News Analysis India

Tag: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena

  • 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.

  • ‘Journey towards one’s decline begins when good fortune is misunderstood as accomplishment’: Raj Thackeray’s dig at Uddhav

    Uddhav Thackeray quit the top post following a rebellion by senior Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde and the majority of the party MLAs.

  • MNS chief Raj Thackeray reiterates May 3 deadline for removal of loudspeakers atop mosques

    By PTI

    AURANGABAD: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray on Sunday said he was firm on the May 3 deadline for removal of loudspeakers, which he termed as a nuisance, atop mosques.

    Addressing a public rally here late in the evening, Thackeray said, “I won’t be responsible for what all happens after the May 3 deadline to remove the loudspeakers from the mosques.”

    The MNS chief said that from May 4, all Hindus should play Hanuman Chalisa at double the volume of loudspeakers atop the mosques.

    “If they (Muslims) don’t understand nicely, we will show them the power of Maharashtra,” he said.

    Loudspeaker noise is not a religious issue but a social one, he said.

    “All loudspeakers (atop mosques) are illegal. Is it a concert that so many loudspeakers are being used?” he said.

    Thackeray said if Uttar Pradesh government could remove the loudspeakers, what was stopping Maharashtra government, led by his estranged cousin Uddhav Thackeray, from doing so.

  • Maharashtra Home minister to meet with key leaders of all parties before decision on loudspeakers

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil on Wednesday said he will hold a meeting with the key leaders of all political parties and some organisations in the state before a final decision is taken over with the use of loudspeakers.

    He made the comments against the backdrop of a strong pitch made by the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and the opposition BJP over removing high-decibel loudspeakers installed on mosques.

    Interacting with media persons here, Walse Patil also said that loudspeakers can be installed only after seeking permission from the police as per law.

    He said state’s Director General of Police (DGP) Rajnish Seth held a meeting with the top officials on the issue of loudspeakers on Tuesday and submitted a report in this regard to him on Wednesday.

    “He (Seth) has submitted a report to me on what situation may arise in the state over the next some days and steps to be taken in that regard,” the minister added.

    Walse Patil, without naming anyone, reiterated that attempts are being made to disturb law and order in the state and added that the government has taken a “serious view” of the same.

    He requested everyone to desist from taking law into their hands, escalating conflicts and dividing communities.

    “Strict action will be taken if anyone does this and peace will be established,” he added.

    Walse Patil said that the Supreme Court had passed a judgement on noise pollution in 2005, and added the state government had issued some government resolutions (GR) in that regard in 2015 and 2017.

    “Instruction will be issued to authorities concerned to implement the same.

    But before taking a final decision in this regard, I will hold a meeting with leaders of key parties in the state to discuss the issue.

    “I will hold discussions with some organisations as well. After that, a final decision will be made,” he added.

    To a question, Walse Patil said MNS chief Raj Thackeray, who had made a strong pitch for removing loudspeakers from mosques earlier this month, will also be invited for the meeting.

    Walse Patil, however, did not specify the date when the meeting will be held.

    The minister also said he will welcome if people follow the Supreme Court order (on noise pollution) on their own.

    To another question, Walse Patil said Aurangabad police commissioner has received letters seeking to disallow Thackeray’s planned rally in Aurangabad city, and added that cops will take a call in this regard assessing the local situation.

    Walse Patil also said that there is no reason for the government “to oppose if anyone installs CCTVs at temples or any other place of prayers voluntarily” from a security point of view.

    He was replying to a question on the MNS reportedly demanding installation of CCTVs in mosques.

    Asked whether loudspeakers installed without permissions on temples or mosques will be removed, Walse Patil said that it is not the government’s responsibility “to install or remove loudspeakers”.

    “One who wishes to install a loudspeaker, should do so as per law, seeking police permission.

    Loudspeakers cannot be installed if there is no police permission.

    “Those who install loudspeakers, they will have to follow the SC order and government’s GRs,” he added.

    Replying to a query, the minister said the government has inputs about pockets in the state, where the situation may be tense and added that the police have been asked to be fully prepared to face such situations.

