‘Gyanesh Kumar Is BJP’s Weapon’: Uddhav Thackeray Targets CEC Over SIR

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday alleged that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar was a “weapon” of the BJP, while Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray demanded cancellation of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state.

The Thackeray cousins jointly led a protest march in Mumbai against the CEC, with the demonstration culminating in a rally outside the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation headquarters in south Mumbai.

Raj Thackeray also demanded that future elections in the country be conducted through paper ballots, reiterating his opposition to the current electoral process.

He questioned the need for the SIR in Maharashtra and demanded its cancellation. Raj asked authorities to clarify the outcome of the exercise if its stated objective was to identify and remove illegal Bangladeshi immigrants from electoral rolls.

Uddhav, meanwhile, questioned the government’s rationale for the revision and asked how many Bangladeshis living illegally in the country had actually been identified.

“Gyanesh Kumar is a weapon of the BJP,” Uddhav alleged while addressing the gathering.

The protest, dubbed the ‘Virat Garjana Morcha’ (Grand Roar March), began at Metro Cinema and proceeded towards the BMC headquarters. Leaders from the Congress and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) also participated in the demonstration.

The protesters demanded the removal or resignation of the CEC, alleging irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.

Party flags were not permitted during the march, with participants and supporters asked to carry only the national tricolour.

The demonstration came two days after the Cockroach Janta Party held a ‘Jail Bharo Andolan’ at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park against the Chief Election Commissioner.

The opposition parties have stepped up their criticism of the Election Commission over the electoral roll revision exercise, with the issue emerging as a major political flashpoint in Maharashtra.