News Analysis India

Tag: Maharashtra

  • 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.

  • Country doesn’t need shortcut politics, it needs sustainable development: PM Modi

    By PTI

    NAGPUR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said India needed sustainable development and not “shortcut politics,” and alleged that some parties were trying to destroy the country’s economy.

    Addressing a gathering after launching and inaugurating various projects worth Rs 75,000 crore here, Modi said a narrow approach towards development will provide only limited opportunities. He also said that infrastructure development in the country in the last eight years has been done with a human touch.

    The prime minister inaugurated the first phase of the Nagpur-Mumbai Samruddhi Expressway that connects Nagpur and the temple town of Shirdi in Ahmednagar district, flagged off the Nagpur-Bilaspur Vande Bharat Express train, inaugurated the first phase of the Nagpur Metro Rail project and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Nagpur.

    “A developed India can become a reality through united strength, progress and development of all states. When we have a narrow approach towards development, opportunities are also limited,” he said.

    “In the last eight years, we have changed the mindset and approach with ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas’ (everyone’s support, trust and efforts),” he said.

    Modi said the projects launched and inaugurated in Nagpur presented a holistic vision of development.

    He urged people to remain cautious against politicians indulging in shortcut politics, looting taxpayers’ money and grabbing power through false promises. “Country’s development cannot take place through shortcut politics,” he said.

    “Some political parties are trying to destroy the country’s economy and people should expose such politicians and parties. My appeal to all political leaders is to focus on sustainable development instead of shortcut politics. You can win elections with sustainable development,” he said.

    He said, earlier, taxpayers’ money used to get wasted in corruption and vote bank politics and added that his government was focusing on holistic and modern infrastructure development which is “future ready.”

    Modi described 11 development projects inaugurated by him as “jewels” of Maharashtra. He said the double-engine government was steering development in the state.

    The PM slammed the previous governments citing the example of the Gosikhurd dam project in the Bhandara district, which got delayed for three decades. “But after the double engine government came to power the Gosikhurd project is nearing completion now,” he said.

    Deprived sections of the society were a priority for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, he said, adding that sustainable development and sustainable solution paved the way for the party’s big win in the just-concluded Assembly polls in Gujarat.

    He said the Ayushman Bharat scheme was an example of social infrastructure development, while the Jan Dhan Yojana was an example of financial infrastructure development.

    “Today is Sankashthi Chaturthi. All good work is started after offering prayers to Lord Ganesh. I offer my salutations to Tekdi’s Ganpati bappa,” Modi said in Marathi at the beginning of his speech.

    Modi inaugurated the first phase of the Nagpur Metro rail project by taking a ride in the train between Zero Mile Freedom Park and Khapri stations with some students of the AIIMs, with whom he interacted on the way.

    Before boarding the train, he visited an exhibition on the project at the Zero Mile station. After inaugurating the Samruddhi Expressway, he travelled on a 10-km stretch in a car.

    The length of the total project, officially named ‘Hindu Hrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg’, will be 701 km. The stretch under the first phase is 520 km long.

    He also laid the foundation stone for the redevelopment of Nagpur and Ajni railway stations.

    Under the project, the Nagpur railway station will be equipped with an enhanced waiting area and sitting capacity, a parking facility for two-wheelers and cars, 30 lifts, and 31 escalators to provide a world-class travel experience to passengers and boost socio-economic development in and around the station.

    He laid the foundation stone of the National Institute of One Health, Nagpur and Nag river pollution abatement project.

    He also remotely inaugurated the Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering and Technology (CIPET) at Chandrapur and the Centre for Research Management and Control of Hemoglobinopathies at Chandrapur.

    NAGPUR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said India needed sustainable development and not “shortcut politics,” and alleged that some parties were trying to destroy the country’s economy.

    Addressing a gathering after launching and inaugurating various projects worth Rs 75,000 crore here, Modi said a narrow approach towards development will provide only limited opportunities. He also said that infrastructure development in the country in the last eight years has been done with a human touch.

    The prime minister inaugurated the first phase of the Nagpur-Mumbai Samruddhi Expressway that connects Nagpur and the temple town of Shirdi in Ahmednagar district, flagged off the Nagpur-Bilaspur Vande Bharat Express train, inaugurated the first phase of the Nagpur Metro Rail project and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Nagpur.

    “A developed India can become a reality through united strength, progress and development of all states. When we have a narrow approach towards development, opportunities are also limited,” he said.

