Last Updated on October 11, 2026 2:26 pm by INDIAN AWAAZ
By Our Correspondent
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah of displaying “an extreme degree of dictatorship” by cracking down on protesters in Delhi, questioning the government’s commitment to democracy and civil liberties.
In a strongly worded social media post on Saturday, Thackeray invoked Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar’s warning that no nation could be grateful at the cost of its liberty. He alleged that the Modi-Shah leadership was using state institutions to consolidate power and suppress dissent.
“Are there no longer supposed to be protests in this country? Are you not supposed to be asked questions? Who are you to snatch away the right to protest?” he asked.
Thackeray’s remarks came after hundreds of people, including Opposition leaders such as former Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, were detained in Delhi ahead of a protest organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) at Jantar Mantar. The demonstration was called against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The MNS chief alleged that the authorities had used the Delhi Police to prevent demonstrations and harass women journalists covering the protest. He also criticised the reported closure of Metro services, road blockades, internet restrictions and the detention of protesters arriving by air.
Questioning the Election Commission’s functioning, Thackeray said it was an autonomous institution and asked whether the chief election commissioner should resign if the electoral process had been compromised. He argued that citizens must have the right to question the transparency of elections and express concerns over the integrity of their votes.
Thackeray also accused the BJP leadership of double standards, alleging that it had supported protests when politically advantageous but was now suppressing dissent.
Citing the Constitution’s protection of peaceful protest, he warned the government against curbing democratic freedoms and urged its leaders to learn from India’s history and the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi.
His comments add to the Opposition’s criticism of the Centre’s handling of the Delhi protest and concerns over electoral transparency and the right to peaceful assembly.