News Analysis India

Tag: Eknath Shinde

  • Maha CM’s faction using vehicles bought under Nirbhaya Fund for security, claims police official

    By PTI

    MUMBAI:  Some of the vehicles procured by the Mumbai Police earlier this year under the Nirbhaya Fund to fight crime against women are being used for providing Y-plus security to the MLAs and MPs of the Shiv Sena faction led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, a police official said on Sunday.

    In June this year, the city police force procured 220 Boleros, 35 Ertigas, 313 Pulsar motorcycles and 200 Activa two-wheelers using the Rs 30 crore corpus that it had received under the Nirbhaya fund.

    The development prompted the opposition Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) to attack the Shinde-led government, as they asked if the security of the ruling legislators was more important than protecting women.

    The Nirbhaya Fund is being given to the state governments by the Centre since 2013 to implement schemes related to women’s safety.

    “After the vehicles were procured in June, they were distributed to all 97 police stations, cyber, traffic and coastal police units in July,” the official said.

    “Of these vehicles, 47 Boleros were requisitioned from several police stations by the Motor Transport Department of the Mumbai Police following an order from the VIP Security section of the state police stating that they are required for use as an escort vehicle for MPs and MLAs of the Shinde faction to provide Y-Plus security cover to them,” he said.

    However, 17 of the vehicles which were used for the security of these lawmakers were returned to police stations after the requirement was fulfilled, he added.

    “But 30 Boleros are yet to be returned, which has impacted the police patrolling in the jurisdiction of respective police stations,” the official said.

    Hitting out at the state government, Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said, “Is the security of ruling MLAs more important than protecting women from abuse? It is appalling and outrageous to see the Nirbhaya Fund, which is meant for the Nirbhayas of Maharashtra being used for the security of MLAs.”

    NCP spokesperson Clyde Crasto said, “SUVs bought with Nirbhaya Fund diverted to provide Y-plus security to Shinde legislators. Shameful misuse of power by the Shinde-Fadnavis government. Eknath Shinde’s legislators must hang their heads in shame.”

    President of NCP’s Maharashtra unit Jayant Patil said the Nirbhaya Fund was set up by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government for the protection of women.

    “It is shocking that vehicles procured for helping the police to carry out their duties of protecting women are being misused for the protection of the breakaway MLAs.”

    “On one hand the chief minister claims to have the support of the people and on the other hand, each of the breakaway MLA and MP is being provided Y-plus category security which comprises five police personnel,” he said.

    “If people are with you, what do you fear?” he asked.

    Patil demanded the vehicles be sent back to the respective police stations and said the security of women was more important than the security of the breakaway legislators.

    Taking an aggressive stand, the Shiv Sena (UBT) said the Shinde dispensation would have to face protests if the vehicles are not deployed for the purpose for which they were acquired.

    Addressing a press conference, Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said if the needful is not done in seven days, then her party would protest.

    “This is nothing but embezzlement of government funds. The funds being provided by the Centre for a purpose are being used for private security,” she said.

    Shiv Sena (UBT) legislator Manisha Kayande wanted to know who had ordered the diversion of these vehicles for such private use.

    MUMBAI:  Some of the vehicles procured by the Mumbai Police earlier this year under the Nirbhaya Fund to fight crime against women are being used for providing Y-plus security to the MLAs and MPs of the Shiv Sena faction led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, a police official said on Sunday.

    In June this year, the city police force procured 220 Boleros, 35 Ertigas, 313 Pulsar motorcycles and 200 Activa two-wheelers using the Rs 30 crore corpus that it had received under the Nirbhaya fund.

    The development prompted the opposition Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) to attack the Shinde-led government, as they asked if the security of the ruling legislators was more important than protecting women.

    The Nirbhaya Fund is being given to the state governments by the Centre since 2013 to implement schemes related to women’s safety.

    “After the vehicles were procured in June, they were distributed to all 97 police stations, cyber, traffic and coastal police units in July,” the official said.

    “Of these vehicles, 47 Boleros were requisitioned from several police stations by the Motor Transport Department of the Mumbai Police following an order from the VIP Security section of the state police stating that they are required for use as an escort vehicle for MPs and MLAs of the Shinde faction to provide Y-Plus security cover to them,” he said.

    However, 17 of the vehicles which were used for the security of these lawmakers were returned to police stations after the requirement was fulfilled, he added.

    “But 30 Boleros are yet to be returned, which has impacted the police patrolling in the jurisdiction of respective police stations,” the official said.

    Hitting out at the state government, Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said, “Is the security of ruling MLAs more important than protecting women from abuse? It is appalling and outrageous to see the Nirbhaya Fund, which is meant for the Nirbhayas of Maharashtra being used for the security of MLAs.”

    NCP spokesperson Clyde Crasto said, “SUVs bought with Nirbhaya Fund diverted to provide Y-plus security to Shinde legislators. Shameful misuse of power by the Shinde-Fadnavis government. Eknath Shinde’s legislators must hang their heads in shame.”

    President of NCP’s Maharashtra unit Jayant Patil said the Nirbhaya Fund was set up by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government for the protection of women.

    “It is shocking that vehicles procured for helping the police to carry out their duties of protecting women are being misused for the protection of the breakaway MLAs.”

    “On one hand the chief minister claims to have the support of the people and on the other hand, each of the breakaway MLA and MP is being provided Y-plus category security which comprises five police personnel,” he said.

    “If people are with you, what do you fear?” he asked.

    Patil demanded the vehicles be sent back to the respective police stations and said the security of women was more important than the security of the breakaway legislators.

    Taking an aggressive stand, the Shiv Sena (UBT) said the Shinde dispensation would have to face protests if the vehicles are not deployed for the purpose for which they were acquired.

    Addressing a press conference, Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said if the needful is not done in seven days, then her party would protest.