    “In the last eight years, we have changed the mindset and approach with ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas’ (everyone’s support, trust and efforts),” he said.

    Modi said the projects launched and inaugurated in Nagpur presented a holistic vision of development.

    He urged people to remain cautious against politicians indulging in shortcut politics, looting taxpayers’ money and grabbing power through false promises. “Country’s development cannot take place through shortcut politics,” he said.

    “Some political parties are trying to destroy the country’s economy and people should expose such politicians and parties. My appeal to all political leaders is to focus on sustainable development instead of shortcut politics. You can win elections with sustainable development,” he said.

    He said, earlier, taxpayers’ money used to get wasted in corruption and vote bank politics and added that his government was focusing on holistic and modern infrastructure development which is “future ready.”

    Modi described 11 development projects inaugurated by him as “jewels” of Maharashtra. He said the double-engine government was steering development in the state.

    The PM slammed the previous governments citing the example of the Gosikhurd dam project in the Bhandara district, which got delayed for three decades. “But after the double engine government came to power the Gosikhurd project is nearing completion now,” he said.

    Deprived sections of the society were a priority for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, he said, adding that sustainable development and sustainable solution paved the way for the party’s big win in the just-concluded Assembly polls in Gujarat.

    He said the Ayushman Bharat scheme was an example of social infrastructure development, while the Jan Dhan Yojana was an example of financial infrastructure development.

    “Today is Sankashthi Chaturthi. All good work is started after offering prayers to Lord Ganesh. I offer my salutations to Tekdi’s Ganpati bappa,” Modi said in Marathi at the beginning of his speech.

    Modi inaugurated the first phase of the Nagpur Metro rail project by taking a ride in the train between Zero Mile Freedom Park and Khapri stations with some students of the AIIMs, with whom he interacted on the way.

    Before boarding the train, he visited an exhibition on the project at the Zero Mile station. After inaugurating the Samruddhi Expressway, he travelled on a 10-km stretch in a car.

    The length of the total project, officially named ‘Hindu Hrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg’, will be 701 km. The stretch under the first phase is 520 km long.

    He also laid the foundation stone for the redevelopment of Nagpur and Ajni railway stations.

    Under the project, the Nagpur railway station will be equipped with an enhanced waiting area and sitting capacity, a parking facility for two-wheelers and cars, 30 lifts, and 31 escalators to provide a world-class travel experience to passengers and boost socio-economic development in and around the station.

    He laid the foundation stone of the National Institute of One Health, Nagpur and Nag river pollution abatement project.

    He also remotely inaugurated the Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering and Technology (CIPET) at Chandrapur and the Centre for Research Management and Control of Hemoglobinopathies at Chandrapur.

  • Completely unconstitutional govt run in Maharashtra: Uddhav faction; SC to hear pleas on Jan 13

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Uddhav Thackeray-led faction of the Shiv Sena on Tuesday told the Supreme Court that a “completely unconstitutional government is being run” in Maharashtra.

    A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice PS Narasimha said it will hear a batch of petitions on the Maharashtra political crisis on January 13 as it will not be possible for the five-judge Constitution bench to sit next week, which will be for miscellaneous matters.

    It said, “In next week it won’t be possible to take up the matter as it will be a miscellaneous week.

    It will not be possible for five judges to sit in a constitution bench during next week.

    We will take up the matter on January 13, 2023.”

    The top court made the remark after senior advocate Devadatt Kamat, appearing for the Uddhav faction said, “There is some urgency in the matter as a completely unconstitutional government is being run in the state.”

    The bench said that on January 13, it will take up the matter.

    Kamat requested the court to at least keep the matters for directions and the hearing may commence on January 13.

    The bench said, “Yes, we will commence the hearing on that day.”

    On November 1, the top court had said that it will hear the batch of pleas on the Maharashtra political crisis filed by the Shiv Sena factions led by Thackeray and Eknath Shinde on November 29, when it is likely to issue some directions.

    The five-judge bench headed by the CJI had asked both parties to file their written submissions and a joint compilation on the issues to be adjudicated by the constitution bench.

    On August 23, a three-judge bench of the top court headed by then chief justice N V Ramana had formulated several questions of law and referred to a five-judge bench the petitions filed by the factions raising several constitutional questions related to defection, merger and disqualification.

    The top court had ordered the listing of petitions before the constitution bench and directed the Election Commission not to pass any orders on the Shinde faction’s plea that it be considered the real Shiv Sena and granted the party’s poll symbol.

