MVA Protests During MLAs’ Oath Ceremony, Criticizes ‘EVM Sorcery’ Government
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Mumbai, Dec 7 (NationPress) In a dramatic display, newly-elected members of the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance exited the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly amid the MLAs’ oath-taking ceremony, criticizing the government they referred to as a ‘EVM sorcery’ regime that has seized power, here on Saturday.
The walkout included nearly all MLAs from the Congress-Shiv Sena (UBT)-Nationalist Congress Party (SP) and their smaller supporting parties, who denounced what they described as an astonishing ‘90 percent majority’ gained through the use of Electronic Voting Machines.
Only two MVA legislators, Samajwadi Party state President and MLA Abu Asim Azmi, along with another MLA, proceeded to take their oaths.
Meanwhile, MLAs from the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP coalition commenced the oath-taking ceremony under the supervision of Pro-Tem Speaker Kolambkar.
Leading the walkout, senior MVA figures addressed the media near the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj within the Vidhan Bhavan grounds, asserting that they are “not against the oath ceremony” but would abstain from taking the oath today.
Prominent leaders like Congress state President Nana F. Patole, NCP (SP) General Secretary Dr. Jitendra Awhad, and SS (UBT) Group Leaders Aditya Thackeray and Bhaskar Jadhav expressed that the MahaYuti 2.0 coalition has gained a significant majority due to the ‘EVM sorcery’ that they are protesting against.
“Although they (MahaYuti) have achieved a large victory, there is no celebration in their camps… They are suppressing the Opposition and preventing us from voicing our concerns. Our protest is directed against this undemocratic behavior of the government. We have serious doubts regarding the EVMs,” stated Aditya Thackeray.
“This government may hold a vast majority but lacks the support of the people… This is the result of the EVMs’ manipulation. We are protesting peacefully to uphold democracy and the Constitution. Our objection is not to the oath ceremony itself, but to the method through which the current administration has come into power,” added Jadhav.
Awhad strongly highlighted how the government has attempted to silence the Opposition, prohibiting them from speaking and imprisoning them when they raise pertinent issues.
“We are abstaining from the oath ceremony today due to their (MahaYuti’s) victory being tainted by EVM manipulations,” declared a somber Patole.
Reiterating the call for elections to be conducted using ballot papers, Awhad later met with SS (UBT) President Uddhav Thackeray, who serves as a Member of the Legislative Council.
Patole, Wadettiwar, Awhad, Aditya Thackeray, Leader of Opposition in Council Ambadas Danve, and other legislators were scheduled to convene a meeting to devise the future strategy of the MVA within the Assembly.
