Uddhav Thackeray vows to bury 'Make in India dictatorship' at Mumbai Garjana Morcha
Synopsis
At Mumbai's Garjana Morcha, Uddhav Thackeray turned Modi's 'Make in India' slogan into a political weapon — warning the PM that 'manufacturing a dictator' under the scheme would be buried by the streets. With allegations of 13 crore deleted voters and a broad opposition coalition marching under only the Tricolour, this rally marks a sharp escalation in Maharashtra's battle over electoral integrity.
Key Takeaways
Uddhav Thackeray addressed the Garjana Morcha in Mumbai on 4 October 2026 , targeting PM Modi , Amit Shah , and the Election Commission of India .
He alleged that 13 crore voters — equal to Maharashtra's entire population — have been erased from electoral rolls nationwide, including 2 crore in Maharashtra, 70 lakh in Tamil Nadu, and 30 lakh in West Bengal.
Thackeray called the appointment of CEC Gyanesh Kumar 'fundamentally biased', citing the ruling government's automatic 2-1 majority on the selection panel.
He estimated resolving disputed voter applications at the current pace would take 146 months .
The rally united Shiv Sena (UBT) , MNS , NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) , Congress , PWP , and Left parties — marching with only the Indian Tricolour.
Thousands marched from Metro Cinema to the BMC headquarters at CSMT .
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday, 4 October 2026, launched a sweeping attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and the Election Commission of India (ECI) during the Garjana Morcha rally in Mumbai, alleging electoral fraud, institutional capture, and democratic erosion under the current Central government.
The 'Make in India' Warning
Drawing on Modi's flagship initiative, Thackeray delivered his sharpest line of the evening: 'When he first became the Prime Minister, he announced Make in India. We supported that vision. But if you are manufacturing a dictator under Make in India, we stand here today to bury that dictatorship.' He clarified he was not opposing the scheme itself but what he described as its alleged misuse to consolidate authoritarian power.
Thackeray framed the rally as a 'nationwide crusade to safeguard India's constitutional fabric and civil liberties', warning that public resentment could spill onto the streets if institutional overreach continues unchecked.
Electoral Roll Deletions: Key Allegations
Thackeray alleged that 13 crore voters have been erased from electoral lists across the country — a figure he said equals the entire population of Maharashtra. 'Is this arbitrary deletion acceptable to you?' he asked the crowd. He further specified that two crore voters in Maharashtra, 70 lakh in Tamil Nadu, and 30 lakh in West Bengal had been removed or left unaccounted for.
Pointing to West Bengal, he noted that several previously invalidated voter applications were reportedly deemed valid just ahead of upcoming by-elections, raising questions about the timing. He also questioned why urgent petitions filed in the Supreme Court were being scheduled for hearings just a day before polling. 'If the hearing takes place on the 5th and polling is on the 6th, how can reinstated voters exercise their rights?' he alleged.
Attack on ECI and CEC Appointment
Thackeray took direct aim at the appointment of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, criticising the legislative removal of the Chief Justice of India (CJI) from the selection panel. The current three-member committee — comprising the Prime Minister, a Cabinet Minister, and the Leader of the Opposition — gives the ruling government an automatic 2-1 majority, he alleged. 'With Home Minister Amit Shah on the committee, despite formal dissent from Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Gyanesh Kumar was appointed without waiting for scheduled court hearings. His appointment is fundamentally biased,' Thackeray charged.
Law and Order, Governance Critiques
Invoking the recent murder of Shiv Sena office-bearer Pradeep Purnekar in Thane, Thackeray questioned the state of law and order in Maharashtra under the ruling administration. 'Where are your police forces and Home Minister now? Is this your version of Hindutva?' he asked. He also characterised the current administration as driven by political vengeance rather than governance, estimating that verifying remaining disputed voter applications at the current pace would take nearly 146 months.
Invoking the legacy of Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray, he said Balasaheb had always rejected such a 'miserable and vengeful' form of democracy.
The Coalition and What It Signals
The Garjana Morcha, stretching from Metro Cinema to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) headquarters at CSMT, was jointly organised by Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray. Thousands marched carrying only the Indian Tricolour, with party flags strictly excluded. The rally drew participation from the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar), Congress, Peasants and Workers Party of India (PWP), and Left parties — a broad opposition coalition united around challenges to the ECI's functioning. The high-profile convergence of rival factions signals a significant political escalation in Maharashtra ahead of upcoming electoral contests.
Point of View
It would represent one of the largest disenfranchisement operations in Indian electoral history. The broader significance lies in the coalition: the sight of Uddhav and Raj Thackeray on the same platform, alongside Congress and Left parties, suggests that opposition coordination in Maharashtra has moved beyond electoral arithmetic into a shared institutional grievance — a harder formation to fracture.
NationPress
4 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the Garjana Morcha rally in Mumbai about?
The Garjana Morcha was a large opposition protest rally held in Mumbai on 4 October 2026, jointly organised by Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS, primarily challenging the functioning of the Election Commission of India and alleging systemic voter roll deletions. Thousands marched from Metro Cinema to the BMC headquarters at CSMT carrying only the Indian Tricolour.
What did Uddhav Thackeray say about Make in India?
Thackeray said he supported the original Make in India vision but warned that if the initiative was being used to 'manufacture a dictator', the rally stood to 'bury that dictatorship'. He framed it as a defence of democratic institutions, not an attack on the economic programme itself.
What are Thackeray's allegations about voter deletions?
Thackeray alleged that 13 crore voters have been removed from electoral rolls across India — a figure he compared to Maharashtra's entire population. He cited specific figures: 2 crore in Maharashtra, 70 lakh in Tamil Nadu, and 30 lakh in West Bengal. These are allegations; an independent verification has not been publicly confirmed.
Why did Thackeray criticise the appointment of CEC Gyanesh Kumar?
Thackeray argued that removing the Chief Justice of India from the CEC selection panel creates an automatic 2-1 majority for the ruling government, since two of the three committee members — the PM and Home Minister Amit Shah — are from the same party. He alleged the appointment proceeded despite formal dissent from Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and without awaiting scheduled court hearings.
Which parties participated in the Garjana Morcha?
The rally brought together Shiv Sena (UBT), Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar faction), Congress, Peasants and Workers Party of India (PWP), and Left parties — a broad, cross-ideological coalition united around concerns over electoral integrity.