    Walse Patil said there is no need to give importance to Amravati MP Navneet Rana and her MLA-husband Ravi Rana’s talk of reading ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ outside Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s official residence ‘Varsha’ here.

    Raj Thackeray has earlier asked the MVA government to remove loudspeakers from mosques by May 3, citing noise pollution, and threatened to play Hanuman Chalisa outside mosques in a higher volume if his demand was not met.

    The BJP has supported Raj Thackeray’s demand.

  • Four MNS workers held for playing ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ on loudspeaker outside Sena Bhavan

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Mumbai police on Sunday detained four workers of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) for playing ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ on a loudspeaker in front of the Shiv Sena headquarters in Dadar area, an official said.

    The police also seized the loudspeaker, a cab on which it was mounted and other items, he said.

    On April 2, MNS chief Raj Thackeray had demanded that loudspeakers at mosques be shut down and said if this is not stopped, “there will be speakers outside mosques playing ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ at higher volume”.

    He had also criticised NCP chief Sharad Pawar, whose party shares power with the Shiv Sena and Congress in Maharashtra, accusing him of “playing the caste card from time to time and dividing society”.

    He had also taken potshots at Maharashtra Chief Minister and his estranged cousin Uddhav Thackeray, On Sunday morning, after being alerted about MNS members playing the religious hymn on a loudspeaker outside the Sena Bhavan, police reached the spot and detained MNS functionary Yashwant Killedar and three other workers of the outfit, the official from Shivaji Park police station said.

    Following their detention, a number of MNS workers gathered in a small temple located near the police station premises and start singing the ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ and other religious songs.

    “We have detained four MNS workers for playing a loudspeaker in front of the Sena Bhavan. We are conducting further investigation into the matter,” the police official said.

    Last Sunday, some MNS workers had played the ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ in front the party office in Kalyan town of neighbouring Thane district.

  • Maharashtra: MNS workers stage protest demanding reopening of temples

    By PTI

    PUNE: Leaders and workers of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) resorted to ringing of bells as part of a “ghanta naad” protest here on Thursday to press for their demand for opening temples in the state.

    The BJP had also staged a similar protest outside Kasba Ganapati Temple here earlier this week, following which the police had registered an offence against party leaders for allegedly violating the COVID-19 norms.

    The MNS’ agitation was staged under the leadership of the party’s city unit president Vasant More outside Tambdi Jogeshwari temple.

    “All hotels, bars, malls and shops have been permitted to operate. When everything has been reopened, the state government is putting restrictions on Hindu festivals. We demand that the restrictions placed on festivals and temples, which are still closed, should be lifted as soon as possible,” More said.

    If the state government fails to lift the restrictions, the MNS will intensify its agitation, he said.

    MNS leader Rajendra Wagaskar said if the state government does not allow temples and other places of worship to open, the party will open them for common people.

  • Maharashtra: Day after BJP protests over temple reopening, MNS workers defy ban to celebrate ‘Dahi Handi’ festival

    By PTI

    THANE: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers celebrated the traditional ‘Dahi Handi’ festival in Thane and neighbouring Palghar district, even though the celebrations have been banned in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The popular festival organised during ‘Gokulashtami’, which attracts a lot of crowds, is being observed on Tuesday.

    Around Monday midnight, a large number of MNS activists, including women, gathered at Naupada in Thane city and hung a ‘dahi handi’ (an earthen pot filled with curd) at a height in the area.

    They formed a pyramid and a woman activist climbed atop and broke the curd pot.

    The city police later took five party activists into custody for defying the prohibitory orders, an official said.

    The MNS activists also had an argument with the police when they tried to stop them.

    MNS Thane-Palghar unit chief Avinash Jadhav, who was arrested earlier in the day for holding a protest over their demand for allowing Dahi Handi celebrations and later released, was present during the event held late at night.

    A number of party activists also organised similar celebrations in Thane’s Vartak Nagar and in Nalla Sopara area of adjoining Palghar district late Monday night.

