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Tag: Uddhav Thackeray

  • Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray asks Centre to shift refinery project to another site in Ratnagiri

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, proposing to move the multi-billion dollar refinery project planned in Ratnagiri to another site in the coastal district, a senior official in the CM’s office said on Wednesday.

    The project was earlier proposed to be built at Nanar in Ratnagiri district, but has got stalled due to opposition from local organisations and the ruling Shiv Sena in the state. “The CM wrote a letter to the prime minister in January regarding shifting of the refinery project to another site,” the official said.

    The nearly USD 60 billion project is to be jointly constructed by Saudi Aramco and the UAE’s Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC). A nuclear power plant of over 9,000 MW is also scheduled to come up at Jaitapur in Ratnagiri.

    On Tuesday, during his visit to Ratnagiri, state Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray had said the refinery project planned in the Konkan region will come up only after locals are consulted and their consent is obtained.

    Speaking to people in Ratnagiri, he had also said the project will not be built at Nanar, its original proposed site. The Shiv Sena, headed by CM Uddhav Thackeray, has been opposed to the refinery project in Ratnagiri district on the ground that locals are against it.

    Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan had reportedly stated on Sunday that there was hope of revival of the project as the Maharashtra government seemed to be changing its mind about it.

  • BJP targets Uddhav over restrictions during ‘Gudhi Padwa’; Savarkar Memorial appeals people to fly ‘Hindu flag’ on houses

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: The BJP on Tuesday hit out at Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray over the possibility of restrictions on the public celebration of festivals like `Gudhi Padwa’ (Marathi new year) that falls on April 2.

    Speaking to reporters here, BJP leader Ashish Shelar alleged that whenever it comes to Hindu festivals, “it seems the chief minister’s hand gets paralysed.”

    “Padwa is on April 2 and Ram Navami on April 10. Hindus should be allowed to take out processions on both the days. These are auspicious occasions for us,” he said.

    The state government has already issued prohibitory orders from March 10 to April 8 citing apprehension of terrorist attacks.

    Taking exception to Shelar’s comments about Thackeray, Shiv Sena leader Manisha Kayande said, “Shelar’s brain seems to have been paralysed as he wants to be president of the state BJP. I warn him that if he continues to make such comments, Sena workers will not tolerate it for long.”

    The Swatantryaveer Savarkar Memorial, an organization dedicated to the memory of Hindutva icon and freedom fighter V D Savarkar, has appealed people to put up a “Hindu flag” over their houses during ‘Gudhi Padwa’.

    Gudhi Padwa, the Marathi New Year, falls on April 2 this year.

    In a statement, the organization said flags in different sizes are available at its offices at Dadar, Mumbai, and in Pune.

  • NCP: Malik’s portfolios to be given ‘temporarily’ to his cabinet colleagues

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: The NCP has decided to “temporarily” give charge of portfolios held by jailed Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik to his cabinet colleagues from the party, but the ruling coalition partner will not seek his resignation, Water Resources Minister Jayant Patil said on Thursday.

    Patil, who is also the NCP’s Maharashtra unit president, said the party’s decision will be conveyed to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray who, he added, will take the final call in this regard.

    Interacting with media persons here after attending a meeting called by NCP president Sharad Pawar to discuss the issue, Patil maintained the party will not take Malik’s resignation as the latter “was arrested in a wrong manner”.

    The meeting took place at Sharad Pawar’s residence here. It was attended by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, ministers Chhagan Bhujbal and Dilip Walse Patil and party’s senior leaders Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare, besides Patil.

    Malik, a senior NCP leader, is a cabinet minister who holds minority affairs and skill development portfolios in the Shiv Sena-led MVA government.

    The 62-year-old NCP leader, arrested in late February by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with an alleged money laundering case, is currently in jail under judicial custody.

    Malik, who heads the NCP’s Mumbai unit, is also the guardian minister for Parbhani and Gondia districts. “His bail plea was rejected once again (recently). Hence, the charge of his responsibilities (portfolios) will be given to others in the next two to four days. We have decided to make this alternate temporary arrangement until he is available again,” Patil said.

    He said the details as to who will get charge of Malik’s portfolios will be declared after the same is informed to the chief minister first.

    According to sources, the NCP may give the charge of minority affairs portfolio to Housing Development Minister Jitendra Awhad. The charge of the skill development department may go to Rural Development Minister Hasan Mushrif, they added.

    Patil said the charge of Malik’s guardian ministerships of Parbhani and Gondia will be given to Social Justice Minister Dhananjay Munde and Minister of State for Urban Development Prajakt Tanpure, respectively.

    A formal request in this regard will be made to the chief minister, who will take a final call, the NCP minister added.

    Patil further said Malik will continue to remain the party’s Mumbai unit chief.

