Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray called the motorband together on Sunday protesting against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The march, dubbed Virat Garjana Morcha took off from the Metro Cinema in south Mumbai and then headed towards the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) headquarters. Congress and NCP (SP) leaders were also part of the demonstrations.
The protesters called for the resignation of Kumar and that the SIR exercise be scrapped in Maharashtra. The Thackeray cousins have made allegations of irregularities in the changes to electoral rolls which have not been substantiated. The Election Commission has defended the SIR process and stated the steps taken in this process have been done based on relevant legislation.
Raj Thackeray also called for the use of ballot papers instead of electronic voting machines (EVMs). Speaking to the audience, he asked, “Why should voters be removed from electoral rolls and why should there be a ‘SIR process’ that should be withdrawn?
Uddhav Thackeray also highlighted the electoral-roll revision and asked if it had caught the illegal immigrants it was looking for, in his address at the protest.
The march was called over the election commission and SIR and EVMs issue raised by the duo of Thackeray leaders. The couples’ appearance together was a new public appearance of the cousins working together as a couple.
The organisers had asked the marchers that they refrain from wearing party flags and stick to the National tricolour flag when they were on the march. The demonstration got more opposition presence with the inclusion of Congress and NCP (SP) leaders.
The protest also coincided with the Cockroach Janta Party protesting at Shivaji Park in Mumbai, demanding “action” against the Chief Election Commissioner two days ago.
The Thackerays’ protest has now fueled the political discussion about electoral-roll revision and Election Commission’s conduct of the SIR in Maharashtra.