    Talking to reporters, Jadhav claimed the Shiv Sena came to power by bagging Hindu votes, but had betrayed the community by prohibiting its functions.

    He said they would celebrate the festival, irrespective of the ban.

    Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray last week told organisers of the Dahi Handi festival that the state should set an example by setting aside celebration of festivals for some time to get rid of the coronavirus completely.

    He had said the health of citizens should be given priority during a pandemic.

    Workers, senior leaders and former ministers from the opposition BJP on Monday staged protests in several cities in Maharashtra against the MVA government’s stand to not reopen temples which remain shut due to COVID-19 restrictions.

    At many places, social distancing norms were not adhered to during demonstrations, while an FIR was filed against former minister Sudhir Mungantiwar and party workers in Mumbai for violating COVID-19 rules.

    The protests, organised by the Aadhyatmik Aghadi (spiritual wing) of the BJP, were held in Pune, Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, Nashik, Nagpur, Pandharpur, Aurangabad and other places where agitators rang bells and blew conches.

    In Mumbai, Mungantiwar led a demonstration at the famous Babulnath temple.

    However, the Gamdevi police briefly detained the senior BJP leader and party workers and stopped them from going near the temple, officials said.

    Mungantiwar later told reporters that temples were open in the rest of the country, but not in Maharashtra.

    Queried about the Union government’s guidelines asking states to ensure that public gatherings are avoided in view of the upcoming festivals and possibility of a third coronavirus wave, he shot back asking, “Did the Centre ask to allow liquor shops to function and close temples? Did the state government take action against Shiv Sainiks who protested against Union minister Narayan Rane? Mungantiwar said people fully vaccinated against coronavirus are allowed to board suburban trains in Mumbai and same rule can be applied in case of entry in temples.

    “Local trains are open for fully vaccinated people. Why the same criterion cannot be applied and temples reopened?” he asked.

    According to an official, Mungantiwar and over 30 party workers were detained by the Gamdevi police and later an FIR was registered against them for violating COVID-19 norms and under relevant sections of the IPC.

    Another BJP leader Ram Kadam was taken into custody from his residence in suburban Khar in Mumbai when he was preparing to head to the famous Siddhivinayak Temple in Prabhadevi to take part in a protest, he said.

    Protests were also held in Thane and Palghar districts neighbouring Mumbai wherein BJP workers blew conches and rang bells.

    Holding placards and banners demanding reopening of temples, they shouted slogans against the state government at various places.

    Meanwhile, activists of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) staged a protest in Thane city against the state government’s decision to not allow Dahi Handi celebrations on Tuesday.

    Maharashtra Congress spokesman Sachin Sawant, however, lashed out at the BJP saying the saffron party is “playing with the lives of devotees and don’t care for the Central government’s directives”.

    “People should be cautious and stay away from leaders and workers of the BJP as they may be carriers of coronavirus. Chandrakant Patil and others didn’t wear face masks,” he claimed.

    In Pune and Aurangabad, BJP workers tried to force their way into closed temples, but were stopped by the police.

    Maharashtra BJP president Chandrakant Patil, who led the protest in Pune city outside the famous Kasba Ganpati temple, questioned the state government’s rationale behind allowing liquor and other shops to function but not extending the similar relaxation to temples and other places of worship.

    “Is fear of a projected third wave of the pandemic doesn’t apply for liquor outlets and other shops? Does coronavirus talk to them (the government) and says it will strike only if temples are reopened ?” asked Patil, a former minister.

    He alleged Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray was not allowing temples to reopen to “please his allies who do not believe in God and want to receive votes from minorities”.

    “If temples are not reopened people will not be able to control their sentiments anymore and will break open locks of temples to take blessings of deities.

    We are not agitating only for Hindus, our agitation is for people of all faiths,” Patil said.

    Pune Mayor Murlidhar Mohol wondered why temples are not allowed to reopen when hotels, public transport, malls etc are allowed to operate by the government.

    “Livelihood of thousands depend on temples but the state government, which has failed to handle the COVID-19 situation, is playing with the religious sentiments of the people and that is why BJP is agitating in the state to demand reopening of temples,” he said.