    “This is nothing but embezzlement of government funds. The funds being provided by the Centre for a purpose are being used for private security,” she said.

    Shiv Sena (UBT) legislator Manisha Kayande wanted to know who had ordered the diversion of these vehicles for such private use.

  • Border row: Maha minister asks Sanjay Raut to ‘control his tongue’ to avoid ‘resting’ again; latter hits back

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra minister Shambhuraj Desai on Wednesday asked Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, who was released from a Mumbai jail on bail in a money laundering case last month, to “control” his tongue if he has to avoid “taking rest” again.

    Desai, who is the state Excise Minister, was targeting Raut for his criticism of the Eknath Shinde-led government over the simmering border dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka.

    Raut walked out of Mumbai’s Arthur Road jail on November 9 after a special court granted him bail in a money laundering case.

    He was arrested on August 1 by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a case related to a housing project in suburban Goregaon.

    Raut has been targeting the Shinde government over the Maharashtra-Karnataka border dispute over the past few days.

    On Wednesday, he demanded that Belagavi in Karnataka be declared a Union Territory and claimed incidents of violence in Belagavi cannot take place without “Delhi’s support”.

    Hitting out at Maharashtra CM Shinde, saying the state government appeared weak and helpless to counter such attacks, Raut also alleged that attempts were being made to make Maharashtra unstable.

    Talking to reporters here, Desai, one of the two ministers from Maharashtra who was deputed to visit Belagavi amid the border row, slammed Raut over the issue.

    “It looks like the outside atmosphere doesn’t suit you (Raut). You should control your tongue to avoid going back to rest,” he said, adding that Raut came out (of jail) after “resting” for three-and-a-half months.

    Earlier, state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule had also wondered if Raut has learnt provocative language in jail.

    Desai claimed that Raut, who is the leader of Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) has said he would visit Belagavi under the leadership of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar.

    ”Will he not go under the leadership of Uddhav Thackeray? We were warning Uddhavji not to trust Sanjay Raut who has bowed before NCP,” he said and asked why Raut hasn’t gone to Belagavi to complete a court formality over his speech there some years ago.

    Hitting back at Desai, Raut openly commented on Twitter. 

    Is ths an open threat,Mr Minister?While State govt is mum on the issue of our Pride,those raising voice for Maharashtra r seen as enemiesIt’s evident tht Law & Judiciary is undr pressureBt ppl wil not sit n watchIt’s clear now,those speakng the Truth wil b sent to jail! pic.twitter.com/ZmQEKDBNiB
    — Sanjay Raut (@rautsanjay61) December 7, 2022
    Minister Desai has threatened him to keep quiet or go back to jail, Raut said, adding that state BJP president Bawankule uses the same language.

    “Well, I have a question – do they own the law and judiciary of the country? Remember this is the land of great Dr Ambedkar and Ramshastri,” he said.

    The decades-old raging dispute between the two states spilled onto roads on Tuesday with stones being hurled at vehicles entering Karnataka from the Maharashtra side near a toll booth at Hirebaugwadi in Belagavi district.

    Similarly, at least four buses from Karnataka were defaced in Pune district allegedly by activists of the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) faction and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS).

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra minister Shambhuraj Desai on Wednesday asked Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, who was released from a Mumbai jail on bail in a money laundering case last month, to “control” his tongue if he has to avoid “taking rest” again.

    Desai, who is the state Excise Minister, was targeting Raut for his criticism of the Eknath Shinde-led government over the simmering border dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka.

    Raut walked out of Mumbai’s Arthur Road jail on November 9 after a special court granted him bail in a money laundering case.

    He was arrested on August 1 by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a case related to a housing project in suburban Goregaon.

    Raut has been targeting the Shinde government over the Maharashtra-Karnataka border dispute over the past few days.

    On Wednesday, he demanded that Belagavi in Karnataka be declared a Union Territory and claimed incidents of violence in Belagavi cannot take place without “Delhi’s support”.

    Hitting out at Maharashtra CM Shinde, saying the state government appeared weak and helpless to counter such attacks, Raut also alleged that attempts were being made to make Maharashtra unstable.

    Talking to reporters here, Desai, one of the two ministers from Maharashtra who was deputed to visit Belagavi amid the border row, slammed Raut over the issue.

    “It looks like the outside atmosphere doesn’t suit you (Raut). You should control your tongue to avoid going back to rest,” he said, adding that Raut came out (of jail) after “resting” for three-and-a-half months.

    Earlier, state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule had also wondered if Raut has learnt provocative language in jail.

    Desai claimed that Raut, who is the leader of Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) has said he would visit Belagavi under the leadership of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar.

    ”Will he not go under the leadership of Uddhav Thackeray? We were warning Uddhavji not to trust Sanjay Raut who has bowed before NCP,” he said and asked why Raut hasn’t gone to Belagavi to complete a court formality over his speech there some years ago.

    Hitting back at Desai, Raut openly commented on Twitter. 

    Is ths an open threat,Mr Minister?
    While State govt is mum on the issue of our Pride,those raising voice for Maharashtra r seen as enemies
    It’s evident tht Law & Judiciary is undr pressure
    Bt ppl wil not sit n watch
    It’s clear now,those speakng the Truth wil b sent to jail! pic.twitter.com/ZmQEKDBNiB
    — Sanjay Raut (@rautsanjay61) December 7, 2022
    Minister Desai has threatened him to keep quiet or go back to jail, Raut said, adding that state BJP president Bawankule uses the same language.

    “Well, I have a question – do they own the law and judiciary of the country? Remember this is the land of great Dr Ambedkar and Ramshastri,” he said.

    The decades-old raging dispute between the two states spilled onto roads on Tuesday with stones being hurled at vehicles entering Karnataka from the Maharashtra side near a toll booth at Hirebaugwadi in Belagavi district.