    It had said the batch of petitions raise important constitutional issues relating to the 10th schedule of the Constitution pertaining to disqualification, power of the Speaker and Governor and judicial review.

    NEW DELHI: The Uddhav Thackeray-led faction of the Shiv Sena on Tuesday told the Supreme Court that a “completely unconstitutional government is being run” in Maharashtra.

    A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice PS Narasimha said it will hear a batch of petitions on the Maharashtra political crisis on January 13 as it will not be possible for the five-judge Constitution bench to sit next week, which will be for miscellaneous matters.

    It said, “In next week it won’t be possible to take up the matter as it will be a miscellaneous week.

    It will not be possible for five judges to sit in a constitution bench during next week.

    We will take up the matter on January 13, 2023.”

    The top court made the remark after senior advocate Devadatt Kamat, appearing for the Uddhav faction said, “There is some urgency in the matter as a completely unconstitutional government is being run in the state.”

    The bench said that on January 13, it will take up the matter.

    Kamat requested the court to at least keep the matters for directions and the hearing may commence on January 13.

    The bench said, “Yes, we will commence the hearing on that day.”

    On November 1, the top court had said that it will hear the batch of pleas on the Maharashtra political crisis filed by the Shiv Sena factions led by Thackeray and Eknath Shinde on November 29, when it is likely to issue some directions.

    The five-judge bench headed by the CJI had asked both parties to file their written submissions and a joint compilation on the issues to be adjudicated by the constitution bench.

    On August 23, a three-judge bench of the top court headed by then chief justice N V Ramana had formulated several questions of law and referred to a five-judge bench the petitions filed by the factions raising several constitutional questions related to defection, merger and disqualification.

    The top court had ordered the listing of petitions before the constitution bench and directed the Election Commission not to pass any orders on the Shinde faction’s plea that it be considered the real Shiv Sena and granted the party’s poll symbol.

    It had said the batch of petitions raise important constitutional issues relating to the 10th schedule of the Constitution pertaining to disqualification, power of the Speaker and Governor and judicial review.

  • 717 measles cases in Maharashtra so far this year, Mumbai worst-affected

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: The number of measles cases reported in Maharashtra since the start of the year has reached 717, including 303 in Mumbai, the state health department said.

    The viral infection, which mostly affects children, has claimed 14 lives so far, it said on Tuesday. In Mumbai alone, 10 deaths due to measles have been reported as of November 28, the official release said.

    On Tuesday, Mumbai recorded five fresh measles cases and one suspected death, the city’s civic body said in a bulletin.

    Since January, 70 cases of infection have been reported in Malegaon city in Nashik district and 48 in Bhiwandi near Mumbai. Mumbai has recorded 74 outbreaks so far this year.

    If there are five suspected cases within a week of which more than two are confirmed by laboratory, then it is termed as an outbreak. Mumbai also recorded 11,390 suspected cases since January 1, 2022.

    The state had recorded 1,337 confirmed cases in 2019, 2,150 in 2020 and 3,668 last year, as per official data. Of the 14 patients who died due to measles this year, only one had taken vaccine, the statement said.

    Four of the patients who died were infants in the 0-11 months age group, eight were in 12-24 months age group and two were adults in 25-60 age group. Six of the deceased were female.

    Mumbai reported 10 deaths since the start of the year, Bhiwandi three and Vasai-Virar area one. A special inoculation drive is being undertaken amid the rising cases. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is regularly reviewing the situation, the release added.

    MUMBAI: The number of measles cases reported in Maharashtra since the start of the year has reached 717, including 303 in Mumbai, the state health department said.

    The viral infection, which mostly affects children, has claimed 14 lives so far, it said on Tuesday. In Mumbai alone, 10 deaths due to measles have been reported as of November 28, the official release said.

    On Tuesday, Mumbai recorded five fresh measles cases and one suspected death, the city’s civic body said in a bulletin.

    Since January, 70 cases of infection have been reported in Malegaon city in Nashik district and 48 in Bhiwandi near Mumbai. Mumbai has recorded 74 outbreaks so far this year.

    If there are five suspected cases within a week of which more than two are confirmed by laboratory, then it is termed as an outbreak. Mumbai also recorded 11,390 suspected cases since January 1, 2022.

    The state had recorded 1,337 confirmed cases in 2019, 2,150 in 2020 and 3,668 last year, as per official data. Of the 14 patients who died due to measles this year, only one had taken vaccine, the statement said.

