Mumbai/Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The BJP and Shiv Sena on Sunday claimed that the Raj Thackeray-Uddhav Thackeray-led Opposition’s ‘Garjana Morcha’ against the Election Commission of India (ECI) and Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) was a display of double standards and a publicity stunt.
Maharashtra Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar launched a scathing attack on opposition leaders, calling their event a “Kolhe-Kui March (jackal’s howl)” rather than a “Garjana March (roaring protest)”.
Addressing a press conference, he linked the timing of the demonstration to World Animal Day. Taking a direct jab at the opposition parties, he stated that their post-election grievances reflected a “sour grapes” mentality.
He targeted the Opposition leaders, including Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray, pointing to their historical victories achieved through EVM-led balloting.
“Uddhav Thackeray’s party secured victories in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections in 2007, 2012, and 2017 using EVMs. Raj Thackeray’s party recorded its highest number of elected MLAs in 2009 through EVM voting. The decision to introduce EVMs was originally made under Congress governance, and victories during that era were never questioned by the party,” he remarked.
Minister Shelar further said, “When opposition parties win, the EVMs and the Election Commission are considered fair. But when they face defeat, they blame the machines and administrative bodies. This hypocritical stance will not be accepted by the public.”
Refuting claims of institutional bias, Minister Shelar cited six state elections held during the tenure of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. He noted that non-BJP parties formed governments in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry, while the NDA secured mandates in West Bengal, Bihar, and Assam.
Addressing demands regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists, he emphasised that 90 per cent of voter mapping is complete. He further highlighted the contradiction in the Opposition’s past demands.
“MNS chief Raj Thackeray in October 2025 raised concerns over voter list discrepancies and alleged 9.6 million bogus voters, demanding list corrections before municipal polls. In November 2025, Shiv Sena(UBT) and NCP(SP) organised protests against the ECI, demanding the verification of duplicate voters. In January 2026, further demands were filed to eliminate duplicate voters,” he noted.
“Now that the Election Commission is actively purifying and securing voter lists through the SIR process, why are the opposition leaders protesting against it?” Minister Shelar questioned. Minister Shelar called the Opposition’s agitation a “crybaby march” and urged them to accept the mandate of the electorate rather than undermining democratic institutions.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena Minister Sanjay Shirsat mocked the Thackerays’ Garjana Morcha as a publicity stunt with T-shirts, only to show two brothers coming together.
Social Justice Minister Sanjay Shirsat, who was in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, said, “Rather than the protest in Mumbai, the focus is more on two brothers coming together. This is just a publicity stunt to create hype while wearing matching T-shirts.”
He further questioned, “You call it a protest against Gyanesh Kumar, but did even a single political party support you? Also, tell us whose leadership is this — Uddhav’s or Raj’s?”
“This is just an event and won’t get much response. It’s a rally pulled off by distributing T-shirts. What ‘roar’ are they talking about? It’s just a photo-op to hold hands. If you are serious, go to Jantar Mantar; call for ‘Chalo Delhi’. They know their stance won’t hold water, so they are doing this needlessly. Did Sharad Pawar or anyone else support them? Did any of their leaders join?” Shirsat asked.
He further noted, “They were the ones who opposed the CJP. Is this to show their success, or is it a battle for their very survival? Just because Sanjay Raut speaks, will people come and go as they please? Any demand should be reasonable — if the demand regarding Gyanesh Kumar is valid, the Central government will consider it.”
(IANS)