    Similarly, at least four buses from Karnataka were defaced in Pune district allegedly by activists of the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) faction and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS).

  • CM Shinde appoints pal Ajay Ashar as vice president of Maharashtra Planning Commission

    Express News Service

    Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde appointed his close aide Thane-based developer Ajay Ashar as a vice president of the Maharashtra Planning Commission.

    The Maharashtra government issued a notification with the appointment to the state planning commission called Maharashtra Institution for Transformation (MITRA). MITRA has been given the cabinet ministry status, thus Ajay Ashar will also enjoy the facilities and services given to cabinet ministers in Maharashtra.

    CM Eknath Shinde and developer Ajay Ashar hail from the same place and share a very close relationship.

    Interestingly, during the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, Ashar was a close acolyte of Shinde. He was the urban development minister and was also under the Enforcement Directorate (ED) scanner. BJP had criticised the closeness and proximity between the two and alleged that he de-facto run the urban development department

    Apart from Ajay Ashar, Dr Rajesh Kshirsagar has also been appointed as a vice president of the MITRA.

    According to the notification, Ajay Ashar has extensive experience in construction, social, civil and medical sectors while Rajesh Kshirsagar is currently the Executive Chairman of the State Planning Board and has rural area working experience.

    On the occasion of India’s Jubilee year, the central government had asked the states to develop NITI Aayog-like institutions on the state level.

    MITRA will play a major role in the development of Maharashtra and will aim to turn its economy into one trillion dollars by 2027 and 3.5 trillion dollars by 2047.

    Maharashtra has a unique importance for the economy of India as the financial capital of India, Mumbai, is in the state. 

    MITRA has been established in Maharashtra on the lines of NITI Aayog to achieve rapid and comprehensive development of the state through the participation of the private sector and non-governmental organizations.

    Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde appointed his close aide Thane-based developer Ajay Ashar as a vice president of the Maharashtra Planning Commission.

    The Maharashtra government issued a notification with the appointment to the state planning commission called Maharashtra Institution for Transformation (MITRA). MITRA has been given the cabinet ministry status, thus Ajay Ashar will also enjoy the facilities and services given to cabinet ministers in Maharashtra.

    CM Eknath Shinde and developer Ajay Ashar hail from the same place and share a very close relationship.

    Interestingly, during the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, Ashar was a close acolyte of Shinde. He was the urban development minister and was also under the Enforcement Directorate (ED) scanner. BJP had criticised the closeness and proximity between the two and alleged that he de-facto run the urban development department

    Apart from Ajay Ashar, Dr Rajesh Kshirsagar has also been appointed as a vice president of the MITRA.

    According to the notification, Ajay Ashar has extensive experience in construction, social, civil and medical sectors while Rajesh Kshirsagar is currently the Executive Chairman of the State Planning Board and has rural area working experience.

    On the occasion of India’s Jubilee year, the central government had asked the states to develop NITI Aayog-like institutions on the state level.

    MITRA will play a major role in the development of Maharashtra and will aim to turn its economy into one trillion dollars by 2027 and 3.5 trillion dollars by 2047.

    Maharashtra has a unique importance for the economy of India as the financial capital of India, Mumbai, is in the state. 

    MITRA has been established in Maharashtra on the lines of NITI Aayog to achieve rapid and comprehensive development of the state through the participation of the private sector and non-governmental organizations.

  • BJP minister’s comparison of Shinde’s revolt with Shivaji’s escape from Agra draws flak

    Express News Service

    MUMBAI: BJP minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha stoked another controversy on Wednesday by comparing Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde’s revolt against Uddhav Thackeray to Shivaji Maharaj’s grand escape from the Agra fort.

    During celebrations at the Pratap Fort, tourism minister Prabhat Lodha recalled how Shivaji Maharaj was imprisoned by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in Agra, but managed to slip away by hoodwinking Aurangzeb. He said Eknath Shinde had in the same way escaped from the clutches of Uddhav Thackeray and formed the government with the BJP. It was like Shivaji had formed the Hindavi Swaraj all those years ago, Lodha added.

    The opposition was quick to pounce on Lodha for comparing Shivaji’s great escape with that of CM Shinde’s revolt.

    With the statement coming just days after Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari termed Shivaji an ‘olden-times’ icon, they alleged that these constituted systematic attempts by the BJP and those affiliated with the saffron party to diminish the stature of the Great Maratha king.

    Leader of Opposition and senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar said the BJP should rein in such motormouths who make one controversial statement or the other against Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and disturb the social atmosphere in the state.

    “After Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Sigh Koshyari’s controversial and defamatory remarks against Shivaji Maharaj, BJP should restrain others from making such statements, but they continue to stir fresh controversies. How come he (the Governor) can compare Eknath Shinde’s revolt against Uddhav Thackeray with Shivaji Maharaj’s historic Agra escape? BJP should stop all this nonsense,” Pawar said.  

    Crucially, BJP Rajya Sabha MP and direct descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Chhatrapati Udayanraje Bhosale, skipped the Shivaji Maharaj function at Pratap Fort chaired by Maharashtra CM Shinde.

    ALSO READ | Maharashtra Governor Koshyari ready to quit over Shivaji remarks: BJP leaders

    Udayan Raje Bhosale is reportedly unhappy with the BJP for the lack of action against the Governor and the BJP’s national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi. Bhosale had even broken down before media persons. Trivedi, according to the NCP, had claimed that the founder of the Maratha empire had apologised to Aurangzeb on five occasions.    

    Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekar Bawankule tried to defuse the situation by saying he shared Udayan Raje Bhosale’s sentiments. Bawankule said he agreed that Governor Koshyari was wrong in calling Shivaji Maharaj an “olden-times” icon.

