Uddhav and Raj Thackeray Lead Massive Protest Against CEC
Shiv Sena UBT and MNS leaders lead a joint protest march against CEC Gyanesh Kumar over electoral roll revisions and democratic concerns.
In a significant show of political unity, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray spearheaded a joint protest march on Sunday. The leaders marched toward the BMC headquarters to voice their intense opposition to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, demanding his resignation amidst growing controversies surrounding the electoral process.
Allegations of Massive Voter Deletion
The protest was ignited by the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, a move the opposition leaders claim is a direct assault on democracy. Uddhav Thackeray leveled serious allegations against the poll panel, claiming that the rights of millions of voters are being compromised.
"We are standing here today to overthrow the dictator," Thackeray stated, referring to the functioning of the Election Commission. He made a startling claim that approximately 13 crore people have been deleted from electoral rolls across India, specifically mentioning that voters in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu have also been excluded.
Questions Over Appointment Process
Beyond the electoral rolls, Thackeray raised sharp questions regarding the transparency of the Election Commission's leadership. He specifically targeted the appointment of Gyanesh Kumar, questioning the legality and fairness of the selection process.
- The Selection Committee: Thackeray criticized the removal of the Chief Justice of India from the committee responsible for appointing Election Commissioners.
- Executive Overreach: He questioned whether the Home Ministry is using the CEC to exercise powers that could effectively impact a citizen's rights.
- Political Accountability: Comparing the current situation to historical dictatorships, he warned that those acting arbitrarily would eventually face the consequences of the law.
Raj Thackeray Demands Cancellation of SIR
Joining forces with his cousin, Raj Thackeray focused his fire on the specific implementation of the SIR exercise in Maharashtra. He demanded an immediate halt to the process, questioning the legal grounds on which such a revision is being conducted.
"The law says that SIR is conducted if an emergency situation arises," Raj Thackeray remarked, questioning why such a measure is being taken now. He alleged a pattern of manipulation during the recent Maharashtra Assembly elections, claiming that while 40 to 60 lakh voters were added to facilitate power grabs, the current SIR process is now being used to remove nearly two crore voters.
Raj Thackeray's key demands included:
- The immediate cancellation of the SIR exercise in Maharashtra.
- A national movement to demand the cancellation of the SIR across India.
- The discontinuation of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in favor of ballot papers.
"India Against Vote Chors"
The protest also saw a scathing attack on the ruling BJP. Uddhav Thackeray accused the party of engaging in "vote chori" (vote theft), pivoting from the famous "India Against Corruption" slogan to what he called "India Against Vote Chors."
He further challenged the Centre's narrative regarding illegal immigration, asking how many Bangladeshis had actually been identified through the SIR process. "The borders are under the control of the Centre. Then how did they enter the country? Show us how many have been caught," he challenged.
While the opposition continues to escalate its demands, the Election Commission has maintained that the Special Intensive Revision is a standard procedure intended to clean and update electoral rolls, providing legal mechanisms for citizens to file claims and objections.