Vijay Varma and Huma Qureshi have joined a growing list of Bollywood celebrities speaking out about the protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The protests, organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) , are demanding Kumar’s resignation over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Vijay Varma took a sarcastic approach with a mock film poster, while Huma Qureshi issued a detailed statement defending the right to peaceful protest. Their posts arrived after large-scale detentions took place in Delhi and Mumbai on October 10, 2026.
What Vijay Varma Posted on Instagram
Vijay Varma shared a post on Instagram that used humour to make a political point. The actor posted a picture of Gyanesh Kumar with the tagline “The face of free and fair election.” Another line on the image read “Saving private gyan,” a play on the title of the Hollywood film Saving Private Ryan, starring Tom Hanks .
The caption on Vijay’s post read: “Happy to the see the forces joining together to save our national hero. Protect him at ANY cost” . The post appeared to mock the support being extended to the Chief Election Commissioner while protesters were demanding his resignation.
Vijay Varma is known for his roles in projects like Gully Boy, Dahaad, and IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack. His post quickly spread across social media, with many users sharing and reacting to the sarcastic tone of the image .
Huma Qureshi Full Statement on Democracy and Dissent
Huma Qureshi took a more direct approach. The actress shared a long statement on social media after protesters were detained in Delhi and Mumbai. Her statement focused on democratic rights and the importance of allowing citizens to question those in power .
“We are the world’s largest democracy. The right to peaceful protest and the demand for accountability are fundamental democratic rights, not favours granted by those in power. Peaceful dissent is not a crime. Asking questions is not a crime. Demanding accountability is not a crime. A democracy must allow its citizens to raise their voices without fear of intimidation or harassment. Suppressing peaceful protest undermines the very values we claim to uphold.”
Huma also made it clear that her statement was not an endorsement of any political party or individual. She wrote: “Let me be clear: I stand with no political party or individual. I stand with citizens demanding accountability, with peaceful protesters, and with every Indian exercising their democratic right to dissent” .
The actress acknowledged that speaking out could invite criticism. She wrote: “My love for this country is precisely why I cannot remain silent. I know speaking up may invite abuse, personal attacks, scrutiny of my finances, or professional consequences. So be it. I have nothing to hide, nothing to apologise for, and no need to prove my patriotism” .
Her statement ended with the words: “Patriotism is not blind silence. Democracy is not blind obedience. And dissent is not anti-national. The world is watching. We must do better. Jai Hind” .
Huma Qureshi is known for her work in Gangs of Wasseypur, Badlapur, and the series Maharani.
What Is the CJP Protest About
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) is a youth-led movement that has been demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The group has raised questions about the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The CJP claims that the SIR process has led to the exclusion of genuine voters and has demanded accountability from the Election Commission .
The protests took place at Jantar Mantar in Delhi and at August Kranti Maidan in Mumbai. Police detained several CJP leaders, including Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das, and Ashutosh Ranka, as they arrived in Delhi. The leaders were later released .
More than 800 people were detained across several states on October 10, according to reports. Mumbai saw the largest crackdown, with police saying around 600 people were detained there.
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Other Bollywood Celebrities Who Spoke Out
Vijay Varma and Huma Qureshi are not the only celebrities who reacted to the protests. Sonakshi Sinha shared an image of the Preamble to the Constitution with the words “Democratic Republic” highlighted. She wrote: “Never forget! JAI HIND” .
Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap shared the cover of Vardi Wala Gunda, a Hindi pulp-fiction thriller by Ved Prakash Sharma. He wrote: “It is no longer singular, it has become plural. Thugs, male thugs, female thugs… all are in uniform or hiding behind it” .
Actor Imran Khan was detained by Mumbai Police at August Kranti Maidan during the protest. He was released hours later. A video showed him saying “Jai Hind” to the police after his release .
Veteran actors Naseeruddin Shah and Shabana Azmi, along with singer-composer Vishal Dadlani and filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj, joined the CJP protest at Shivaji Park in Mumbai on October 2 .
Where the Protests Stand Today
Delhi Police released CJP leaders Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das, and Ashutosh Ranka from detention on October 11. The CJP said it will not back down despite the mass detentions and will continue its agitation .
CJP co-convener Saurav Das said the protesters would not step back even if Kumar resigned, as the electoral system needed to be “cleaned up” .
The Election Commission has dismissed concerns about the SIR process as “baseless.” A group of 42 former judges also wrote an open letter defending the SIR and calling the protests against Gyanesh Kumar a “calculated campaign” .
Also Read: Vijay Varma Fires Back After Dolly Singh Calls Him ‘Nation’s Biggest Red Flag’ at IFFM 2026
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