    “However, the Governor’s is a constitutional post and removing the governor is not in our hands. The concerned authority will take the call over it. We are not here to defend the Governor, but we should also understand this is not a deliberate error by the Governor,” Bawankule said.

    Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had earlier said that Udayan Raje Bhosale’s sense of hurt has been conveyed to people at the right places.

    What happened in Agra all those years ago

    Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and his son Sambhaji Maharaj were sent a letter and invited by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb for the latter’s 50th birthday. It was a ploy and on arrival, Shivaji and his son Sambhaji were imprisoned.

    Once in jail, the Maratha king was always under guard with at least 1000 men on duty. But a little over three months later, Shivaji Maharaj escaped from the Agra fort in sweet boxes after hoodwinking the Mughal king on August 17, 1666. His half-brother Hiroji Farzand played a big part in the escape, standing in for Shivaji by covering himself in a quilt and by slipping in on Shivaji’s gold wristlet on to his outstretched right arm. This ensured that the guards were fooled long enough to enable the great Maratha king to make his way to freedom.

    MUMBAI: BJP minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha stoked another controversy on Wednesday by comparing Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde’s revolt against Uddhav Thackeray to Shivaji Maharaj’s grand escape from the Agra fort.

    During celebrations at the Pratap Fort, tourism minister Prabhat Lodha recalled how Shivaji Maharaj was imprisoned by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in Agra, but managed to slip away by hoodwinking Aurangzeb. He said Eknath Shinde had in the same way escaped from the clutches of Uddhav Thackeray and formed the government with the BJP. It was like Shivaji had formed the Hindavi Swaraj all those years ago, Lodha added.

    The opposition was quick to pounce on Lodha for comparing Shivaji’s great escape with that of CM Shinde’s revolt.

    With the statement coming just days after Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari termed Shivaji an ‘olden-times’ icon, they alleged that these constituted systematic attempts by the BJP and those affiliated with the saffron party to diminish the stature of the Great Maratha king.

    Leader of Opposition and senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar said the BJP should rein in such motormouths who make one controversial statement or the other against Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and disturb the social atmosphere in the state.

    “After Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Sigh Koshyari’s controversial and defamatory remarks against Shivaji Maharaj, BJP should restrain others from making such statements, but they continue to stir fresh controversies. How come he (the Governor) can compare Eknath Shinde’s revolt against Uddhav Thackeray with Shivaji Maharaj’s historic Agra escape? BJP should stop all this nonsense,” Pawar said.  

    Crucially, BJP Rajya Sabha MP and direct descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Chhatrapati Udayanraje Bhosale, skipped the Shivaji Maharaj function at Pratap Fort chaired by Maharashtra CM Shinde.

    ALSO READ | Maharashtra Governor Koshyari ready to quit over Shivaji remarks: BJP leaders

    Udayan Raje Bhosale is reportedly unhappy with the BJP for the lack of action against the Governor and the BJP’s national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi. Bhosale had even broken down before media persons. Trivedi, according to the NCP, had claimed that the founder of the Maratha empire had apologised to Aurangzeb on five occasions.    

    Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekar Bawankule tried to defuse the situation by saying he shared Udayan Raje Bhosale’s sentiments. Bawankule said he agreed that Governor Koshyari was wrong in calling Shivaji Maharaj an “olden-times” icon.

    “However, the Governor’s is a constitutional post and removing the governor is not in our hands. The concerned authority will take the call over it. We are not here to defend the Governor, but we should also understand this is not a deliberate error by the Governor,” Bawankule said.

    Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had earlier said that Udayan Raje Bhosale’s sense of hurt has been conveyed to people at the right places.

    What happened in Agra all those years ago

    Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and his son Sambhaji Maharaj were sent a letter and invited by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb for the latter’s 50th birthday. It was a ploy and on arrival, Shivaji and his son Sambhaji were imprisoned.

    Once in jail, the Maratha king was always under guard with at least 1000 men on duty. But a little over three months later, Shivaji Maharaj escaped from the Agra fort in sweet boxes after hoodwinking the Mughal king on August 17, 1666. His half-brother Hiroji Farzand played a big part in the escape, standing in for Shivaji by covering himself in a quilt and by slipping in on Shivaji’s gold wristlet on to his outstretched right arm. This ensured that the guards were fooled long enough to enable the great Maratha king to make his way to freedom.

  • Supreme Court greenlight to relocate metro car depot back to Aarey Colony

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI:  Nothing that a substantial number of trees have already been cut for the construction of car depot for Metro Line III located at Aarey colony, the Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to stay the Maharashtra government’s July 21, 2022 decision to relocate the car depot back to Aarey Colony from Kanjurmarg.

    Hours after coming to power, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis had overturned the Uddhav Thackarey government’s decision to shift the proposed car shed project from Aarey Colony. The Thackarey government had in November 2019 announced a stay on the construction of the proposed project and later ordered that the car shed be shifted to Kanjurmarg. The bench said that the court cannot be oblivious to the serious dislocation which will be caused if public investment that has gone into the project is disregarded. 

    “We are of the conclusion that the original decision to allow the metro car depot for Metro Line 3 to be located at Aarey to be restored could not be possible at the interim stage to stay the decision… It must be also noted that substantial number of trees pertaining to the area which falls within the segment of car depot and the ramp have already been fell and no further trees were required to be fell,” a bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice P S Narasimha said. 

    The court also let Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation pursue its application before BMCs Tree Authority for permission to cut 84 trees for construction of Aarey Metro Depot. It asked the authority to consider the plea independently. 

    NEW DELHI:  Nothing that a substantial number of trees have already been cut for the construction of car depot for Metro Line III located at Aarey colony, the Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to stay the Maharashtra government’s July 21, 2022 decision to relocate the car depot back to Aarey Colony from Kanjurmarg.

