Mumbai: In a display of political unity, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray and Shiv Sena(UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday spearheaded a high-decibel ‘Garjana Morcha’ in Mumbai. Marching from Metro Cinema to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) headquarters, the joint rally delivered a broadside against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the Election Commission of India (ECI) over alleged voter roll manipulation.
The protest gained substantial momentum as key constituents of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), including the Nationalist Congress Party(Sharadchandra Pawar) and the Congress party, joined forces on the streets.
The Communist Parties, Peasants and Workers Party also participated in the march. Ditching party flags in favour of the Tricolour, thousands of demonstrators marched demanding strict accountability, the scrapping of the controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, and the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Questioning the legitimacy of the recent election outcomes, Raj Thackeray pointed to the eerie silence across the state after the Assembly election results. He argued that a genuine democratic mandate is marked by spontaneous public celebration, whereas the current post-election atmosphere across Maharashtra reflected widespread disillusionment and shock.
Highlighting a sharp statistical anomaly, Thackeray questioned how Maharashtra’s voter base swelled by an astonishing 40 to 60 lakh voters within a brief six-month window following the Lok Sabha elections. He termed the surge a deliberate attempt to compromise electoral integrity.
Reminding opposition leaders of his warnings dating back to 2017-2018, Raj Thackeray noted that he had previously met senior leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee, and Sharad Pawar, regarding EVM vulnerabilities and voter list discrepancies. He reiterated that a united boycott of elections remains the only definitive way to force transparency.
Asserting that the SIR mechanism was being weaponised to disenfranchise legitimate citizens while injecting bogus entries into rolls, Raj Thackeray demanded an immediate halt to SIR and a return to paper ballots for future elections.
“SIR in the country is illegal. I have only two demands. First, the SIR conducted in Maharashtra must be scrapped. Second, all future elections must be conducted on ballot papers. This will ensure complete transparency, doodh ka doodh, paani ka paani,” said Raj Thackeray. He further added, “I request all political parties to go to Delhi and raise their voices. Tomorrow, whichever party comes to power… it doesn’t matter. But power must be attained through legitimate and fair means,” he remarked.
In his speech, Uddhav Thackeray also led a blistering attack on the BJP-led government at the Centre for gaining control over various institutions and engineering splits in political parties.
He strongly criticised CEC Gyanesh Kumar for the centralisation of power in the poll panel, saying that he needs to be removed. He questioned the immunity which CEC enjoys during his tenure and also after retirement.
The joint march marks a significant recalibration in Maharashtra’s political landscape. By rallying together alongside MVA allies, the Thackeray cousins have successfully elevated electoral integrity to a central public debate.
(IANS)
