Shiv Sena (UBT) on Saturday, 10 October 2026 launched a sharp attack on the Centre, accusing the ruling establishment of burying Indian democracy through its handling of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar controversy and a reported crackdown on opposition protesters. The Thackeray-led faction made the charges in an editorial published in its party mouthpiece Saamana.

The CEC Controversy at the Centre

The Saamana editorial highlighted that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's aggressive campaign against CEC Gyanesh Kumar — triggered by allegations of electoral manipulation — has, according to the Thackeray camp, sent shockwaves through the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The editorial asserted that instead of addressing accusations of systemic electoral irregularities, the government is shielding the election chief at all costs — a stance it described as a 'betrayal of the nation.'

The opposition has been demanding the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar, with protests intensifying at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi in recent days. The government has not publicly responded to the specific allegations raised in the editorial.

Alleged Double Standard in Protest Handling

The editorial condemned what it called a glaring double standard in the administration's response to demonstrations. It alleged that opposition leaders including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi were 'dragged, manhandled, and bundled into police vehicles during peaceful protests at Jantar Mantar,' while BJP Mahila Morcha activists staging demonstrations outside the Congress headquarters were reportedly granted immunity by the Home Ministry.

The Thackeray camp further alleged that the government had planned to deploy around two lakh armed members of Bajrang Dal at Jantar Mantar to suppress the opposition's youth-led protest movement. These are the editorial's allegations and have not been independently verified.

Administrative Blocks and Arrests

The Saamana editorial detailed a series of alleged administrative measures to restrict the protests. According to the editorial, Delhi Police denied formal permissions for demonstrations, long-distance trains heading toward Delhi were reportedly cancelled en route, and young protesters travelling to participate were allegedly intercepted and arrested.

The Thackeray faction argued that relying on 'political gangs' and 'private armies' to suppress lawful public dissent amounts to inviting anarchy and civil unrest — a characterisation that the ruling side has not directly addressed publicly.

Democratic Principles and the BJP Veteran Reference

Notably, the editorial cited remarks from senior BJP veteran Murli Manohar Joshi regarding Abraham Lincoln's democratic principles — emphasising free elections, transparent bureaucracy, and responsible governance — and lamented that none of these tenets, in its view, survive under the current political dispensation, where constitutional bodies allegedly face institutional capture.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led party said the current climate surpasses authoritarian levels, with the ruling administration allegedly willing to break opposition resolve through physical intimidation rather than political accountability. As opposition parties continue to rally and tensions between state machinery and protesters escalate, the editorial warned that public discontent has reached a critical threshold.