    Hours after coming to power, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis had overturned the Uddhav Thackarey government’s decision to shift the proposed car shed project from Aarey Colony. The Thackarey government had in November 2019 announced a stay on the construction of the proposed project and later ordered that the car shed be shifted to Kanjurmarg. 
    The bench said that the court cannot be oblivious to the serious dislocation which will be caused if public investment that has gone into the project is disregarded. 

    “We are of the conclusion that the original decision to allow the metro car depot for Metro Line 3 to be located at Aarey to be restored could not be possible at the interim stage to stay the decision… It must be also noted that substantial number of trees pertaining to the area which falls within the segment of car depot and the ramp have already been fell and no further trees were required to be fell,” a bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice P S Narasimha said. 

    The court also let Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation pursue its application before BMCs Tree Authority for permission to cut 84 trees for construction of Aarey Metro Depot. It asked the authority to consider the plea independently. 

  • Shinde faction hits back at Uddhav, threatens to reveal  ‘khokhe in fridge’

    Express News Service

    MUMB AI:  Responding to ‘khokhe sarkar’ remark, Maharashtra’s Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction has threatened Uddhav Thackeray with revealing all details about ‘khokhe’ in the fridge box and where it has gone.

    Opposition, particularly Uddhav Thackeray factions have cornered the Shinde camp over Khokhe Sarkar’s jibe. Khokhe means immoral money. It was alleged that BJP paid Rs 50 crore to each of Eknath Shinde’s 41 MLAs who overthrew Uddhav Thackeray’s government. This operation lotus has been referred to as ‘khokhe, and the incumbent Shinde-Fadnavis government as a ‘khokhe sarkar.’ 

    Uddhav Thackeray, addressing the public rally in Vidarbha, said that the Shinde-Fadnavis government is infamous as “khokhe sarkar.” He said, “Even Bachchu Kadu , an independent MLA, said that at weddings and social gatherings, people talk about the khokhe joke, and that this is inappropriate, humiliating, and damaging to the image he has carved over the last several years. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said there is a limit to ridiculing anyone. He asserted that they will no longer tolerate such low level and damaging remarks against their government.

    “We will also probe where the khokhe went through the fridge box? We will reveal all the details about it. Has the boxes from the container gone through the fridge boxes? The entire state of Maharashtra knows who can take these boxes and is capable of doing so.

    One day, all things will come into the limelight,” Shinde warned. The Shinde camp claimed that Uddhav Thackeray used to take and transport money (Kokhe) through refrigerator boxes at secure locations. Shinde camp MLA Deepak Kesarkar alleged that one day they will also reveal who has taken money through the fridge box.

    “There is a limit to lying about Khokhe? We have not taken a single penny from anyone. Uddhav Thackeray has lost his government due to his own fault; therefore, he has been making such baseless allegations against us,” Kesarkar said. Earlier, the Shinde camp also alleged that if anyone calls them khokhe sarkar, then they may file defamation cases against them.

    MUMB AI:  Responding to ‘khokhe sarkar’ remark, Maharashtra’s Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction has threatened Uddhav Thackeray with revealing all details about ‘khokhe’ in the fridge box and where it has gone.

    Opposition, particularly Uddhav Thackeray factions have cornered the Shinde camp over Khokhe Sarkar’s jibe. Khokhe means immoral money. It was alleged that BJP paid Rs 50 crore to each of Eknath Shinde’s 41 MLAs who overthrew Uddhav Thackeray’s government. This operation lotus has been referred to as ‘khokhe, and the incumbent Shinde-Fadnavis government as a ‘khokhe sarkar.’ 

    Uddhav Thackeray, addressing the public rally in Vidarbha, said that the Shinde-Fadnavis government is infamous as “khokhe sarkar.” He said, “Even Bachchu Kadu , an independent MLA, said that at weddings and social gatherings, people talk about the khokhe joke, and that this is inappropriate, humiliating, and damaging to the image he has carved over the last several years. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said there is a limit to ridiculing anyone. He asserted that they will no longer tolerate such low level and damaging remarks against their government.

    “We will also probe where the khokhe went through the fridge box? We will reveal all the details about it. Has the boxes from the container gone through the fridge boxes? The entire state of Maharashtra knows who can take these boxes and is capable of doing so.

    One day, all things will come into the limelight,” Shinde warned. The Shinde camp claimed that Uddhav Thackeray used to take and transport money (Kokhe) through refrigerator boxes at secure locations. Shinde camp MLA Deepak Kesarkar alleged that one day they will also reveal who has taken money through the fridge box.

    “There is a limit to lying about Khokhe? We have not taken a single penny from anyone. Uddhav Thackeray has lost his government due to his own fault; therefore, he has been making such baseless allegations against us,” Kesarkar said. Earlier, the Shinde camp also alleged that if anyone calls them khokhe sarkar, then they may file defamation cases against them.

  • Shinde govt came into being due to corruption and fear, alleges Maharashtra Congress chief Patole

    By PTI

    NANDED: Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole on Sunday alleged that the Eknath Shinde-led government in the state came into existence due to corruption and out of fear.

    Addressing a press conference here, Patole also claimed that the expansion of the state cabinet was not being done because the government can collapse.

    “Why is the chief minister not going for cabinet expansion? It is because this government can collapse. This regime came into existence due to corruption and fear. One cabinet minister is in charge of six districts. What is happening in Maharashtra?” he asked.

    Patole said CM Shinde keeps blaming the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) all the time.

    READ MORE | Bonhomie between BJP, Shinde faction, and MNS increases, will it translate into new political alignment in Maha?

    “But he along with many of the existing ministers were part of the MVA,” the Congress leader added.