    Four of the patients who died were infants in the 0-11 months age group, eight were in 12-24 months age group and two were adults in 25-60 age group. Six of the deceased were female.

    Mumbai reported 10 deaths since the start of the year, Bhiwandi three and Vasai-Virar area one. A special inoculation drive is being undertaken amid the rising cases. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is regularly reviewing the situation, the release added.

  • 40 Maharashtra villages seek to merge with Karnataka

    Express News Service

    BELAGAVI: Amid the ongoing tussle between leaders of Karnataka and Maharashtra over the simmering boundary dispute between the two neighbouring states, residents of 40 villages in Jath taluk in Sangli district on Maharashtra border, mostly inhabited by Kannadigas, have expressed their desire to see their areas merged with Karnataka. Slamming the Maharashtra government for neglecting their villages for decades and depriving them of basic amenities like roads and irrigation facilities, the villagers said they would prefer to be part of Karnataka if the Maharashtra government continues to neglect them.

    President of Umadi Niravari Horata Samiti in Jath taluk, Sunil Potdar said, “We have been demanding basic amenities in our villages in Jath taluk for the past decade, but in vain. Our demands have fallen on deaf ears. It’s time that our villages are merged with Karnataka.’’ He welcomed the recent statement of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai who backed the demand of Kannadigas for merger of their region, including Solapur and Akkalkot, with Karnataka.

    A prominent local leader Shambu Mamadapur, also president of the Danamma Temple Trust of Guddapur in Jath taluk, said the villagers of Guddapur have been demanding the development of roads for several decades but the Maharashtra government has not done anything about it.

    People in most of these 40 villages are upset that the government has neglected Kannada schools and said that it was the Karnataka government which sanctioned Rs 15 crore for the development of schools in the border areas, besides giving grants for the construction of Kannada Bhavan in recent years. The villagers said the roads leading to Danamma Temple, one of the famous religious places in the region, are pathetic even as more than 10,000 devotees visit the shrine everyday. 

    Kannadigas in majority in 40 villages

    At least one lakh devotees throng the temple on Kartik Amavasya and 95 per cent of them are Kannadigas, they said, adding that not even a single paisa has been released by the Maharashtra government for the benefit of devotees. However, the Karnataka government released Rs 12 crore to the temple trust in the last eight years, the villagers said.

    All the 40 villages, which are predominantly occupied by Kannadigas in Jath taluk, are located close to Athani taluk in the border areas. According to sources, Kannadigas form more than 90% of the population in these 40 villages. The people of all the 40 villages organised a Gram Sabha at Guddapur in 2012 and urged the Maharashtra government to develop their area or allow them to merge with Karnataka. The villagers had also staged a protest in this connection in front of the DC’s office in Sangli.

    Noted litterateur Chandrashekhar Patil had attended the meeting at Guddapur and had told the villagers that he would meet Bommai and bring the facts to his notice. Meanwhile, a team of Karnataka Rakshna Vedike from Kagwad visited Balgaon in Jath taluk on Monday and invited Kannadigas to come to Karnataka.

    BELAGAVI: Amid the ongoing tussle between leaders of Karnataka and Maharashtra over the simmering boundary dispute between the two neighbouring states, residents of 40 villages in Jath taluk in Sangli district on Maharashtra border, mostly inhabited by Kannadigas, have expressed their desire to see their areas merged with Karnataka. Slamming the Maharashtra government for neglecting their villages for decades and depriving them of basic amenities like roads and irrigation facilities, the villagers said they would prefer to be part of Karnataka if the Maharashtra government continues to neglect them.

    President of Umadi Niravari Horata Samiti in Jath taluk, Sunil Potdar said, “We have been demanding basic amenities in our villages in Jath taluk for the past decade, but in vain. Our demands have fallen on deaf ears. It’s time that our villages are merged with Karnataka.’’ He welcomed the recent statement of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai who backed the demand of Kannadigas for merger of their region, including Solapur and Akkalkot, with Karnataka.

    A prominent local leader Shambu Mamadapur, also president of the Danamma Temple Trust of Guddapur in Jath taluk, said the villagers of Guddapur have been demanding the development of roads for several decades but the Maharashtra government has not done anything about it.

