Aaditya Thackeray Warns of Massive Mumbai Protests from Oct 2
Aaditya Thackeray threatens massive Mumbai protests from Oct 2 if CEC Gyanesh Kumar does not resign over allegations of widespread vote deletion.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray has issued a stern warning that Mumbai will witness massive street protests starting October 2. This movement is aimed at demanding the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over serious allegations of "Vote Chori" or vote theft.
Demands for CEC Resignation Intensify
The threat of large-scale demonstrations comes following a call for action by Abhijeet Dipke. Dipke has demanded that Gyanesh Kumar step down, alleging that the integrity of the democratic process is at risk. The proposed protests are set to begin in Mumbai on Gandhi Jayanti before potentially spreading to other major cities across the country.
Thackeray’s ultimatum, shared via social media, emphasized the scale of the expected mobilization, stating that if the CEC does not resign, Mumbai will take to the streets in huge numbers to protect the sanctity of the vote.
Allegations of Widespread Vote Deletion
The controversy centers on allegations that a staggering number of voters have been removed from electoral rolls. Dipke has raised serious questions regarding the deletion of more than 13 crore votes, which represents approximately 13-14 per cent of the total electorate. He questioned whether these deletions were a deliberate attempt to manipulate electoral margins, specifically referencing the narrow 2 per cent gap seen in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Specific claims have been made regarding the targeting of regional leaders through these alleged deletions:
- West Bengal: Allegations that 50,000 votes were deleted from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s constituency.
- Tamil Nadu: Claims that 100,000 votes were removed from Chief Minister MK Stalin’s constituency.
- Delhi: Allegations that 40,000 votes were deleted from former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s constituency.
Internal Disagreement within the Commission
The political tension is compounded by reports suggesting internal friction within the Election Commission. According to a report by the Indian Express, two of the three Election Commissioners, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, reportedly objected to decisions made during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. It is alleged that these commissioners had raised objections at least 14 times over the last ten months regarding orders issued without their knowledge.
As the political climate heats up, the demand for transparency in the electoral process has become a central theme, with activists calling for a pledge to "save democracy" through these upcoming demonstrations.