    However, the party has decided to appoint two working presidents, Narendra Rane and Rakhi Jadhav, in the Mumbai unit in view of the forthcoming civic polls in Mumbai, he added.

    On BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis’s remark in Nagpur that the BJP will win single-handedly in the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly polls, Patil quipped, “I thank him on behalf of the MVA for saying that the alliance will be in power till 2024.”

    He asserted that Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) MLAs will “not break away” and added that the alliance government is “stable and there is no threat to it”.

    The NCP and the Congress are constituents of the Shiv Sena-led MVA which came to power in November 2019.

    Fadnavis, a former CM, recently created a flutter when he accused the MVA of hatching a conspiracy to target BJP leaders and submitted a pen drive “as proof” to the Deputy Assembly Speaker.

    Asked about the claim made by the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Patil said authenticity of the content in the pen drive needs to be verified.

  • Maharashtra CM asks officials to coordinate with MEA for safe return of state residents from Ukraine 

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday directed the administration to coordinate with the Ministry of External Affairs to ensure safe return of students and others from Maharashtra who are stuck in Ukraine.

    The chief minister expressed concern about the safety of people from the state visiting Ukraine for business and education, and asked the Chief Secretary to be in touch with the Central government, said a statement from Thackeray’s office.

    He also asked the officials to maintain contact with people from the state who are stranded in that country.

    Meanwhile, NCP MP Supriya Sule urged External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to make appropriate arrangements for safe passage of Indians stranded in Ukraine.

    “The current situation in #Ukraine is extremely worrisome. Many Indians including students want to return back. Requesting Hon. @DrSJaishankar Ji, @MEAIndia, @MEAMadad to make appropriate arrangements for Indians to return back home safely,” Sule tweeted.

    The current situation in #Ukraine is extremely worrisome. Many Indians including students want to return back. Requesting Hon. @DrSJaishankar Ji, @MEAIndia, @MEAMadad to make appropriate arrangements for Indians to return back home safely.
    — Supriya Sule (@supriya_sule) February 24, 2022
    Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a military operation in Ukraine earlier in the day.

    India is looking at ways to assist its nationals, especially students, in Ukraine amid fears of a larger conflict.

  • ‘National ambitions suddenly awakened’: Sushil Modi takes a dig at KCR’s third front efforts

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: Senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi on Tuesday said that the chief ministers of West Bengal, Maharashtra and Telangana have influence limited in their respective states and they are now trying to form a front as their national ambitions suddenly awakened.

    Taking to Twitter, Sushil Modi, who is also a Rajya Sabha member, lashed out at the opposition leaders saying that the people have seen the fate of many weak regimes — the governments of VP Singh, Chandrasekhar, HD Deve Gowda and IG Gujaral. “All those governments were rejected outrightly by the people of country,” said Modi, adding that such weak governments would suffer from negativity and prove to be a hindrance in stability and development.

    ममता बनर्जी, चंद्रशेखर राव, उद्धव ठाकरे जैसे मुख्यमंत्रियों का प्रभाव केवल संबंधित राज्यों तक है, लेकिन ऐसे जिन लोगों की राष्ट्रीय महत्वाकांक्षा अचानक जगती है, वे कोई फ्रंट बनाने निकल पड़ते हैं।
    — Sushil Kumar Modi (@SushilModi) February 22, 2022
    Modi, who is considered as one of the prominent members of the BJP think-tank at the Centre, further said the country has been emerging as one of the fastest-growing economies in the world under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a massive rise in foreign exchange reserves.

    “But remember, there was a day during the regime of Chandrasekhar when the country was forced to mortgage gold in London. And now, some opposition leaders are speaking of a front against the Modi government because of their political ambitions.”

    ALSO READ | KCR-Uddhav-Pawar meet: Such unity experiments have failed in the past, says Devendra Fadnavis

    Predicting an utter failure of an attempt to form an anti-BJP front, Modi said that Mamata Banerjee will never succeed even if she joins hands with Tejashwi Yadav, Akhilesh Yadav, KCR and Uddhav Thackeray to challenge the popular leadership of PM Modi and the BJP which has a strong central government and dedicated cadres.

    The irony is all these regional parties want to exclude the Congress from the front despite the fact that most of them (parties) are breakaways from the Congress and are dynastic outfits.

    “Some leaders who don’t have any pan-India support can raise someone’s name for the big post,”, Modi said.

  • Need to ramp up COVID-19 vaccination, necessary to wear mask: Maharashtra CM

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday said the COVID-19 pandemic has not ended and it is still necessary to wear mask and ramp up vaccination.

    After virtually inaugurating a hospital and medical college at Alibaug in Raigad district, the CM said vaccine reduces the severity of the coronavirus infection.