    People in most of these 40 villages are upset that the government has neglected Kannada schools and said that it was the Karnataka government which sanctioned Rs 15 crore for the development of schools in the border areas, besides giving grants for the construction of Kannada Bhavan in recent years. The villagers said the roads leading to Danamma Temple, one of the famous religious places in the region, are pathetic even as more than 10,000 devotees visit the shrine everyday. 

    Kannadigas in majority in 40 villages

    At least one lakh devotees throng the temple on Kartik Amavasya and 95 per cent of them are Kannadigas, they said, adding that not even a single paisa has been released by the Maharashtra government for the benefit of devotees. However, the Karnataka government released Rs 12 crore to the temple trust in the last eight years, the villagers said.

    All the 40 villages, which are predominantly occupied by Kannadigas in Jath taluk, are located close to Athani taluk in the border areas. According to sources, Kannadigas form more than 90% of the population in these 40 villages. The people of all the 40 villages organised a Gram Sabha at Guddapur in 2012 and urged the Maharashtra government to develop their area or allow them to merge with Karnataka. The villagers had also staged a protest in this connection in front of the DC’s office in Sangli.

    Noted litterateur Chandrashekhar Patil had attended the meeting at Guddapur and had told the villagers that he would meet Bommai and bring the facts to his notice. Meanwhile, a team of Karnataka Rakshna Vedike from Kagwad visited Balgaon in Jath taluk on Monday and invited Kannadigas to come to Karnataka.

  • Maharashtra sets up 7-member panel for roadmap to publish ‘Marathi’ MBBS books

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government has set up a seven-member committee to chalk out a roadmap for publishing MBBS course books in the Marathi language, an official from the state medical education and research department said on Thursday.

    Notably, the Madhya Pradesh government recently launched books for the MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) course in Hindi.

    The seven-member panel formed in Maharashtra is headed by the medical education and research department’s joint director Ajay Chandanwale, the official said.

    “We spoke with officials in Madhya Pradesh who published the MBBS course books in Hindi. The next step is to hold the first meeting of the committee members in Maharashtra and discuss the road map for the course publication in Marathi. The meeting is likely to be held in Mumbai next week,” a senior official from the medical education and research said.

    MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government has set up a seven-member committee to chalk out a roadmap for publishing MBBS course books in the Marathi language, an official from the state medical education and research department said on Thursday.

    Notably, the Madhya Pradesh government recently launched books for the MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) course in Hindi.

    The seven-member panel formed in Maharashtra is headed by the medical education and research department’s joint director Ajay Chandanwale, the official said.

    “We spoke with officials in Madhya Pradesh who published the MBBS course books in Hindi. The next step is to hold the first meeting of the committee members in Maharashtra and discuss the road map for the course publication in Marathi. The meeting is likely to be held in Mumbai next week,” a senior official from the medical education and research said.

  • No village from Maharashtra will go anywhere: Fadnavis on Bommai’s statement

    By PTI

    NAGPUR/MUMBAI: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said no village in Maharashtra has sought merger with Karnataka recently, and there is no question of any border village “going anywhere”.

    Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had claimed on Tuesday that some village panchayats in Jat taluka of Maharashtra’s Sangli district had passed a resolution in the past seeking to merge with Karnataka when they were facing a severe water crisis.

    The Karnataka government had devised schemes to help them by providing water, and his government was seriously considering the proposal of Jat villages, he said.

    “These villages had introduced a resolution on the issue of water scarcity in 2012. Presently, none of the villages have introduced any resolution,” Fadnavis told reporters here.

    When he became Maharashtra chief minister, his government entered into an agreement with Karnataka to sort out the water issue, he said.

    A water supply scheme was chalked out for the Jat villages when Girish Mahajan was water resources minister in his cabinet, the BJP leader added.

    “We are now going to give approval to that scheme. Perhaps because of Covid, the previous (Uddhav Thackeray-led) government could not approve it,” Fadnavis added.

    “Presently, none of the villages have raised such demand (of merger with Karnataka). The demand is of 2012,” he said.

    “Not a single village of Maharashtra will go anywhere,” Fadnavis stressed.

    Earlier in the day, Maharashtra minister Shambhuraj Desai said the Karnataka chief minister’s claims should not be taken seriously.

    The decades-old border dispute over Belagavi (earlier Belgaum) between Maharashtra and Karnataka is in news again due to recent statements from both sides.

    On Monday, Bommai had said he had formed a formidable legal team of senior lawyers to deal with the border dispute when it comes up in the Supreme Court.

