Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray had claimed security check allegations, which he suspected were politically motivated, at the peak of a heated Maharashtra election campaign. On Monday, Thackeray claimed his bags were inspected by government officials when he arrived in Yavatmal district for his rally. The incident set off a series of questions from the former chief minister regarding the treatment of political leaders during election time.
Speaking at an election rally in Wani in the support of the party’s candidate Sanjay Derkar, Thackeray spoke candidly about the baggage scan, claiming it was an unfair step targeting him.
He asked, “Will it happen when Prime Minister Narendra Modi or Amit Shah-the Home Minister-comes to this very Sangli district?” Thackeray felt it was part of a larger plan to spot opposition leaders during the campaigning time.
On arriving by helicopter at Wani, Thackeray said that several government authorities checked his bag. Not withstanding having clarified that he was not angry with the election officials for fulfilling their duties, he complained that inspections were not done uniformly.
Thackeray questioned, “The way you checked my bag, had you checked the bags of Modi and Shah? He further questioned if the election authorities would treat the bags of Maharashtra’s Chief Minister Eknath Shinde along with his deputies Ajit Pawar and Devendra Fadnavis in the same manner.
डॉ. बाबासाहेबांनी लिहिलेल्या संविधानात सगळ्यांना समान न्याय हे आम्ही मानतोच.पण यंत्रणांना हाताशी धरुन लोकशाहीला पायदळी तुडवून हुकुमत गाजविणाऱ्या दिल्लीश्वरांनी मात्र त्या संविधानाचा सगळ्याच पातळ्यांवर अवमान करायचा ठरवलं आहे.
आज उद्धवसाहेबांच्या सामानाची वणी येथे काही… pic.twitter.com/XyM53sKOsy— ShivSena – शिवसेना Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (@ShivSenaUBT_) November 11, 2024
“You Are Doing Your Duty And I Will Do My Duty”
The officials, not wanting to be seen as too confrontational, had protested that they were being unfairly accused. “You are doing your duty and I will do my duty,” Thackeray retorted in a barbed tone. He pointed out that the whole process was undemocratic because it was based on differential discrimination against political leadership across party lines. Democracy should treat all leaders alike, he countered.
He asked his followers and voters to check the bags of the leaders when they come for campaigning. Thackeray declared that if the high-level leaders of the ruling alliance are not checked for bags, then Shiv Sena (UBT) and their allies, i.e., the Maha Vikas Aghadi, would do it for them. “In that case, police and the Election Commission should not intervene because voters also have the right to check the bags of the senior leaders from the ruling alliance,” he added.
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