Fadnavis Hits Back At Uddhav Over Regime Change Remark

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday hit out at Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray over his remarks on regime change, saying Thackeray had failed to prevent a change within his own party. Thackeray had said on Saturday that the Opposition was ready to overthrow the government if people were denied their rights to express themselves through elections and protests. Responding to Thackeray, Fadnavis said that in a democracy, governments must be changed through elections and decisions must be taken through constitutional processes, not on the streets.

Addressing an awards ceremony organised by the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Patrakar Parishad at the Yashwantrao Chavan Centre in Mumbai, the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief questioned how the Opposition could remain silent when the ruling establishment deprived citizens of their fundamental rights to express their opinions through elections and stage peaceful protests. Responding to the controversy over the phrase “regime change”, Thackeray cited advocate Prashant Bhushan’s recent remarks in Delhi and questioned why efforts to change the existing system should be considered wrong.

“If the ruling party claims that we are attempting to change this system, I want to ask them: if you are snatching our electoral rights and our right to protest, then yes, we are working for a regime change. What do you have to say?” he asked.

The controversy erupted after the Cockroach Janta Party, Opposition leaders and student activists used the phrase amid ongoing protests in New Delhi against the Election Commission of India (ECI) and Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over allegations of “vote theft” and irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).

Responding to the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief’s remarks, Fadnavis, who is also a senior BJP leader, said Uddhav Thackeray had failed to prevent a change of regime within his own party. He said he did not know which regime Thackeray wanted to change.

“First of all, Uddhav Thackeray ji could not prevent a regime change within his own Shiv Sena, so I do not know what other regime change he is talking about. The moment his party abandoned Hindutva and the ideology of Hindu Hriday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray, such turmoil erupted within the party that those who wanted to follow Balasaheb Thackeray’s principles formed the real Shiv Sena,” the senior BJP leader said.

Fadnavis was referring to the June 2022 rebellion led by Eknath Shinde against the then Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, which led to a vertical split in the undivided Shiv Sena. Following the split, the party divided into two factions, one led by Shinde and the other by Thackeray.

He also said he had repeatedly urged the Opposition to stop fighting the Indian Constitution, which was given by Dr B R Ambedkar.

“The decision will be taken in Parliament as per the Constitution, not on the streets. In a democracy, governments are decided through elections,” Fadnavis said.

The senior BJP leader also expressed confidence that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be re-elected. He said the Opposition would have to win the confidence of the people in elections if it wanted a change of regime.

“Narendra Modi’s government is currently in power, and it will be elected again. But if you want a regime change, you must contest elections, win the hearts of the people and secure an electoral victory. Those who are dreaming of bringing about a regime change in India by disregarding the Constitution, as witnessed in Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, will never succeed in their intentions, as the country has Dr B R Ambedkar’s Constitution, which has the power to defeat all such attempts,” he added.