Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray jointly led a major protest march in Mumbai on Sunday, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and cancellation of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Maharashtra.
The Thackeray brothers’ Mumbai protest was held under the banner of the Virat Garjana Morcha. The march began from Metro Cinema in South Mumbai and moved towards the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation headquarters, where the two leaders addressed the gathering.
The demonstration focused on allegations of irregularities in the SIR process and concerns raised by the two parties over the functioning of the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Uddhav and Raj Thackeray Join Hands
The joint appearance marked another public show of unity between Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray.
The two leaders had announced the October 4 march earlier, inviting other political parties to participate. Congress and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) later backed the demonstration, with their leaders joining the march.
Protest Targets Gyanesh Kumar and SIR
The protesters demanded the removal or resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and called for the Maharashtra SIR exercise to be scrapped.
The demands are based on allegations by the protesting parties that the electoral-roll revision process could affect voters and raise concerns about electoral transparency. These claims remain political allegations and have not been established as findings against the Election Commission.
Raj Thackeray also called for a return to paper-ballot voting, saying electronic voting machines should no longer be used.
No Party Flags at Mumbai March
One notable feature of the protest was the decision to keep party flags and symbols away from the march.
Organisers asked participants to carry only the Indian national flag, presenting the demonstration as a broader public movement rather than a rally restricted to the two parties.
Opposition Leaders Join Demonstration
The protest also received support from opposition parties in Maharashtra.
Leaders from Congress and the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) joined the march, adding to the multi-party participation around the demands concerning the Election Commission and SIR.
The organisers had earlier said they wanted the demonstration to extend beyond party politics and invited political parties across the spectrum to participate.
What the Thackerays Demanded
The principal demands raised during the demonstration included:
- Resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar
- Cancellation of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Maharashtra
- Greater transparency in the electoral-roll revision process
- A return to paper-ballot voting, as demanded by Raj Thackeray
The Election Commission’s role in the electoral-roll revision and the allegations raised by opposition parties remain subjects of political debate.
5 Key Takeaways
- Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray jointly led the Virat Garjana Morcha in Mumbai.
- Protesters demanded the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar.
- The demonstration called for cancellation of the Maharashtra SIR process.
- Congress and NCP (SP) leaders also participated in the march.
- Organisers asked participants to carry the national tricolour instead of party flags.
