'Our right to have a democratic govt': Prithviraj Chavan rejects Raj Thackeray’s call to boycott elections
Prithviraj Chavan defends the right to vote and democratic governance, countering Raj Thackeray's demand to boycott elections and cancel the SIR exercise.
Senior Congress leader and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan has come out in strong opposition to the recent call by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray to boycott elections. Chavan asserted that participating in the electoral process is a fundamental democratic right and dismissed the boycott strategy as incorrect.
Defending the Democratic Right to Vote
Speaking on Sunday, Chavan emphasized that the essence of a democracy lies in the ability of citizens to participate in the governance process. He stated, "I do not accept that we should boycott the election. It is our right to a democratic government; that is not a correct strategy."
Reflecting on his own experiences during the 2024 elections, Chavan raised serious concerns regarding the integrity of electoral rolls. He claimed that during his own contest, he faced significant hurdles due to the alleged addition of duplicate voters who were able to vote multiple times.
Allegations of 'Election Chori'
Chavan went further to allege systemic irregularities during the voting process. He claimed that specific demographics were being targeted and suppressed, stating that in various locations, minority voters and impoverished citizens were being deprived of their right to vote. He also noted that voters who traditionally favor the Congress party were similarly affected.
"This is not vote chori; it is election chori," Chavan alleged, using the term to describe what he perceives as the theft of the entire electoral process through these irregularities.
The Thackeray Protest: Demanding SIR Cancellation
The comments from Chavan follow a high-profile protest led by Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and MNS chief Raj Thackeray. The two leaders marched toward the BMC headquarters to target Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Raj Thackeray has demanded a complete cancellation of the SIR exercise currently being conducted in Maharashtra. He questioned the legitimacy of the exercise, noting that such revisions are typically reserved for emergency situations.
"Our demand is that the entire SIR conducted in Maharashtra should be cancelled," Thackeray stated. He raised alarms over the massive fluctuations in voter numbers, alleging that while forty to sixty lakh voters were added during the Assembly elections to secure power, nearly two crore voters are now being removed through the SIR process. "Who are these two crore voters?" he questioned.
Thackeray has issued an appeal to all political parties to march to Delhi to demand the cancellation of the SIR, the discontinuation of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), and a return to ballot paper-based elections.
Attacks on Democratic Institutions
Uddhav Thackeray joined the fray, framing the protest as a battle against a "dictatorship" and an attack on the rights of voters. He claimed that approximately 13 crore names have been deleted from electoral rolls across the country, citing similar exclusions in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.
Thackeray also cast doubt on the appointment process of Election Commissioners. He specifically questioned the appointment of Gyanesh Kumar and criticized the recent changes to the selection committee, which involved the removal of the Chief Justice of India from the process.