Uddhav Thackeray Criticizes BJP and Election Commission for Undermining Democracy
Thackeray's Strong Remarks Against the Government
On Monday, Uddhav Thackeray, the leader of Shiv Sena, launched a fierce critique against the BJP-led central government and the Election Commission of India (ECI), accusing them of eroding democratic principles. He stated that the world has witnessed a form of dictatorship as the opposition protested against the ECI. Thackeray remarked that the current government has tarnished the image of democracy in India. He claimed that the central government orchestrated a spectacle in Delhi, alleging that opposition MPs were falsely detained under the pretense of being taken to the ECI.
Thackeray recalled an incident where a BJP leader, during Shiv Sena's alliance with the BJP, had once presented a method for hacking Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). When pressed by reporters for the leader's identity, he refrained from naming them, only mentioning that they are still part of the BJP.
Warnings About Election Integrity
He cautioned that the alleged vote theft by the opposition during the last Lok Sabha elections could repeat itself in the upcoming Bihar elections. This statement came on a day when nearly 300 opposition leaders, led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, were reportedly stopped by police while marching to the Election Commission office in New Delhi to protest electoral fraud. Several leaders, including Gandhi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, were taken into custody.
Thackeray referenced comments made by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari regarding the alleged removal of voter names in his constituency, suggesting that there might be individuals within the BJP who do not want them to succeed in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. He urged the party to maintain control over such matters.
Questioning the Election Commission's Authority
Raising concerns about the conduct of the Election Commission, the former Chief Minister of Maharashtra questioned whether the ECI holds more authority than the Supreme Court. He criticized the election commissioners for acting as if they were more powerful than the President. Thackeray expressed his anticipation of the Supreme Court's ruling on this issue and accused the ECI of eliminating VVPAT (Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trail) in local body elections.