    On Tuesday, the Maharashtra government appointed Chandrakant Patil and Shambhuraj Desai as nodal ministers to coordinate with the state’s legal team regarding the pending court case.

    Talking to reporters here, Desai said, “As Maharashtra has reconstituted its team to take forward the Karnataka border dispute in the Supreme Court, Bommai has come up with some ridiculous old demand. It should not be taken seriously. The villages in Jat tehsil had reportedly passed a resolution more than a decade back to pressurise the then state government to address their demand of water supply from the Krishna river.”

    There is no such official documentation or resolution available with the Maharashtra government, he added.

    “As per my information, the Maharashtra government has already cleared a proposal to supply water for irrigation to the arid parts of Jat tehsil. The cost of the project is around Rs 1,200 crore. A technical scrutiny of the project is underway. It means these villages will definitely get water from Maharashtra,” Desai said.

    The border dispute dates back to the 1960s after the reorganisation of States on linguistic lines.

    Maharashtra laid claim to Belagavi which was part of the erstwhile Bombay Presidency as it has a sizable Marathi-speaking population.

    It also laid claim to 80 Marathi-speaking villages which are currently part of Karnataka.

    NAGPUR/MUMBAI: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said no village in Maharashtra has sought merger with Karnataka recently, and there is no question of any border village “going anywhere”.

    Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had claimed on Tuesday that some village panchayats in Jat taluka of Maharashtra’s Sangli district had passed a resolution in the past seeking to merge with Karnataka when they were facing a severe water crisis.

    The Karnataka government had devised schemes to help them by providing water, and his government was seriously considering the proposal of Jat villages, he said.

    “These villages had introduced a resolution on the issue of water scarcity in 2012. Presently, none of the villages have introduced any resolution,” Fadnavis told reporters here.

    When he became Maharashtra chief minister, his government entered into an agreement with Karnataka to sort out the water issue, he said.

    A water supply scheme was chalked out for the Jat villages when Girish Mahajan was water resources minister in his cabinet, the BJP leader added.

    “We are now going to give approval to that scheme. Perhaps because of Covid, the previous (Uddhav Thackeray-led) government could not approve it,” Fadnavis added.

    “Presently, none of the villages have raised such demand (of merger with Karnataka). The demand is of 2012,” he said.

    “Not a single village of Maharashtra will go anywhere,” Fadnavis stressed.

    Earlier in the day, Maharashtra minister Shambhuraj Desai said the Karnataka chief minister’s claims should not be taken seriously.

    The decades-old border dispute over Belagavi (earlier Belgaum) between Maharashtra and Karnataka is in news again due to recent statements from both sides.

    On Monday, Bommai had said he had formed a formidable legal team of senior lawyers to deal with the border dispute when it comes up in the Supreme Court.

    On Tuesday, the Maharashtra government appointed Chandrakant Patil and Shambhuraj Desai as nodal ministers to coordinate with the state’s legal team regarding the pending court case.

    Talking to reporters here, Desai said, “As Maharashtra has reconstituted its team to take forward the Karnataka border dispute in the Supreme Court, Bommai has come up with some ridiculous old demand. It should not be taken seriously. The villages in Jat tehsil had reportedly passed a resolution more than a decade back to pressurise the then state government to address their demand of water supply from the Krishna river.”

    There is no such official documentation or resolution available with the Maharashtra government, he added.

    “As per my information, the Maharashtra government has already cleared a proposal to supply water for irrigation to the arid parts of Jat tehsil. The cost of the project is around Rs 1,200 crore. A technical scrutiny of the project is underway. It means these villages will definitely get water from Maharashtra,” Desai said.

    The border dispute dates back to the 1960s after the reorganisation of States on linguistic lines.

    Maharashtra laid claim to Belagavi which was part of the erstwhile Bombay Presidency as it has a sizable Marathi-speaking population.

    It also laid claim to 80 Marathi-speaking villages which are currently part of Karnataka.

  • Maharashtra panel meet on Nov 21 over boundary row before SC hearing

    By Express News Service

    MUMBAI/BELAGAVI: With the Karnataka government set to strengthen their case over the boundary dispute against Maharashtra in the Supreme Court, the Maharashtra government has decided to convene a meeting of its reconstituted 14-member high-powered committee on November 21 at Sahyadri Guest House in Mumbai in view of the apex court hearing on November 23.

    The panel will be headed by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, with Union Minister Narayan Rane, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, NCP president Sharad Pawar, former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, leaders of opposition Ajit Pawar and Ambadas Danve, and other cabinet ministers as  members.

