Veteran actor Shabana Azmi has urged people to join a protest in Mumbai over concerns surrounding voter lists and voting rights. In a video shared on Instagram on October 2, the actor asked a pointed question: “What happens when your vote disappears?” Azmi appealed to people to gather at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park at 4 pm on Gandhi Jayanti and raise their voice over concerns surrounding electoral rolls.
“Your vote is your right. Your vote is your voice. But what happens when your vote disappears from the voter’s list?” Azmi wrote while sharing the video. She also urged people to join the protest, calling it a matter concerning their democratic right.
Shabana Azmi Asks, ‘What Happens When Your Vote Disappears?’
In the video, Azmi begins by stressing the importance of voting and its role in shaping the future of the country. “Your vote is your voice. Your vote is your right. Your vote can shape the future of this country,” she says. She then raises concerns about what happens if a person’s name suddenly disappears from the voter list.
“But what happens when your vote doesn’t count? What happens when your name suddenly disappears from the voter list, when your vote can be excluded, altered, or manipulated?” she asks. Azmi further says that the issue, in her view, is not about one political party but about the voting rights of citizens.
“Today, the question is not about any party. The question is about your vote, my vote, all of our votes,” she says.
‘Asking Questions Is Our Right’
Azmi also addresses the issue of permission for the protest in her video. “We have asked for permission to protest so many times, but we did not get permission,” she says, before adding that asking questions is a right.
“So come out of your homes, ask questions, raise your voice for your vote, for your democracy,” the actor says. She concludes by asking people to meet at Shivaji Park at 4 pm on October 2.
What Is The Mumbai Protest About?
The planned Mumbai gathering comes amid a wider dispute over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and concerns raised by activists and political groups about changes to voter lists. The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), founded by Abhijeet Dipke, has announced an agitation in Mumbai and has demanded, among other things, the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, a freeze on the 2025 electoral roll and greater transparency in the appointment process for the next CEC.
CJP has also alleged that around 13 crore voters have been affected by deletions from electoral rolls. That figure and the group’s broader claims are allegations made by the protesters and remain part of the ongoing political dispute over the SIR exercise.
Mumbai Police Had Denied Permission For CJP Gathering
The protest has also been surrounded by a permission dispute. Mumbai Police had denied permission for the CJP’s proposed gathering at Shivaji Park, citing regulations governing public assemblies and concerns including traffic. The group subsequently announced plans for a “Jail Bharo Andolan”.
By October 2, reports showed that the protest was taking place in Mumbai despite the earlier denial of permission. Azmi’s appeal therefore comes against the backdrop of an already active dispute over electoral rolls, protest permissions and demands directed at the Election Commission.
Shabana Azmi Has Previously Joined A CJP Protest
This is not Azmi’s first involvement with a CJP-led protest. According to Mid-Day, the actor had earlier participated in a CJP-led protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, where students were raising demands related to education reforms.
Her latest video shifts the focus to voting rights and voter lists, with Azmi asking citizens to raise questions about their electoral rights. The video has since become the focus of fresh attention online as the Mumbai protest unfolds on Gandhi Jayanti.
Sunny Singh is a Journalist and Content Writer with a strong affinity for Bollywood and Hollywood insiders, music and more. Somewhat of a writer and poet himself, he thrives on giving life to words and deliver all you need to know about the entertainment sector.
