CM Fadnavis draws line between lawful protest and chaos amid voter‑list unrest

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, speaking to reporters in Mumbai, clarified his government’s stance on recent street demonstrations.

He defended Chief Justice Surya Kant’s decision to decline meetings with protestors, stating that the Constitution does not prescribe such encounters for the judiciary.

Fadnavis accused opposition parties and activist outfits of engineering a “thought‑out conspiracy” to weaken democratic institutions—including the Supreme Court, Election Commission and RBI—and to spread ultra‑leftist disorder.

The leader distinguished genuine democratic dissent from violent chaos, citing incidents where demonstrators used provocative chants and crossed legal limits.

“Mass gatherings that involve individuals with criminal backgrounds seeking to disturb peace constitute chaos, not democratic protest,” he explained.

He emphasized that his administration is prepared to engage in constructive dialogue with any group, even with militant factions like Naxalites, using democratic processes rather than tolerating lawlessness.

These comments arrived after the BJP’s national president targeted opposition rallies over voter‑list modifications and demands for the chief election commissioner’s accountability, alleging foreign interference in India’s stability.