    The Maharashtra government demands the merger of 865 villages on the border shared by both the states. Recently, a delegation of Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) had appealed to Shinde to hold a meeting in connection with the dispute. The Maharashtra government has already rejected the recommendations made by the Mahajan Commission.

    ‘Karnataka unprepared’With the Maharashtra government designing strategies to fight the case, the Karnataka government is yet to hold a meeting regarding the dispute in the recent months. “The Border Protection Commission of Karnataka is defunct after the demise of its chairperson Justice KL Manjunath, six month ago. The state neither has a minister for the boundary dispute nor a high-powered committee to look into the dispute,’’ says an expert. The state government claimed it had already instructed Advocate General Prabhuling Navadgi to look into the case, sources said.

    ‘Don’t let SC admit case’The Karnataka government plans to contend that the boundary dispute case does not come under the purview of the SC, by which the government should ensure that the Maharashtra’s petition is not “admitted in the Supreme Court’’, say sources.

    MUMBAI/BELAGAVI: With the Karnataka government set to strengthen their case over the boundary dispute against Maharashtra in the Supreme Court, the Maharashtra government has decided to convene a meeting of its reconstituted 14-member high-powered committee on November 21 at Sahyadri Guest House in Mumbai in view of the apex court hearing on November 23.

    The panel will be headed by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, with Union Minister Narayan Rane, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, NCP president Sharad Pawar, former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, leaders of opposition Ajit Pawar and Ambadas Danve, and other cabinet ministers as  members.

    The Maharashtra government demands the merger of 865 villages on the border shared by both the states. Recently, a delegation of Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) had appealed to Shinde to hold a meeting in connection with the dispute. The Maharashtra government has already rejected the recommendations made by the Mahajan Commission.

    ‘Karnataka unprepared’
    With the Maharashtra government designing strategies to fight the case, the Karnataka government is yet to hold a meeting regarding the dispute in the recent months. “The Border Protection Commission of Karnataka is defunct after the demise of its chairperson Justice KL Manjunath, six month ago. The state neither has a minister for the boundary dispute nor a high-powered committee to look into the dispute,’’ says an expert. The state government claimed it had already instructed Advocate General Prabhuling Navadgi to look into the case, sources said.

    ‘Don’t let SC admit case’
    The Karnataka government plans to contend that the boundary dispute case does not come under the purview of the SC, by which the government should ensure that the Maharashtra’s petition is not “admitted in the Supreme Court’’, say sources.

  • I don’t approve of Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on Savarkar: Uddhav

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, who heads a faction of the Shiv Sena, on Thursday said his party has immense respect for V D Savarkar and he does not approve of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on the freedom fighter.

    Talking to reporters here, Thackeray also asked why the Centre has not conferred the Bharat Ratna on Savarkar.

    “We do not approve of Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on Savarkar. We have immense respect and faith for Swatyantra Veer Savarkar and it cannot be erased,” he said.

    The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction has an alliance with the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party, as part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi. His son and former Maharashtra minister Aaditya Thackeray participated in the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra last week.

    During a rally in Washim district on Tuesday organised as part of his yatra, Rahul said Savarkar is a symbol of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

    “He was jailed in Andaman for two, three years. He started writing mercy petitions,” the Congress MP had said.

    The former Congress president had claimed Savarkar wrote a book on himself with a different name and highlighted how brave he was.

    “He used to take pensions from the British, work for them, and work against the Congress,” Gandhi had said.

    Following this, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde targeted the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena faction.

    Responding to it, Uddhav Thackeray said, “It is laughable when parents or their progeny (apparently referring to the RSS and BJP) who have no connection with the freedom struggle express love for Savarkar.”

    He said the RSS is completing 100 years, but it was not a part of the freedom struggle. They don’t have the right to talk about Savarkar, he added.

    “Savarkar who made sacrifices for freedom – the same freedom needs to be protected today,” the former CM said.

    “You ask us questions when Rahul Gandhi says something about Savarkar,” he commented.

    “I had asked this in the Vidhan Sabha that is this patriotism when you sit next to the PDP (People’s Democratic Party led by Mehbooba Mufti in Jammu and Kashmir) that does not even give a call of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ or sing ‘Vande Mataram’,” Uddhav Thackeray said, referring to the alliance between the BJP and PDP in 2015.