    It acts as “suraksha kawach” (protective shield), he noted. “The coronavirus pandemic has not ended yet. Question is being asked for how long we need to keep wearing masks. It is difficult to comment on it at this point. We need to use this time (when cases are declining) to ramp up vaccination,” Thackeray said.

    On Monday, Maharashtra reported 806 new COVID-19 cases, as against 1,437 cases a day ago.

    According to the Maharashtra health department figures, 15,41,22,242 vaccine doses have been administered in the state till Monday. The state ranks second in the country in administering coronavirus vaccines.

  • KCR-Uddhav Thackeray meeting: Both CMs say change need of the hour

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Change is the need of the hour, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and his Maharashtra counterpart Uddhav Thackeray said after the two leaders met here on Sunday as part of efforts to bring together like-minded parties against the BJP at the national level.

    After a two-hour meeting at ‘Varsha’, the official residence of Maharashtra CM, the two leaders addressed a press conference where Rao said this is a “good beginning” and that they will meet again after speaking to leaders of other regional and national parties.

    “We discussed the political situation, development issues being faced by the country after 75 years of independence, ” he said.

    Thackeray, in a veiled attack on the BJP, said the present day “politics of revenge” was neither Hindutva nor Indian culture, and that the situation needed to change.

    What is the country’s future if such an atmosphere continues, he said, adding that his discussion with Rao revolved around these issues.

    The country’s development is a priority and even states need to have friendly relations with each other, he said.

    “The politics of revenge is not good. Instead of speaking on development issues during their tenure, lies and misinformation are spread about the political opponents,” he said, without taking any name.

    Rao said Thackeray and he agreed that a change was needed in the country.

    “All should co-exist in harmony,” he said.

    “We will meet again after speaking to other regional and national parties on the road ahead. The path taken from Maharashtra always leads to success. This is a a good beginning and it is a fight for preserving the democracy,” he said.

    Rao, the founder of the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS), said he has invited Thackeray to Hyderabad.

    “Telangana and Maharashtra share a 1,000-km border. We need to have friendly relations with each other for the development of both states and the country,” he said.

    Rao, who arrived here following an invitation from Thackeray, said he and the Maharashtra chief minister had agreed on issues pertaining to development and the need for structural changes in the country.

    The Shiv Sena mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ on Sunday said the meeting will expedite the process of political unity at the national level against the BJP.

    Those present in the meeting included Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut, party’s spokesperson Arvind Sawant, state ministers Eknath Shinde, Subhash Desai and Additional Chief Secretary in the CM’s office Ashish Kumar Singh.

    Uddhav Thackeray’s younger son Tejas Thackeray was also seen in pictures released by the Chief Minister’s Office.

    Actor Prakash Raj was also among the prominent faces accompanying Rao.

    After meeting Thackeray, Rao went to the residence of NCP president Sharad Pawar, whose party shares power with the Shiv Sena and Congress in Maharashtra.

    Thackeray had earlier announced “complete support” to Rao’s fight against the BJP’s alleged anti-people policies and to uphold the federal spirit.

    The Telangana CM, who has been critical of the BJP and the Centre on a number of issues, had said he will hold meetings with his Maharashtra and West Bengal counterparts as part of efforts to unite various political parties against the BJP and the NDA government.

  • Raut wants Rashmi Thackeray’s ‘apology’ in Korlai bungalows case to become public: Kirit Somaiya

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: In a counter-attack, BJP leader Kirit Somaiya on Wednesday alleged that Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut deliberately referred to the old controversy over “19 bungalows” in Korlai village because he bore a “grudge” against Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and his family members for not backing him when certain allegations were raised against him.

    Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Somaiya, a former MP from Mumbai, claimed that it was a known fact that Rashmi Thackeray, wife of Uddhav Thackeray who heads Shiv Sena, had tendered a written “apology” to the Korlai gram panchayat in the Raigad district in connection with the “19 bungalows” controversy.

    “But Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut deliberately dug out the issue of 19 bungalows in his press conference on Tuesday because he wants that letter of Rashmi Thackeray to come out in the public.”

    “Raut is harbouring a grudge against the Thackerays because none of them stood behind him when I had levelled allegations against him (Raut), his friends and his relatives. I had raised the issue of 19 bungalows in January 2021 but it was not even discussed in the last some months,” Somaiya alleged.

    He said Raut deliberately avoided speaking on the “scam” in the allotment of COVID care centres in Mumbai in his presser but chose to speak about these bungalows.

    Somaiya had alleged a scam in the allotment of COVID care centres in Mumbai and submitted a police complaint on Tuesday.

    “People should ask Sanjay Raut about the letter Rashmi Thackeray had submitted to the Korlai gram panchayat tendering apology in the case of 19 bungalows,” he said.

