Raj Thackeray Advocates for Paper Ballots, Supports Sanjay Rauts Political Predictions
Raj Thackeray criticizes the central government and calls for a return to paper ballots, echoing predictions of political upheaval.
Mumbai, October 21 (Daily Kiran) : Raj Thackeray, the leader of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), sharply criticized the central government during a press conference on Wednesday. He strongly backed Shiv Sena-UBT MP Sanjay Raut‘s recent prediction of significant political turmoil expected in the next two to five months.
Thackeray reiterated his demand to replace electronic voting machines (EVMs) with traditional paper ballots. He stated that he has been advocating for paper voting since 2018, emphasizing the need for voters to experience full transparency and the psychological satisfaction of seeing their votes cast into the ballot box.
He pointed out that many developed countries, along with neighboring nations like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, utilize the paper ballot system. Thackeray remarked, “Political criticism and dissent are natural. Since 2018, I have been pushing for voting through paper ballots. Initially, people did not understand, but now they do. You should feel satisfied with your vote, and you need assurance that your vote has indeed gone into the ballot box.”
The MNS chief noted that even in developed nations, paper ballots are used for elections, and he reiterated his call for their implementation in India. He mentioned that France has transitioned from voting machines to paper ballots, evoking nostalgia with images from that shift.
Thackeray continued, stating that assembly and parliamentary elections do not occur simultaneously. While counting is swift, results often take time. “If it takes four days, what difference does it make? Who is in a hurry? Voting should be conducted through paper ballots,” he asserted.
Supporting Raut’s assessment, Thackeray warned of significant political developments in the coming months, suggesting that ongoing errors by the central government could lead to civil unrest. He predicted, “In the next two to five months, there will be major upheavals, and perhaps the country will be left without a Prime Minister.”
He also alluded to ongoing controversies, stating that revelations about figures like Epstein would continue to emerge, and the cycle of government errors would persist. Thackeray expressed concern that if citizens take to the streets in the coming years, it would not surprise him.
Raising alarms about rising crime and security lapses, Thackeray specifically targeted gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, currently imprisoned in Gujarat’s Sabarmati Jail.
