Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday said the INDIA bloc’s march to the Supreme Court was an attempt to pressure the judiciary. He called it a "black day in Indian history." Shinde also accused the Opposition of creating instability and using double standards regarding the country's electoral process.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday criticised the INDIA bloc's march to the Supreme Court to file a joint petition over alleged poll irregularities and SIR, calling it an attempt to pressurise the judiciary. He said it was a "black day" in Indian history and claimed such a march to the apex court had happened for the first time in the country.
The Opposition on Monday took out a "March for Democracy" to the Supreme Court to file a joint petition against SIR and alleged poll irregularities in a major show of strength in the national capital. Referring to the march, Shinde said, "It was a black Day in Indian history. The morcha to the Supreme Court was an attempt to pressurise the judiciary. This has happened for the first time in the country." He added, "I condemn it. They have to apologise to 140 crore people."
Shinde also referred to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's remarks made on Monday, in which he said people should persevere and continue the protests as the country cannot be saved in a day or two, and described the protests as "tandav". Gandhi had said, "This is like Shiva's dance, and anyone can join Shiva's 'baraat' (wedding procession)." Shinde claimed that invoking Shiva's dance was an insult to the deity, and said if Shiv opened his third eye, the INDIA bloc would be destroyed.
Targeting the Opposition further, Shinde said it was frustrated and did not know what to do. He alleged that many foreign powers were trying to destabilise the country, and said the Opposition kept citing examples of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal, which had witnessed unrest and regime change, to send a message of destabilisation. He said the Opposition had been defeated three times by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and, if it could not rule the country, it tried to ensure anarchy was spread. He also accused it of doubting EVMs and making allegations against the Election Commission, while not raising such doubts when it won in Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, calling it double standards.
In sum, Shinde said the Opposition's march to the Supreme Court was an unacceptable attempt to pressure the judiciary, demanded an apology, and accused the INDIA bloc of trying to create instability while selectively questioning the electoral process.