Is Mumbai's Elite Too Busy To Vote? Harsh Goenka Calls Out Malabar Hill's Voter Apathy

Mumbai: RPG Group Chairman Harsh Goenka has slammed Mumbai's affluent class for their apathy towards democracy as he cited a low voter turnout in the city in polls. As Maharashtra goes to polls today in single-phase polling, Goenka, in a post on X, accused the elites of Mumbai of valuing luxury more than participating in the democratic exercise. “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 wrote on X.“It’s the fear of 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,” 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

Goenka was blunt in his criticism of Mumbai's rich class as he taunted them for valuing branded products more than participating in the electoral process. “Why vote when the real concern is whether Ozempic is safe or Mounjaro is better? After all, democracy can wait, but the waist cannot!” he concluded. Urban Voter Apathy In MaharashtraMaharashtra's urban regions continue to grapple with low voter turnout. During the 2019 state assembly elections, around 62-64 urban constituencies registered voter participation below the state average. Major cities such as Mumbai, Pune, and Nagpur, despite having large electorates, consistently witness lower engagement at the polls. Akshay Kumar, Sachin Tendulkar Cast Their VotesBollywood star Akshay Kumar and cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar led by example as they were among the early voters in Mumbai. "I have been an icon of the ECI (Election Commission of India) for quite some time now. The message I am giving is to vote. It is our responsibility. I urge everyone to come out and vote,” Tendulkar said.Other Bollywood figures, including Rajkummar Rao, filmmaker Zoya Akhtar, and director Kabir Khan, have already cast their votes. High-profile families like the Ambanis, along with stars such as Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Deepika Padukone, are expected to vote as the day continues.