    In the temple town of Pandharpur in Solapur district, BJP workers staged a protest, following which they were detained, said additional superintendent of police Atul Zende, Solapur rural police.

    In Nagpur in east Maharashtra, BJP workers blew conches at various temples as part of the “Shankhnaad” protest and appealed to the state government to reopen temples in the next seven days failing which they will reopen temples.

    BJP leader and former Maharashtra minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule participated in a protest held at the famous Koradi temple in Nagpur.

    “Reopening of temples is a demand of 12 crore people of Maharashtra. Social activist Anna Hazare has also said that he will join a protest for this cause. Temples across India are open except in Maharashtra. If the state government fails to reopen temples within the next seven days, BJP would reopen them,” he said.

    BJP spokesperson Chandan Goswami said the “Shankhnaad” protest was held at more than 150 temples in the Vidarbha region.

    In Aurangabad city in the Marathwada region, BJP workers said they will reopen temples during the Ganesh festival next month.

    Taking a dig at the Shiv Sena, BJP MLA Atul Save questioned its “Hindutva”, saying temples are open in other states except in Maharashtra where Sena is in power.

    “And they call themselves ‘Hindutvawadi’ (pro-Hindu),” he wondered.

    “The government doesn’t consider feelings of Hindu devotees. Liquor shops, bars are open. The Shravan month is considered sacred for Hindus but temples remained shut. If the government fails to reopen temples, BJP workers will enter temples with devotees to take darshan of deities,” Save told reporters.

    Aurangabad district president Sanjay Kenekar termed the MVA as a ‘Talibani’ government.

    “The state government speaks of secularism on one hand and the other hand, Namaz is allowed. But Hindus are not allowed to take darshan in temples. This is a Taliban government,” he alleged.

    Meanwhile, Maharashtra reported 3,741 new coronavirus cases and 52 fresh fatalities on Monday, taking the infection tally to 64,60,680 and the toll to 1,37,209, a state health department official said.

    The official said 4,696 patients were discharged from hospitals across the state in the last 24 hours, taking the cumulative number of recovered patients to 62,68,112.

    The state, which now has 51,834 active cases, has 2,88,489 people in home isolation and another 2,299 in institutional quarantine, he said.

    Maharashtra’s COVID-19 recovery rate stands at 97.02 per cent, while the fatality rate is 2.12 per cent.

    The cumulative number of coronavirus tests conducted in the state climbed to 5,38,12,827, of with 1,63,214 were conducted in the last 24 hours, the official said.

    Coronavirus tests are generally low over the weekends as compared to other days and this translates into a drop in positive cases on Mondays.

    Eight districts namely Dhule, Jalgaon, Hingoli, Akola, Yavatmal, Wardha, Gondia, Chandrapur, and six municipal corporations – Dhule, Jalgaon, Malegaon,Parbhani, Nanded and Chandrapur (their urban centres) – did not report any fresh COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, he said.

    The official said Ahmednagar district reported the highest 770 new infections, followed by Satara at 446, while Solapur was the only district in the state that reported deaths in double digits at 19.

    Among the eight regions of Maharashtra (comprising multiple districts), the Pune region reported the highest cases at 1,512 followed by 888 in Nashik.

    Among the other regions, the Mumbai region reported 650 new cases, Kolhapur 521, Latur 113, Aurangabad 27, Akola 21 and the Nagpur region nine, the official said.

    According to the official, among the 52 fatalities from the eight regions, the highest 22 were reported from Pune followed by 14 from the Mumbai region.

    Significantly, Akola and Aurangabad regions did not report any fresh fatalities, while the Kolhapur region reported 12 deaths, Latur 2 and Nashik and Nagpur regions one each.

    The official said Mumbai registered 333 new COVID-19 cases and two deaths, while Pune city reported 168 infections, but no fresh fatality.

    Among the 51,834 active cases in the state, Pune district has the highest at 12,717, according to the official.

