Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], October 4 (ANI): Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Sunday targeted Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and raised questions over the poll panel's functioning.
The two leaders led a joint protest march toward the BMC headquarters against Gyanesh Kumar. Opposition parties have been demanding his resignation.
Uddhav Thackeray said the protest was aimed at opposing what he described as an attack on voters' rights and democracy.
"We are standing here today to overthrow the dictator," he said. He claimed that names of "13 crore people" had been deleted from electoral rolls across the country and alleged that voters had also been excluded in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.
"I have a question over the process of appointment of the Election Commissioners.”
He criticised the removal of the Chief Justice of India from the committee involved in the appointment process and questioned the appointment of Gyanesh Kumar as Chief Election Commissioner.
"The first question is how was Gyanesh Kumar appointed?" Thackeray said.
He also alleged that the powers being exercised through the Election Commission were affecting citizens' voting right.
"Does the Home Ministry have the power to cancel a person's citizenship rights? They are using that power through Gyanesh Kumar, and that is why we do not want Gyanesh Kumar," he said.
"Hitler was also a dictator like this, but ultimately, he had to shoot himself. A similar situation could arise in this country as well. Those acting arbitrarily should keep this in mind...We will not rest until he is brought out onto the streets and punished within the framework of the law," he added.
Raj Thackeray called for cancellation of the SIR exercise in Maharashtra.
"Our demand is that the entire SIR conducted in Maharashtra should be cancelled," he said.
He questioned the circumstances under which the revision exercise was undertaken.
"The law says that SIR is conducted if an emergency situation arises," he said.
Raj Thackeray also alleged that a large number of voters were added during the Maharashtra Assembly elections and claimed that two crore voters were now being removed through SIR.
"Forty to sixty lakh voters were added during the Assembly elections, and power was captured through this. And now, through SIR, two crore people are being removed. Who are these two crore voters?" he asked.
"I appeal to all political parties to go to Delhi and demand that the SIR should be cancelled. Voting machines should be discontinued, and elections should be conducted using ballot papers," he said.
The joint protest comes amid an ongoing political controversy over the SIR exercise and the functioning of the Election Commission. Raj and Uddhav Thackeray had announced the October 4 march against the poll panel, inviting other political parties to participate. The Opposition has alleged irregularities in electoral rolls, while the Election Commission has maintained that the revision process is aimed at updating and cleaning electoral rolls and has mechanisms for claims and objections.
Uddhav Thackery slammed the BJP and accused it of “vote chori”.
"Earlier, it was India Against Corruption, and now it is India Against Vote Chors," he said.
Uddhav Thackeray asked how many Bangladeshis had actually been detected through the SIR process and said the responsibility for border security rests with the Centre.
“…show us how many Bangladeshis have been caught. The borders are under the control of the Centre. Then how did they enter the country?" he asked. (ANI)
Uddhav, Raj Thackeray lead protest against CEC Gyanesh Kumar
