Students show votes, not people, can be stolen: Uddhav

Uddhav Thackeray said the youth had written "a golden chapter" in India's democratic history through their unity.

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday, July 26, hailed students for their nationwide protests over the alleged exam papers leak, saying the agitation marked the beginning of a larger fight against the BJP and proved that “votes can be stolen, but not people”.

He was addressing a gathering at Shivaji Park in Mumbai after his cousin and MNS chief Raj Thackeray led a one-minute silence in memory of 21 students who allegedly died by suicide following the NEET paper leak controversy.

Uddhav Thackeray said the youth had written “a golden chapter” in India’s democratic history through their unity.

He said the students’ agitation had evolved into a nationwide movement.

“People ask us why we are talking about elections when they are still three years away. The answer is simple. Modi has now realised that votes can be stolen, but not people,” he said.

“No election has been won today. Patriots (deshbhakt) have defeated blind followers (andhbhakt). This is the beginning of a bigger struggle. This is a fight between the BJP and India,” he asserted.

Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uddhav Thackeray said Union ministers were busy “breaking political parties” instead of governing the country.

“I want to tell Prime Minister Modi that it is time to focus on the country. Your ministers are busy breaking political parties. Tell them to start working for the nation,” he said.

Launching a sharp attack over the alleged examination paper leak, Uddhav Thackeray questioned why Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had not been removed from the Union Cabinet.

“I want to ask Prime Minister Modi – how painful was it to remove your favourite Dharmendra from the cabinet? Was that pain greater than what the families of the students suffered when their children took their own lives? I cannot forget that pain, and I will never forget it,” he said.

Urging the youth to keep up the momentum, Uddhav Thackeray said, “Do not let this awakening fade away. Do not tolerate the arrogance of those in power. You have shown the strength of the people. Do not let anyone weaken this country again.”

Further targeting the government, he said the finance minister doesn’t speak about the falling rupee or rising inflation, but explains the “benefits” of a paper leak.

“Defence minister Rajnath Singh should be protecting the country’s borders but is defending Pradhan,” he said.

In a jibe at Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, Thackeray said the “khadda” (potholes) minister is talking about ethanol (E20 petrol). “This is definitely the next issue,” he added.

Raj Thackeray said the success of students’ protest proved Gen Z can challenge the government.

He thanked the Mumbai Police for maintaining order during the programme and said the country had seen “the difference between the Maharashtra Police and the Delhi Police”.

A massive crowd of youth, mostly college students, waving the national flag and holding posters of the Constitution gathered at Shivaji Park in Mumbai to “celebrate” the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Despite light rains since morning, the youth in raincoats and under umbrellas carried posters of B R Ambedkar, the chief architect of India’s Constitution, along with creative social media memes that had gone viral during the nationwide protests by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP).

Pradhan resigned on Saturday, July 25, following which the Cockroach Janta Party called off its 36-day agitation that galvanised lakhs of people over irregularities in exams and the NEET paper leak.