ordinary residents by frequent protests.

Another resident, Ravindra, referred to an earlier protest and claimed that a large crowd had reached Dadar Shivaji Park station. He also raised concerns about traffic and pointed to the presence of two schools and a hospital near the venue. These were residents’ claims reported by the Times of India. The objections have provided the immediate backdrop to Akhtar’s remarks about whether similar concerns would be raised when political parties hold large gatherings at the same venue.

CJP Protest Targets Gyanesh Kumar

The CJP protest itself is centred on Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the Election Commission. The party has demanded Kumar’s resignation and has criticised the SIR exercise involving electoral rolls. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke has said the agitation will continue until Kumar resigns. The group has also called for the 2025 electoral roll to be retained as the basis for elections and sought a more transparent and independent process for appointing Election Commissioners. On Friday, CJP activists and other civil society groups gathered at Shivaji Park, with heavy police deployment reported around the venue. Mumbai, Delhi See Protests Against Election Commission, SIR; Opposition Leaders Demand CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s Removal.

Police Had Denied Permission for CJP Protest

The CJP protest had also faced a permission issue before Friday’s gathering. Mumbai Police had denied permission for the October 2 protest at Shivaji Park. Following the denial, Dipke announced that the group would proceed with a “Jail Bharo Andolan”. Despite the earlier denial, the CJP went ahead with its protest programme at Shivaji Park on Friday, demanding action against Gyanesh Kumar.

Akhtar’s Political Rally Question

Akhtar’s intervention has effectively shifted part of the discussion from the CJP’s protest demands to the wider question of how Shivaji Park is used for large public gatherings. His argument, as expressed in the X post, is that if residents are concerned about noise pollution from the CJP protest, they should also raise the same concern when political parties organise jalsas at the venue.

He did not say that the residents should support the CJP protest, nor did he endorse the party’s demands against Gyanesh Kumar. His comment specifically questioned whether the noise-pollution objection would be applied equally to political gatherings. The remarks have added another layer to the Shivaji Park controversy, where a protest over the Election Commission and Gyanesh Kumar has now also prompted a debate over noise, public inconvenience and the use of the venue for political events.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 02, 2026 04:43 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).