Mumbai, August 20: Shiv Sena (UBT) has raised concerns about the electoral process following U.S. President Donald Trump’s commendation of India’s voting system. In an editorial published in the party’s mouthpiece, ‘Saamana’, the party likened this praise to a criminal providing a character certificate to another. The editorial highlighted alleged manipulations in voter numbers during elections in West Bengal, Bihar, and Maharashtra.
The party warned that all opposition parties must remain vigilant regarding the ‘Special Intensive Review’ (SIR) process in Maharashtra. It claimed that the names of 2 crore voters have been removed from the electoral rolls, asserting that corruption and scams have become the BJP’s new tools. The party emphasized the need to blunt these tactics.
The editorial stated, “If Donald Trump finds India’s electoral system ideal and transparent, he should take Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to the U.S. to conduct elections there. Kumar would demonstrate how to manipulate elections, just as he has in India, undermining democracy in both countries.”
Shiv Sena (UBT) criticized the BJP’s response to Trump’s comments, describing it as akin to a criminal vouching for another’s integrity. The party accused the Election Commission of working towards disqualifying over 2.07 million voters through the SIR campaign, labeling it a threat to democracy. The process of revising voter lists is described as complex and confusing.
The editorial pointed out the dire conditions in Maharashtra, where issues such as school headmasters falling drunk, lack of access to schools, and the deaths of girls in ashrams due to snake bites prevail. It questioned how the disadvantaged voters in such a state could withstand the challenges of voter list revisions.
During the West Bengal assembly elections, 8 million voters were removed, which the party claims facilitated the BJP’s rise to power. Similar allegations were made regarding Bihar. In Maharashtra, an unexpected increase of 4.2 million voters was noted during assembly elections, with the Election Commission unable to provide clarity on their origins.
Former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan has reportedly exposed electoral fraud in his constituency. The editorial accused the Election Commission of allowing the removal of legitimate voters, protecting duplicate entries, and facilitating fraudulent voting. It stated that the existence of over 2 crore voters is now at risk, with the Commission claiming that 7.55 million voters showed apathy towards registering.
Shiv Sena (UBT) highlighted that in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, many duplicate voters cast ballots in different locations. Despite presenting evidence, neither the Election Commission nor the courts intervened. The party’s candidate from Thane, Rajan Vichare, provided proof of numerous duplicate and fraudulent voters, but their efforts were in vain.
The party noted that a hundred thousand booth-level officers (BLOs) were deployed for the SIR process. The state’s Chief Election Officer, Mr. Choklingam, praised the BLOs for their efforts, stating they visited homes multiple times. However, the editorial stressed the core issue of transparency and integrity in the electoral process, questioning the Election Commission’s impartiality.
The party accused the Chief Election Officer of Maharashtra of failing to ensure fair elections, alleging that the national Election Commission acts as an agent for the BJP and Amit Shah. The editorial warned that the electoral fraud witnessed in West Bengal and Bihar should alert all opposition parties in Maharashtra. The names of 2 crore voters have been removed, including around 3.5 million deceased voters.
Shiv Sena (UBT) claimed that thousands of living voters in West Bengal were falsely declared dead, preventing them from voting. In Bihar, thousands of voters from a particular community were similarly declared dead, with orders demanding proof of life spanning four generations.
The party accused the BJP of constantly seeking new methods to win elections, often unnoticed by opponents. There is a looming fear of a significant number of ‘Gen Z’ voters being disenfranchised, as this demographic has rallied against Modi, Shah, and Fadnavis. The party emphasized the need to thwart any attempts to strip these voters of their rights.
Shiv Sena (UBT) urged the youth in Pune, Nagpur, Nashik, Mumbai, Raigad, and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar to remain vigilant, as the party believes that corruption and scams in the voter lists are the BJP’s new weapons that must be neutralized.
Leave a Comment