Mumbai, October 17, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday launched a strong attack on the Centre over allegations that the Opposition was attempting to bring about “regime change”, asserting that challenging the government through democratic means was legitimate.
“If opposing the government democratically is branded as regime change, then yes, we are trying to bring about a regime change, and we stand here precisely to overthrow this power,” Thackeray said.
Addressing an awards presentation ceremony organised by the All India Journalists’ Conference in Mumbai, Thackeray questioned how the Opposition could remain silent if, as he alleged, the ruling establishment was depriving citizens of their fundamental rights to express their views through elections and stage peaceful protests.
He also criticised the Centre for allegedly labelling those who raise their voices against the government as “anti-national”.
Referring to the controversy surrounding the phrase “regime change”, Thackeray cited recent remarks by advocate Prashant Bhushan in Delhi and questioned why seeking a change of government should be considered wrong.
“If the ruling party claims that we are attempting to change this system, what is wrong with that?” he asked.
Thackeray argued that demands for a change of government were legitimate when people believed their rights to vote and protest freely were being denied.
He also targeted the Centre over police action against protesters in Delhi, questioning the deployment of large numbers of police personnel during the demonstrations.
“I want to ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rajnath Singh, and those deploying thousands of police personnel in Delhi—have these police officers been brought in to play Dandiya during Navratri?” he asked.
Thackeray alleged that young protesters were being subjected to violence, claiming that some had their heads smashed and that women and young girls faced assault, hair-pulling and the tearing of their clothes.
Emphasising that safeguarding democracy was a collective responsibility, Thackeray called on people across society to work together to protect democratic institutions and rights.
Drawing an analogy with Lord Krishna lifting Govardhan mountain with the collective support of villagers, he said everyone needed to contribute to the effort to safeguard democracy.
He warned that without a united response, the challenges facing democracy could intensify, with consequences for society as a whole.
Thackeray also urged media professionals to maintain impartiality while reporting on political developments. Comparing journalists to umpires in cricket and referees in football, he said they should identify wrongdoing without fear or favour.
He noted that a referee issues a yellow or red card to a player who commits a foul regardless of the player’s identity, and said journalists should similarly hold people accountable for their actions, irrespective of their position or influence.
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