    He said among the 62,68,112 recovered patients across the state, the highest – 10,85,720 – were from Pune district.

    Coronavirus figures for Maharashtra are as follows: Total cases 64,60,680; new cases 3,741; total deaths 1,37,209; recoveries 62,68,112; active cases 51,834; total tests 5,38,12,827.

  • MNS workers thrash finance company representative for threating man over loan repayment

    By PTI
    THANE: Workers of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) beat up a finance company representative for allegedly giving threat to a man over loan repayment, a party office-bearer said.

    Sandeep Pachange, Thane district unit president of Maharashtra Navanirman Vidyarti Sena, a student wing of the party, himself gave information about the incident that took place on Thursday.

    “A few days back, a customer had approached the MNS office here with a complaint that the collection agent of a finance company was harassing him, asking him to repay loan. The family said they were not in a position to repay the loan due to the lockdown and the pandemic situation,” Pachange said.

    The agent told the customer that if the loan instalment is not paid, his family members would be kidnapped, he said.

    “When we got to know about it, we beat up the agent and made him apologise to the family in public,” he said.

    A video of the company representative being beaten up purportedly by Pachange and other MNS workers has gone viral on social media.

    Police, however, said that the company representative has so far not lodged any complaint in this connection.

  • Raj Thackeray takes U-turn, supports refinery project in Konkan

    Express News Service
    MUMBAI:  Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Sunday urged Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray not to drop the Nanar Greenfield Refinery project in Ratnagiri. Interestingly, Raj Thackeray had opposed the same project when Devendra Fadnavis was the state’s chief minister.

    After meeting the residents of Nanar locality, Thackeray had said the project would ruin the natural beauty of Konkan region. In a letter dated March 6 to the CM, Thackeray wrote if Maharashtra has to rise above the pandemic-inflicted financial strain, the Konkan and the state can’t afford to let go off the refinery project.

    He said the project will not only benefit the Konkan region but the entire state. “For Maharashtra’s long-term gains, the state government needs to handle this matter in accordance with the welfare of all,” he tweeted. “The coronavirus backdrop has altered our perspective and the real context of situations. There is a serious contest to get investments into states and the country.

    Some time ago, I read that a major international project was passed onto Bengaluru and the Maharashtra state government was trying its best to get it back. This piece of news was rather heartbreaking,”  the MNS leader wrote.

  • Government shouldn’t have ‘asked’ big personalities like Sachin, Lata to tweet on farmers’ issue: Raj Thackeray

    By ANI
    MUMBAI: In the wake of comments by celebrities on the ongoing farmers’ protest, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Sunday said that the government should not have “asked” big personalities like former batsman Sachin Tendulkar and legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar to tweet in their support on the issue and put their “reputation” at stake.

    The MNS chief said that the agitation is against the government policies and not concerning issues of national interest.

    “The government should not have asked big personalities like Sachin Tendulkar and Lata Mangeshkar to tweet in support of its stand and put their reputation at stake. They are recipients of Bharat Ratna. Actors like Akshay Kumar were enough for this task,” said Thackeray.

    “This issue was about the policies of the government and not of the country. It was not a matter related to China or Pakistan. It was a matter of farmers. The Bharat Ratna recipients tweeted on behalf of the government and now they are being trolled,” he said.

    Days after Tendulkar made comments on the protest by farmers, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar had asked the former Indian cricketer to “exercise caution while speaking about other fields”.

    “Many people (celebrities) have reacted sharply to the stand taken by them (farmers). My suggestion to Sachin Tendulkar is he should be cautious while commenting on fields other than his domain,” Pawar had said.

    Taking to Twitter, former Indian cricket team captain tweeted: “India’s sovereignty cannot be compromised. External forces can be spectators but not participants. Indians know India and should decide for India. Let’s remain united as a nation. #IndiaTogether #IndiaAgainstPropaganda.”

    His remarks came after a few international celebrities including pop star Rihanna commented on farmers’ protests.

    Farmers have been protesting on the different borders of the national capital since November 26 last year against the three new farm laws: Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.