Uddhav Thackeray calls CEC Gyanesh Kumar ‘weapon’ of BJP, Raj Thackeray seeks SIR cancellation

Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday alleged that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar was a ldquoweaponrdquo of the ruling BJP while Maharashtra Navnirman Sena MNS chief Raj Thackeray demanded the cancellation of the Special Intensive Revision SIR of electoral rolls in MaharashtraThe two Thackeray cousins led a joint protest march in Mumbai against the Election Commission with Congress and Nationalist Congress Party Sharadchandra Pawar leaders also participating The protest organised under the banner of the Virat Garjana Morcha culminated near the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation headquarters in south MumbaiUddhav questions purpose of electoral roll revisionAddressing the gathering Uddhav questioned the stated purpose of the SIR exercise and asked how many alleged illegal Bangladeshi immigrants had been identified through the processldquoIf the SIR was conducted to weed out Bangladeshis from the voters list then how many Bangladeshis residing illegally in the country did the government findrdquo Uddhav Thackeray askedHe also targeted the CEC over the functioning of the Election CommissionldquoGyanesh Kumar is a weapon of the BJPrdquo the former Maharashtra chief minister allegedRaj demands cancellation of SIR paper ballotsRaj Thackeray demanded that the SIR exercise in Maharashtra be cancelled He also called for future elections in the country to be conducted through paper ballotsThe MNS chief has previously raised concerns over the use of electronic voting machines and demanded greater transparency in the electoral processRaj Thackeray issued a stern ultimatum to the Election Commission of India ECI and laid out two key demands the immediate scrapping of the Special Intensive Revision SIR process and the reintroduction of paper ballots for all future electionsAddressing a sprawling crowd alongside other political leaders Raj Thackeray launched a direct assault on the legality of the ongoing SIR process Citing legal opinions previously voiced by former Union Home Secretary RK Singh the MNS chief declared that carrying out a nationwide SIR drive without specific statutory backing was entirely illegalA Special Intensive Revision can only be conducted under exceptional circumstances such as natural disasters floods earthquakes or massive population displacement and even then only for specific constituencies with written justifications Raj Thackeray asserted Executing a blanket nationwide SIR is illegal and has no provision in the lawThe Thackeray cousins joint appearance at the rally marked a significant political demonstration against the Election Commission with their parties seeking accountability over the electoralroll revision processCongress NCP SP leaders join protestCongress leaders Balasaheb Thorat and Vijay Wadettiwar attended the rally along with Sharad Pawarled NCP SP leaders Jayant Patil Shashikant Shinde Jitendra Awhad and Anil DeshmukhThorat said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had been raising allegations of ldquovote theftrdquo and claimed that evidence had now emerged through the Election CommissionldquoAnd now that evidence has come out through the Election Commission The BJP can do anything for powerrdquo he said while criticising the manner in which the apex poll panels members were being appointedThorat also questioned changes made to the process of appointing Election Commission membersThorat alleges changes weakened poll panelThe senior Congress leader claimed that the process of appointing members of the Election Commission was changed after a Supreme Court judge was removed from the selection panelThe period since 2014 would be remembered as a ldquodark periodrdquo in the countrys history Thorat said referring to the tenure of the Narendra Modiled NDA governmentldquoWe now have to correct this We have to reestablish democracy and Constitution and protect their dignity All of you will have to rise You will have to struggle and once again all of us will have to work to save democracyrdquo he saidMarch begins at Metro CinemaThe Virat Garjana Morcha began at Metro Cinema and proceeded towards the BMC headquarters Participants demanded the removal or resignation of the CEC over alleged irregularities in the SIR of electoral rollsParty flags were not allowed during the march and participants and supporters were asked to carry only the national TricolourThe protest came two days after the Cockroach Janta Party held a ldquoJail Bharo Andolanrdquo against the CEC at Shivaji Park in MumbaiWith inputs from PTI