MUMBAI, Oct. 18 -- Responding to the charges of BJP leaders that protests by the opposition were aimed at bringing down the government, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday declared, "Yes, we are fighting for a regime change in the country." Thackeray, who was speaking at a journalism awards distribution ceremony in south Mumbai, backed a declaration by lawyer-activist Prashant Bhushan made at a press conference on Thursday that everyone wanted a regime change. "Yes, we do want one," said Thackeray. "If you are snatching our electoral rights, our right to protest, then yes, we are working for a regime change. What do you have to say?" The Sena (UBT) chief sarcastically said he wanted to ask PM Narendra Modi and defence minister Rajnath Singh whether the thousands of security personnel they had stationed in Delhi during the recent protest had been brought to play Navratri garba. "They are smashing people's heads, dragging women and girls, pulling their hair and tearing off their dresses," he said. "This regime has to be trampled upon and we are fighting for this." Thackeray said that all journalists needed to unite for this and save democracy, else it would drown. "At a time when the country was facing a huge crisis, the people have to save it, else committing suicide is better," he said. "I will say more during the Dussehra Rally at Shivaji Park on Tuesday." BJP leaders have been hitting out at the opposition for its protest against SIR and irregularities in the electoral system. Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis recently said that it was all about "regime change", and claimed that the movement was aimed at gaining power by provoking students and farmers, spreading hatred along caste and linguistic lines, and tarnishing the image of institutions. He accused the protesters of spreading "anarchy" under the cover of agitation....