    When asked about Raut’s challenge to him to show where these bungalows are located, the BJP leader claimed, “Rashmi Thackeray and Manisha Ravindra Waikar have jointly paid the property tax on November 12, 2020. Why would they pay the property tax of a bungalow if it does not exist? It is an RTGS transaction and the Korlai gram panchayat has issued a receipt of receiving the payment”.

    Queried on the source of these details, Somaiya said he knew because his in-laws hailed from Revdanda village located opposite Korlai village.

    “Those people first pointed out this issue to me, thus I came to know. All those bungalows were constructed by the late Anvay Naik, who later sold it to the Thackerays and Waikar. The purchase agreement was signed in 2014,” he claimed.

    In May 2018, interior designer Anvay Naik, along with his mother Kumud Naik, were found dead at their bungalow in Alibaug.

    According to the police, Anvay had committed suicide.

    Addressing a press conference at the Shiv Sena headquarters in Mumbai on Tuesday, Sanjay Raut had launched a personal attack against Somaiya, who has been raising a slew of allegations against the Sena brass and other leaders of the Maha Vikas Aghadi.

    Raut had alleged that Neil Somaiya, son of Kirit Somaiya, had links with Rakesh Wadhwan, an accused in the PMC bank fraud and demanded the arrest of the father-son duo.

    Denying allegations, Kirit Somaiya had said that he was ready to face any investigation.

    “I have done nothing wrong. I was never indulged in corruption. I am ready to face any inquiry,” he had said.

  • Focus on Mumbai civic poll, not BJP: Uddhav to workers

    By Express News Service

    MUMBAI:  Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday held a meeting of Shiv Sena leaders where he instructed them to focus on the BMC elections in Mumbai. Uddhav has been prioritising execution of Mumbai-centric projects over those in the other parts of the state. Aaditya Thackeray, his son, who is a minister in the state cabinet, has also been giving more preference to Mumbai’s issues. He is also the guardian minister of the Mumbai suburb.

    The Mumbai corporation election is scheduled for February 2022. Shiv Sena has been ruling BMC – one of the richest civic bodies – since the past 20 years.  According to Sena sources, Uddhav told leaders that the party should continue to strengthen  local offices and connect  them with people by addressing their issues.

    “BJP may be the world’s largest political party in terms of numbers. But Shiv Sena is very strong at the local booth-level that no one has challenged so far. Therefore, more attention needs to be give to local party branches and workers,” said a Sena leader.

  • Mumbai reports 20,971 fresh Covid cases, mayor says CM to decide on further curbs soon

    By Online Desk

    Mumbai on Friday reported 20,971 new Covid infections and 84% of the cases were asymptomatic, according to the civic body data. 

    In the last 24 hours, the city also reported six deaths. With the cases crossing the 20,000-mark every day, the question of more restrictions is looming large. 

    Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar, however, said there has been no decision on night curfew. A final call on imposing further restrictions, which ministers have so far ruled out, will only be taken after CM Uddhav Thackeray’s meeting with PM Modi, the mayor said.

    There is no immediate need for imposing lockdown or additional restrictions in Mumbai as the bed occupancy rate, oxygen requirement and number of Covid deaths are low, municipal commissioner Iqbal Chahal said on Friday.

    During the first and second wave the decision to impose lockdown was taken on the basis of case positivity rate, but this criterion cannot be applied for the third wave which started on December 21, 2021, Chahal told a Marathi news channel.

    No further restrictions were needed to be imposed on travel by local trains as only fully vaccinated people are being allowed to board the trains, he said.

    ALSO READ | 7-day home quarantine a must for all international flyers coming to India: Centre

    “The criterion in the first and second wave was the positivity rate. But in this wave of Omicron variant of the virus, two new criteria should be occupancy of hospital beds and oxygen requirement,” Chahal said.

    The administration has so far imposed only a few restrictions such as the ban on the assembly of five or more persons during nighttime and the shutting of schools in the city, he said.

    Of over 20,000 people who tested positive for coronavirus in Mumbai on Thursday, only 1,180 were hospitalised and 110 were on oxygen support, the BMC chief said.

    As many as 5,900 out of 35,000 hospital beds are occupied at present, he said. “At least 83% of beds are currently vacant and oxygen requirement is not even 10%. During the second wave, we used 235 MT of oxygen (per day). Considering these factors, there is no need for lockdown in the current situation,” Chahal said.

    “Lockdown cannot be imposed only on the basis of numbers (Covid cases). It depends on how many beds are vacant in our hospitals, how much oxygen is required and how many deaths are taking place. These are more important,” he added.

    He conceded that since December 21 last year the positivity rate has gone up significantly. But in the last 16 days, the city recorded only 17 deaths. Active cases have crossed one lakh, but the death rate is only one per day, he said.

    “We are keeping a close eye on the situation. I personally review things three to four times a day,” the commissioner said.