    The Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government collapsed on June 29 this year following a revolt by 40 Shiv Sena MLAs, led by Shinde, against the party leadership.

    The next day, Shinde took oath as the chief minister with senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Devendra Fadnavis becoming his deputy.

    The first cabinet expansion of this government took place on August 9, forty days after Shinde became the CM.

    The state council of ministers at present has 18 cabinet ministers, including Shinde. There are nine ministers each from the Shinde-led faction of the Shiv Sena and its ally BJP. The council of ministers can have up to 43 members in Maharashtra.

    NANDED: Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole on Sunday alleged that the Eknath Shinde-led government in the state came into existence due to corruption and out of fear.

    Addressing a press conference here, Patole also claimed that the expansion of the state cabinet was not being done because the government can collapse.

    “Why is the chief minister not going for cabinet expansion? It is because this government can collapse. This regime came into existence due to corruption and fear. One cabinet minister is in charge of six districts. What is happening in Maharashtra?” he asked.

    Patole said CM Shinde keeps blaming the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) all the time.

    READ MORE | Bonhomie between BJP, Shinde faction, and MNS increases, will it translate into new political alignment in Maha?

    “But he along with many of the existing ministers were part of the MVA,” the Congress leader added.

    The Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government collapsed on June 29 this year following a revolt by 40 Shiv Sena MLAs, led by Shinde, against the party leadership.

    The next day, Shinde took oath as the chief minister with senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Devendra Fadnavis becoming his deputy.

    The first cabinet expansion of this government took place on August 9, forty days after Shinde became the CM.

    The state council of ministers at present has 18 cabinet ministers, including Shinde. There are nine ministers each from the Shinde-led faction of the Shiv Sena and its ally BJP. The council of ministers can have up to 43 members in Maharashtra.

  • Bonhomie between BJP, Shinde faction, and MNS increases, will it translate into new political alignment in Maha?

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: With altered political equations in the state, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena appears to be gravitating towards the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Shiv Sena faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, a key factor to watch for ahead of the Mumbai civic polls where Marathi votes play a crucial role.

    Ever since the fall of the government led by Raj Thackeray’s estranged cousin and arch-rival Uddhav Thackeray in June, the bonhomie between Shinde and his deputy Devendra Fadnavis has led to a buzz of new political alignments.

    Shinde and Fadnavis met Raj Thackeray for MNS’ Deepotsav event in Shivaji Park on the eve of Diwali.

    The brewing chemistry was evident when the trio walked together to the venue in Shivaji Park from the residence of the MNS chief.

    Last month, Raj Thackeray had written a letter to Fadnavis, urging him to withdraw BJP’s candidate from the Andheri East Assembly bypoll in favour of late Shiv Sena MLA Ramesh Latke’s wife.

    The BJP later withdrew its candidate from the race, for which Raj Thackeray thanked Fadnavis.

    In the months leading to the fall of the Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, Raj Thackeray had raised the issue of loudspeakers at mosques and announced to visit Ayodhya.

    After the change in guard in Maharashtra, leaders of the BJP and the Shinde faction met Raj Thackeray separately on various occasions.

    Both Shinde and Fadnavis had also met the MNS chief separately.

    Raj Thackeray also wrote a letter to his ‘friend’ Fadnavis, hailing him for setting an example of loyalty and commitment to one’s party by taking over as the Deputy Chief Minister of the state.

    Officially, each side has declined to comment on a possible tie-up in the state. After Fadnavis, Shinde met Raj Thackeray at the Deepotsav event, said Raju Patil, MNS’ lone MLA. He said they are closer by heart but will go ahead with whatever the leadership says.

    With the Uddhav Thackeray faction of Shiv Sena aligning with the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), the talks of a new political realignment between BJP and MNS are getting louder.

    The possibility of such a scenario comes at a time when civic body polls are around the corner, especially the crucial Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections.

    Sujata Anandan, the author of ‘Hindu Hriday Samrat’  How the Shiv Sena changed Mumbai forever, said it is clear that Raj Thackeray’s MNS will go with the BJP as it is not a threat to the party.

    More importantly, Raj Thackeray’s politics since he parted ways with Shiv Sena in 2006 has worked against Uddhav Thackeray, Anandan told PTI.

    Ketan Bhosale, an associate professor at Mumbai University’s Sathaye College, said Raj Thackeray leaned towards Hindutva two years back and shares the same cause with the BJP and the Shinde faction.

    “The MNS chief had done ‘somersaults’ in the past and he is fiercely against Uddhav. This has happened in the past and at every juncture, Raj was always in the camp opposite Uddhav,” Bhosale said, adding the upcoming BMC elections could also be the last chance to consolidate MNS, which is trying to stay relevant politically.

    The MNS was founded in 2006 after Raj Thackeray quit Shiv Sena over who would be Bal Thackeray’s political heir.

    He took up the issue of the sons-of-the-soil, the agenda on which Shiv Sena was built in 1966.

    In 2007, in its debut municipal polls, the MNS won seven seats in Mumbai, followed by 27 in 2012- the highest so far for the party in Mumbai, one of its core base areas. In 2017, it won only seven seats.

    In 2009, riding on the “Marathi manoos” plank, Raj Thackeray ate into the votes of Shiv Sena and BJP in Mumbai, Thane, Pune and Nashik.

    In the Assembly elections held that year, MNS bagged 13 of the 288 seats. This paved the way for an easy win for the Congress-NCP combine, mainly at the cost of Shiv Sena.

    “The MNS’ performance in the first assembly election after it was formed far exceeded the Shiv Sena’s historic performance ” the party (the Shiv Sena) crossed single digits only in 1990,— author Dhaval Kulkarni writes in his book ‘The Cousins Thackeray” Uddhav, Raj and the shadow of their Sena’.