    MUMBAI: Former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, who heads a faction of the Shiv Sena, on Thursday said his party has immense respect for V D Savarkar and he does not approve of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on the freedom fighter.

    Talking to reporters here, Thackeray also asked why the Centre has not conferred the Bharat Ratna on Savarkar.

    “We do not approve of Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on Savarkar. We have immense respect and faith for Swatyantra Veer Savarkar and it cannot be erased,” he said.

    The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction has an alliance with the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party, as part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi. His son and former Maharashtra minister Aaditya Thackeray participated in the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra last week.

    During a rally in Washim district on Tuesday organised as part of his yatra, Rahul said Savarkar is a symbol of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

    “He was jailed in Andaman for two, three years. He started writing mercy petitions,” the Congress MP had said.

    The former Congress president had claimed Savarkar wrote a book on himself with a different name and highlighted how brave he was.

    “He used to take pensions from the British, work for them, and work against the Congress,” Gandhi had said.

    Following this, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde targeted the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena faction.

    Responding to it, Uddhav Thackeray said, “It is laughable when parents or their progeny (apparently referring to the RSS and BJP) who have no connection with the freedom struggle express love for Savarkar.”

    He said the RSS is completing 100 years, but it was not a part of the freedom struggle. They don’t have the right to talk about Savarkar, he added.

    “Savarkar who made sacrifices for freedom – the same freedom needs to be protected today,” the former CM said.

    “You ask us questions when Rahul Gandhi says something about Savarkar,” he commented.

    “I had asked this in the Vidhan Sabha that is this patriotism when you sit next to the PDP (People’s Democratic Party led by Mehbooba Mufti in Jammu and Kashmir) that does not even give a call of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ or sing ‘Vande Mataram’,” Uddhav Thackeray said, referring to the alliance between the BJP and PDP in 2015.

  • Maharashtra’s political atmosphere has become polluted: Sanjay Raut

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday claimed Maharashtra’s political atmosphere has become polluted where many people are out to “destroy” each other.

    Raut said he realised this again after coming out of jail on November 9. The Rajya Sabha member was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case on August 1 this year and granted bail by a court in Mumbai on November 9.

    On Sunday, he resumed his weekly column Rokhthok in ‘Saamana’, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena faction’s mouthpiece of which he is the executive editor.

    ”There is a feeling of hatred and politicians have now reached a stage where they don’t want their opponents even to be alive. Maharashtra’s political atmosphere has become polluted where people are out to destroy to each other,” Raut claimed.

    “When I was asked about (Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader) Devendra Fadnavis’s comment that bitterness in politics has to end, I replied that he is speaking the truth and media started saying I have toned down,” the Sena leader said.

    “Democracy and freedom do not exist now, these are merely names now. Politics has become poisonous. It was not so during the British rule,” Raut claimed.

    “Today’s rulers in Delhi want to hear what they wish. Those who don’t do that are considered enemies,” he further claimed.

    “China and Pakistan are not Delhi’s enemies, but those who speak the truth and are straight are treated as enemies and such political leaders lower the country’s stature,” he added.READ | My arrest was political, such ‘vendetta politics’ never seen earlier: Sanjay Raut

    MUMBAI: Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday claimed Maharashtra’s political atmosphere has become polluted where many people are out to “destroy” each other.

    Raut said he realised this again after coming out of jail on November 9. The Rajya Sabha member was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case on August 1 this year and granted bail by a court in Mumbai on November 9.

    On Sunday, he resumed his weekly column Rokhthok in ‘Saamana’, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena faction’s mouthpiece of which he is the executive editor.

    ”There is a feeling of hatred and politicians have now reached a stage where they don’t want their opponents even to be alive. Maharashtra’s political atmosphere has become polluted where people are out to destroy to each other,” Raut claimed.

    “When I was asked about (Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader) Devendra Fadnavis’s comment that bitterness in politics has to end, I replied that he is speaking the truth and media started saying I have toned down,” the Sena leader said.

    “Democracy and freedom do not exist now, these are merely names now. Politics has become poisonous. It was not so during the British rule,” Raut claimed.

    “Today’s rulers in Delhi want to hear what they wish. Those who don’t do that are considered enemies,” he further claimed.

    “China and Pakistan are not Delhi’s enemies, but those who speak the truth and are straight are treated as enemies and such political leaders lower the country’s stature,” he added.READ | My arrest was political, such ‘vendetta politics’ never seen earlier: Sanjay Raut