The Maharashtra BJP staged a ‘silent protest’ in Mumbai on Saturday, countering the Maha Vikas Aghadi’s (MVA) ‘Satyacha Morcha’ over alleged irregularities in the voters’ lists, reported the PTI.
BJP accused the Opposition of attempting to “spread a fake narrative” ahead of the upcoming Maharashtra civic elections.
BJP leaders and workers, wearing black tape across their mouths, held the demonstration in the Girgaon area of South Mumbai.
Speaking to reporters, Maharashtra BJP president Ravindra Chavan said the protest sought to highlight the MVA’s alleged attempts to mislead the public before elections.
“MVA leaders have consistently tried to misinform people ahead of every election. Similar tactics were employed before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, when false claims about amendments to the Constitution were deliberately circulated,” Chavan said, according to the PTI.
He further alleged that certain Opposition figures, along with foreign-based individuals and NGOs, were attempting to destabilise society and the government through misinformation.
Meanwhile, the MVA — which comprises the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP), along with the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena — had organised a protest march alleging irregularities in the voters’ list that, according to them, benefitted the ruling BJP.
The Opposition accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of ignoring widespread discrepancies such as multiple entries, wrongful deletions, and unauthorised additions, which they claimed were benefiting the ruling BJP.
The leaders demanded that local body elections in Maharashtra be held only after these issues were rectified.
The protest, named ‘Satyacha Morcha’ (March for Truth), began from Fashion Street in south Mumbai and concluded at the BMC headquarters, about a kilometre away. Prominent leaders including Uddhav Thackeray, Sharad Pawar, Raj Thackeray, and Balasaheb Thorat participated in the march.
Addressing the crowd, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray alleged that his name had been uploaded on the government’s ‘Saksham’ app using a fake mobile number.
“I suspect this was done to remove my name from the voters’ list,” he claimed.
Taking a swipe at the BJP, Uddhav Thackeray used a reference from the Bollywood film Sholay to describe the party as an “anaconda”.
“In the film, mothers tell their children to sleep or Gabbar will come. I say, stay awake, or the anaconda will come,” he said, according to the PTI.
Uddhav Thackeray accused the ruling alliance of “stealing” his party, election symbol, and even his father’s name. “And now, they want to steal votes too,” he said, asserting that the Opposition wanted polls to be held but only on a clean electoral roll.
MNS chief Raj Thackeray alleged that there were “lakhs of dual voters” in Mumbai. “
About 4,500 voters have voted in both Kalyan Rural and Malabar Hill constituencies. What is the need to hold elections with such a bogus voter list? Clean it up first,” he demanded.
(wit PTI inputs)