    The 2009 Assembly polls remain the best performance of MNS so far. It has been on a rapid slide since.

    In 2014, the MNS contested 219 seats and forfeited its deposit in 209. It won just one seat and bagged 3.15 per cent of the votes.

    In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, Raj Thackeray openly advocated the candidature of Narendra Modi for the prime minister’s post and fielded candidates mostly against the Sena.

    More than a year ahead of the polls, he also visited Gujarat and praised Modi. In the 2019 general elections, Raj Thackeray did a U-turn and took up cudgels against Modi. Experts view this as help offered to the Congress-NCP alliance.

    In the Assembly polls held in the same year, the MNS contested 101 seats and forfeited its deposit in 86 segments. It bagged only one seat in the state and garnered 2.25 per cent votes.

    Cut to 2022, Shiv Sena disintegrated by Shinde’s rebellion, it remains interesting to see if MNS fills the void and attracts Marathi votes in alliance with BJP and the Shinde faction.

    MUMBAI: With altered political equations in the state, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena appears to be gravitating towards the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Shiv Sena faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, a key factor to watch for ahead of the Mumbai civic polls where Marathi votes play a crucial role.

    Ever since the fall of the government led by Raj Thackeray’s estranged cousin and arch-rival Uddhav Thackeray in June, the bonhomie between Shinde and his deputy Devendra Fadnavis has led to a buzz of new political alignments.

    Shinde and Fadnavis met Raj Thackeray for MNS’ Deepotsav event in Shivaji Park on the eve of Diwali.

    The brewing chemistry was evident when the trio walked together to the venue in Shivaji Park from the residence of the MNS chief.

    Last month, Raj Thackeray had written a letter to Fadnavis, urging him to withdraw BJP’s candidate from the Andheri East Assembly bypoll in favour of late Shiv Sena MLA Ramesh Latke’s wife.

    The BJP later withdrew its candidate from the race, for which Raj Thackeray thanked Fadnavis.

    In the months leading to the fall of the Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, Raj Thackeray had raised the issue of loudspeakers at mosques and announced to visit Ayodhya.

    After the change in guard in Maharashtra, leaders of the BJP and the Shinde faction met Raj Thackeray separately on various occasions.

    Both Shinde and Fadnavis had also met the MNS chief separately.

    Raj Thackeray also wrote a letter to his ‘friend’ Fadnavis, hailing him for setting an example of loyalty and commitment to one’s party by taking over as the Deputy Chief Minister of the state.

    Officially, each side has declined to comment on a possible tie-up in the state. After Fadnavis, Shinde met Raj Thackeray at the Deepotsav event, said Raju Patil, MNS’ lone MLA. He said they are closer by heart but will go ahead with whatever the leadership says.

    With the Uddhav Thackeray faction of Shiv Sena aligning with the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), the talks of a new political realignment between BJP and MNS are getting louder.

    The possibility of such a scenario comes at a time when civic body polls are around the corner, especially the crucial Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections.

    Sujata Anandan, the author of ‘Hindu Hriday Samrat’  How the Shiv Sena changed Mumbai forever, said it is clear that Raj Thackeray’s MNS will go with the BJP as it is not a threat to the party.

    More importantly, Raj Thackeray’s politics since he parted ways with Shiv Sena in 2006 has worked against Uddhav Thackeray, Anandan told PTI.

    Ketan Bhosale, an associate professor at Mumbai University’s Sathaye College, said Raj Thackeray leaned towards Hindutva two years back and shares the same cause with the BJP and the Shinde faction.

    “The MNS chief had done ‘somersaults’ in the past and he is fiercely against Uddhav. This has happened in the past and at every juncture, Raj was always in the camp opposite Uddhav,” Bhosale said, adding the upcoming BMC elections could also be the last chance to consolidate MNS, which is trying to stay relevant politically.

    The MNS was founded in 2006 after Raj Thackeray quit Shiv Sena over who would be Bal Thackeray’s political heir.

    He took up the issue of the sons-of-the-soil, the agenda on which Shiv Sena was built in 1966.

    In 2007, in its debut municipal polls, the MNS won seven seats in Mumbai, followed by 27 in 2012- the highest so far for the party in Mumbai, one of its core base areas. In 2017, it won only seven seats.

    In 2009, riding on the “Marathi manoos” plank, Raj Thackeray ate into the votes of Shiv Sena and BJP in Mumbai, Thane, Pune and Nashik.

    In the Assembly elections held that year, MNS bagged 13 of the 288 seats. This paved the way for an easy win for the Congress-NCP combine, mainly at the cost of Shiv Sena.

    “The MNS’ performance in the first assembly election after it was formed far exceeded the Shiv Sena’s historic performance ” the party (the Shiv Sena) crossed single digits only in 1990,— author Dhaval Kulkarni writes in his book ‘The Cousins Thackeray” Uddhav, Raj and the shadow of their Sena’.

    The 2009 Assembly polls remain the best performance of MNS so far. It has been on a rapid slide since.

    In 2014, the MNS contested 219 seats and forfeited its deposit in 209. It won just one seat and bagged 3.15 per cent of the votes.

    In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, Raj Thackeray openly advocated the candidature of Narendra Modi for the prime minister’s post and fielded candidates mostly against the Sena.

    More than a year ahead of the polls, he also visited Gujarat and praised Modi. In the 2019 general elections, Raj Thackeray did a U-turn and took up cudgels against Modi. Experts view this as help offered to the Congress-NCP alliance.

    In the Assembly polls held in the same year, the MNS contested 101 seats and forfeited its deposit in 86 segments. It bagged only one seat in the state and garnered 2.25 per cent votes.

    Cut to 2022, Shiv Sena disintegrated by Shinde’s rebellion, it remains interesting to see if MNS fills the void and attracts Marathi votes in alliance with BJP and the Shinde faction.

