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Harsh Goenka in a scathing tweet criticised the high-society citizens for prioritising luxury and comfort over their civilian duty
Goenka attacks the ‘men and women’ of Malabar Hill
Billionaire businessman Harsh Goenka has taken a dig at the city’s elite voters. Amid concerns about a low turnout at the polling booths, especially at the urban centres including Mumbai, Goenka sparked a fresh debate around the “men and women of Malabar Hill.” He argued that Mumbai’s elite class people might not bother to vote but choose comfort over duty.
The voting for 288 Assembly seats is currently underway in Maharashtra on Wednesday, November 20. The process began as early as 7 AM and citizens are expected to come out to cast their votes.
In a fierce late-night tweet, the RPG Group chairman wrote, “The men and women of Malabar Hill may not vote today because… They’re busy debating whether their chauffeur will take the Mercedes or the BMW to the polling booth.” He highlighted that they are likely to be worried about dirtying their designer loafers on uneven roads, the struggle of matching their Gucci sunglasses with their Manish Malhotra outfits, and the endless WhatsApp debates about the right candidate over quinoa salads.
“It’s the horror of encountering common folk in the queue, the dread of stepping out into the November heat, and the realization that there’s no valet parking at the polling station,” he added.
The men and women of Malabar Hill may not vote today because… they’re busy debating whether their chauffeur will take the Mercedes or the BMW to the polling booth. It’s the fear of dirtying their designer loafers on uneven roads, the struggle of matching their Gucci sunglasses…— Harsh Goenka (@hvgoenka) November 19, 2024
Taking a dig at weight loss concerns among celebrities, he quipped, “Democracy can wait, but the waist cannot!”
Earlier in October, Chief Electoral Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar also opened up about the low turnout during elections. Blaming “urban apathy” for a lack of enthusiasm among voters, he highlighted it as a major concern for the poll panel. Mumbai, like the rest of Maharashtra, goes into polls on November 20.
It is worth mentioning that the city has often struggled with lower turnout. Earlier in the 2019 assembly elections, Mumbai recorded a voter turnout of 50.67 per cent, slightly lower than in 2014. Before that, it struggled to even touch 50 per cent.
Amid Goenka and the poll panel’s similar concerns, prominent figures like Kartik Aaryan, Akshay Kumar, Riteish Deshmukh, Genelia Deshmukh, Paresh Rawal, Sharvari Wagh, Suniel Shetty, Urmila Matondkar, Zoya Akhtar, Farhan Akhtar, and others stepped out to cast their votes across the city.
