Shiv Sena (UBT) chief and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray launched a sharp attack on the BJP, accusing it of fostering communal disharmony and questioning the fairness of elections conducted via Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). Speaking at a public meeting commemorating the birth anniversary of Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray, Uddhav Thackeray proclaimed, “Anyone who spreads Hindu-Muslim enmity cannot be a Hindu. Our Hindutva is clean.”
In his address, Thackeray threw a direct challenge to the BJP-led central government, demanding elections be conducted using ballot papers instead of EVMs. “If you have any shame, keep EVMs aside and hold elections using ballot papers,” he declared.
The demand for ballot-based elections echoes sentiments expressed by other leaders of the INDIA bloc, an opposition coalition that has consistently questioned the reliability of EVMs. Opposition leaders argue that a return to paper ballots would enhance transparency and public trust in the electoral process.
The issue of EVMs has remained contentious, with the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar earlier this month dismissing the call to return to paper ballots, labeling it as “unwarranted and regressive.” The CEC emphasized that reverting to outdated methods could derail the efficiency and reliability of the election process.
Adding to the controversy, a petition challenging the use of EVMs was dismissed by the Delhi High Court this week. The Division Bench, led by Acting Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, ruled that the appeal lacked merit, stating, “We find no reason to interfere with the use of EVMs across constituencies.”
Uddhav Thackeray’s remarks come in the wake of a significant electoral defeat for the Shiv Sena (UBT) in the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections. The party won only 20 seats, while the BJP-led Mahayuti coalition secured a landslide victory with 235 seats. Thackeray’s latest statements aim to rally his support base while raising questions about electoral fairness.
As Maharashtra gears up for local elections later this year, the debate over Hindutva, communal harmony, and the electoral process is likely to intensify, with Thackeray positioning himself as a fierce critic of the BJP’s policies.