New Delhi
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant has launched a sharp attack on the Election Commission (EC), the Maharashtra government, and senior BJP leaders, accusing them of compromising democratic institutions and sheltering ministers facing serious allegations.
Reacting to recent remarks by Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, Sawant alleged that the EC has lost all sense of neutrality and is acting like a slave. He claimed that the Commission’s actions had hurt Shiv Sena during the party’s split and warned that similar political tactics were being replicated across the country.
Sawant criticised the EC’s selective approach, revealing that a scheduled meeting between Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Commission was abruptly cancelled, citing internal work, while Deputy CM Eknath Shinde met EC officials the very next day. This is not how democracy functions, he said, alleging open bias in favour of the ruling faction.
The MP expressed outrage over Maharashtra Home Minister Yogesh Kadam being linked to a dance bar controversy. Shinde rushes to Delhi either to seek the EC’s protection or to cover up his ministers’ wrongdoings. Maharashtra’s Home Minister running a dance bar is a serious matter. Where is the Ethics Committee now? he questioned.
Sawant further criticised CM Devendra Fadnavis for remaining silent, claiming that Shinde is just a puppet while Union Home Minister Amit Shah controls the state. On reports that a former ATS officer faced pressure to arrest RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, he dismissed the claim as political drama and said, Someday, even Election Commissioners will reveal the pressure they faced from the BJP.