Stories
Salman Rushdie and Mira Nair Support India Youth Protesters
- •Writer Salman Rushdie and filmmaker Mira Nair have expressed strong support for the youth-led Cockroach Janata Party protesting electoral roll revisions in India.
- •Speaking at a New York City fundraiser, Rushdie called the youth-led movement the most hopeful moment for India in a very long time.
- •Mira Nair proudly referred to herself as a cockroach mom and praised the protesters for standing up for democracy.
- •The CJP is demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
Key Questions Answered
The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) is a youth-led movement organizing protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, as well as accountability for earlier issues like the NEET paper leak.
Salman Rushdie praised the movement as a hopeful moment for India's youth and urged people to "celebrate the cockroach," while filmmaker Mira Nair referred to herself as a "cockroach mom" and expressed pride in young people standing up for democracy.
Salman Rushdie expressed concern that India is boiling and highlighted growing threats to free speech and the rise of Hindu nationalism, noting that the spirit of shared celebration among different religious communities from his Bombay childhood has diminished.
