Mumbai: Thousands of supporters of opposition parties in Maharashtra participated in “Satyacha Morcha” or Truth March against alleged vote theft in Mumbai on Saturday under the leadership of Uddhav Thackeray, Raj Thackeray and Sharad Pawar.
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray told party workers to beat the bogus voters before handing them over to police and said that they would go to the court over the voters list irregularities with all evidence to protect the democratic system of transparent elections.
“We don’t want to take law in our hands but slap the bogus voters. We are going to court with all these evidence regarding vote theft,” he said, adding, “I and Raj came together to fight for Maharashtra and rights of you people. Now you all need to support us in this battle.”
He said that opposition parties want election but with the correct voters list.
The march, planned ahead of the local body polls in Maharashtra also was a bid to show opposition unity. Besides Shiv Sena (UBT), MNS and NCP (SP), Congress and other opposition parties too participated in the rally near BMC headquarters that was held after taking out a march from Fashion Street to BMC headquarters.
MNS chief Raj Thackeray said today’s march was to show the Maharashtra people’s anger to Delhi. “Thousands of people joined from various places and showed their strength. All parties including BJP leaders agree on anomalies in the voter list. Then what’s the problem to make corrections in the voter list before local body elections.” he said , adding that 4,500 voters living in Kalyan Murbad also voted in Malbar hill.
He gave details about lakhs of voters with duplication of names in the list and showed a bunch of papers related to it.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar said that opposition only want to protect the rights the Constitution of India gave to us. “Confidence of people on democracy and elections shook after assembly elections in Maharashtra.Elections should be transparent. We have decided that to prevent the vote theft at any cost.” he said.
Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat said that it’s an unprecedented march against “vote theft”. “Congress leader Rahul Gandhi raised this issue but the Election Commission of India could not give a proper answer. Here in Maharashtra too the state election commission failed to answer the anomalies in the voter list. In my Sangamner constituency 9,500 bogus voters were added” he said.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray, NCP (SP) leaders Supriya Sule, Jayant Patil, Shashikant Shinde, Jitendra Awhad, Rohit Pawar, Congress leaders Balasaheb Thorat, Vijay Wadettiwar, CPI leader Prakash Reddy, and Peasants and Workers Party (PWP) leader Jayant Patil also participated in the protest march. Sharmila Thackeray, wife of Raj Thackeray, along with son Amit, also participated in the march.