  • Eknath Shinde govt restores general consent to CBI to probe cases in Maharashtra

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: The Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government has reversed the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) dispensation’s decision of withdrawing the general consent to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to investigate cases in the state.

    The Shinde government restored the general consent given to the central probe agency, an official said.

    CM Shinde cleared the proposal of the home department headed by Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to reverse the decision of MVA government to withdraw the general consent to the CBI to probe cases in the state, the official from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) told PTI.

    With the reversal of this decision, the CBI will no longer require permission of the state government to step in, he said.

    On October 21, 2020, the Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government had withdrawn the general consent to the CBI under the contention that the central government was misusing central probe agencies to settle political scores.

    MUMBAI: The Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government has reversed the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) dispensation’s decision of withdrawing the general consent to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to investigate cases in the state.

    The Shinde government restored the general consent given to the central probe agency, an official said.

    CM Shinde cleared the proposal of the home department headed by Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to reverse the decision of MVA government to withdraw the general consent to the CBI to probe cases in the state, the official from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) told PTI.

    With the reversal of this decision, the CBI will no longer require permission of the state government to step in, he said.

    On October 21, 2020, the Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government had withdrawn the general consent to the CBI under the contention that the central government was misusing central probe agencies to settle political scores.

  • Uddhav Sena writes to EC over symbol and name, alleges bias 

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Uddhav Thackeray faction of Shiv Sena on Thursday alleged bias by the Election Commission in the allocation of party symbols and name as it battles for control of the organisation with the group led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

    “Several communications and the actions of the Hon’ble Commission have given rise to a serious apprehension of bias in the mind of the Respondent,” the Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena said in a letter to the Election Commission through its lawyer Vivek Singh.

    Last week, the Commission had barred the rival factions of the Shiv Sena from using the party name and the ‘bow and arrow’ symbol, pending the settlement of the dispute over the “real Shiv Sena”.

    Earlier this week, the Commission had allotted ‘Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray’ as the name and ‘flaming torch’ as the election symbol for the Thackeray faction.

    The Shinde faction got the name ‘Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena’ and ‘two swords and a shield’ as the election symbol.

    Singh, the lawyer for the Thackeray faction, contended that the Commission did not grant the party adequate time to file its reply on Shinde’s claims to the ‘bow and arrow’ symbol for the Andheri East bypoll in Maharashtra.

    The Thackeray faction also alleged that the Commission had uploaded its letter conveying the preference for poll symbols and party names on the poll authority’s website, making it accessible to everyone, including the rival faction.

    “This was done even before a decision was taken by the Commission regarding allocation of symbols and possibly even before the Petitioner had submitted his own list of proposed symbols and names, thus giving the Petitioner and his group a clear unfair advantage over the Respondent,” Singh said.

    He claimed that the Shinde faction had “very tellingly” given the same first choice of name, and the same first and second choice of the symbol as of the Thackeray faction.

    “This could not have happened but for the fact that the Hon’ble Commission shared a privileged communication from the Respondent herein on its public website. This one-sided and unfair disclosure gave the Petitioner information that he immediately used to his advantage by ensuring that his preferences regarding name and symbol blocked the Respondent from being allotted his first preference,” Singh said.

    The Commission’s letter allotting the ‘flaming torch’ to the Thackeray faction did not carry the image of the poll symbol, while the letter to the Shinde faction contained a large pictorial representation of the ‘two swords and a shield’ poll symbol, the letter said.

    “The same is again giving an unfair advantage to the Petitioner,” the Thackeray faction said.

    NEW DELHI: The Uddhav Thackeray faction of Shiv Sena on Thursday alleged bias by the Election Commission in the allocation of party symbols and name as it battles for control of the organisation with the group led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

    “Several communications and the actions of the Hon’ble Commission have given rise to a serious apprehension of bias in the mind of the Respondent,” the Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena said in a letter to the Election Commission through its lawyer Vivek Singh.

    Last week, the Commission had barred the rival factions of the Shiv Sena from using the party name and the ‘bow and arrow’ symbol, pending the settlement of the dispute over the “real Shiv Sena”.

    Earlier this week, the Commission had allotted ‘Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray’ as the name and ‘flaming torch’ as the election symbol for the Thackeray faction.

    The Shinde faction got the name ‘Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena’ and ‘two swords and a shield’ as the election symbol.

    Singh, the lawyer for the Thackeray faction, contended that the Commission did not grant the party adequate time to file its reply on Shinde’s claims to the ‘bow and arrow’ symbol for the Andheri East bypoll in Maharashtra.

    The Thackeray faction also alleged that the Commission had uploaded its letter conveying the preference for poll symbols and party names on the poll authority’s website, making it accessible to everyone, including the rival faction.

    “This was done even before a decision was taken by the Commission regarding allocation of symbols and possibly even before the Petitioner had submitted his own list of proposed symbols and names, thus giving the Petitioner and his group a clear unfair advantage over the Respondent,” Singh said.

    He claimed that the Shinde faction had “very tellingly” given the same first choice of name, and the same first and second choice of the symbol as of the Thackeray faction.

    “This could not have happened but for the fact that the Hon’ble Commission shared a privileged communication from the Respondent herein on its public website. This one-sided and unfair disclosure gave the Petitioner information that he immediately used to his advantage by ensuring that his preferences regarding name and symbol blocked the Respondent from being allotted his first preference,” Singh said.

    The Commission’s letter allotting the ‘flaming torch’ to the Thackeray faction did not carry the image of the poll symbol, while the letter to the Shinde faction contained a large pictorial representation of the ‘two swords and a shield’ poll symbol, the letter said.

    “The same is again giving an unfair advantage to the Petitioner,” the Thackeray faction said.