Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday (October 20, 2026) threw his weight behind the ongoing youth-led protests against alleged electoral irregularities, accusing the BJP-led government of suppressing dissent through police action and warning that continued disregard for the younger generation’s grievances could lead to widespread unrest.
Addressing the party’s annual Dussehra rally at Shivaji Park in Dadar, Mr. Thackeray criticised the police action against protesters in Delhi, questioned the labelling of demonstrators as “urban Naxals” and called for a change of government.
The remarks came amid demonstrations led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) over the deletion of names from electoral rolls during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), with protesters demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The agitation intensified following the detention of CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka and restrictions on the October 16 ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ demonstration in Delhi.
Questioning RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s remarks on maintaining civility during protests, Mr. Thackeray accused the police of mistreating young demonstrators.
“Mr. Bhagwat says there should be civility during protests. But who should maintain civility? When young people are beaten, their clothes are torn, and they are treated like animals, where is the civility?” he asked.
Recalling his visit to protesters at Jantar Mantar following an alleged police crackdown, Mr. Thackeray said he had met several injured demonstrators, including women.
He claimed that some protesters had suffered head injuries, while others had fractured limbs or injuries from being assaulted. He also referred to a woman protester who alleged that her clothes had been torn during the police action.
Mr. Thackeray further cited accounts of protesters who had subsequently met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and alleged that they had been punched and kicked by police personnel.
Questioning why young people were being treated as criminals for demanding their rights, he said, “Nobody has a hobby of coming onto the streets, getting beaten by police, returning home and then facing police action again. They are coming out because they want justice.”
He warned that the government was underestimating the anger of the younger generation, arguing that their grievances reflected years of accumulated frustration over economic hardship and government policies.
Referring to people he met during the agitation, Mr. Thackeray recounted speaking to a man who claimed to have lost his livelihood following demonetisation. He accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah of pushing citizens into financial hardship over the past 12 years.
Drawing parallels with India’s freedom struggle, Mr. Thackeray invoked revolutionaries including Khudiram Bose, Bhagat Singh and Chandrashekhar Azad, arguing that young people had historically played a decisive role in movements against injustice.
He also referred to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s achievements at a young age and questioned why the government was dismissing the concerns of today’s youth.
“Those who do not rise against injustice should not take Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s name,” he said.
Mr. Thackeray also questioned the Maharashtra government’s submissions before the Bombay High Court, describing the State as a centre of urban Naxalism.
“Which city in Maharashtra has become a centre of urban Naxalism? Why are these children coming onto the streets?” he asked, accusing the authorities of branding protesters as criminals rather than addressing their demands.
Turning to the electoral roll controversy, Mr. Thackeray questioned the deletion of nearly 13 crore names during the SIR exercise, comparing the figure with Maharashtra’s entire population.
“Are you saying all these 13 crore people are Bangladeshis?” he asked.
The nationwide revision exercise removed more than 13 crore names from draft electoral rolls. The Election Commission of India has said the exercise aims to remove ineligible or duplicate entries while protecting eligible voters’ rights, and has ordered a special enrolment drive for those left out.
Mr. Thackeray also criticised restrictions on protesters carrying the national flag and questioned the RSS’s history of hoisting the tricolour at its Nagpur headquarters.
Warning police personnel against using excessive force, he reminded them that their families were part of the same society as the protesters and urged them to consider the consequences of their actions.
On other issues, Mr. Thackeray criticised the State government’s handling of farmers’ distress, questioned the adequacy of the recently announced ₹5,000 assistance and raised concerns over law and order following the firing incident targeting Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff.
He urged Shiv Sena workers to resist injustice and work towards a change of government, reiterating his ambition to see the saffron flag flying not only over the Maharashtra legislature but also at the Red Fort in Delhi.
Published – October 21, 2026 12:40 am IST
