Palghar: Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s bags were checked by Election Commission officials in in Maharashtra’s Palghar district after his helicopter landed at the local police ground helipad on Wednesday. The inspection comes amid rising controversy over bag checks of political leaders during the campaign season.
Earlier this week, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray said that election authorities had inspected his bags upon arrival in Latur and Yavatmal, where he was campaigning for the upcoming state assembly elections on November 20. Thackeray asked whether the same rules would be applied to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior leaders from the ruling alliance.
Thackeray questions ECI’s scrutiny of political leaders
Addressing supporters at a public meeting in Wani, Thackeray said, “I am not angry with the ECI officials as they were performing their duties. But I wonder, do they check the bags of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Eknath Shinde (whom he referred to as ‘the bearded person’), Ajit Pawar (‘the man with the pink jacket’) and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis?”
Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis responded by accusing Thackeray of trying to mislead the public with unnecessary protests over standard security procedures. “What’s wrong with checking bags? My team’s bags were checked too. There is no need for this level of frustration,” Fadnavis said. He said that Thackeray was merely “seeking votes by complaining.”
The Maharashtra BJP had also shared a video on social media showing Fadnavis’ bags being checked by security at Kolhapur airport. Additionally, Election Commission officials inspected the bags of both Deputy CMs Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar in Baramati on Wednesday.
