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Mumbai: Fine arts students from JJ college withdraw art from exhibition

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The flair of fine art shall remain shrouded this academic year, or so has been decided by the protesting students at JJ School of Arts. Fine arts students, on Friday, shunned their classrooms and carried their classwork to campus grounds, protesting the lack of infrastructure and permanent professors within the college.

Unsatisfied with the response they got from higher ups, the students, on Tuesday, decided to withdraw their artwork from ‘Rajya Kala Pradarshan’ or the state art exhibition which is to be held in January 2023, in Pune.

The irony being, a Fine Arts student awaits this day like no other, explained Santosh Parkar, General Secretary for the student body at JJ. “Our entire academic year revolves around this day. Whatever we learn and practice is reflected in what we present here. The winning students catch the eye of the entire state,” said Santosh who was to present a commercial complex miniature at this exhibition.

Despite their strong position against participation, students continue to work on the exhibition projects till they’re completed. After arriving on campus by 8 am every morning, Fine Art pupils begin their day’s work. “I have been spending nearly 13 hours on my temple-form sculpture over the past month. I feel guilty for not submitting it,” said Shekhar Salunke, a fourth year BFA student.

With the absence of facilities, these projects have become quite the ordeal. Rushikesh Ingole, another sculpting student, has been carving a rock to portray his childhood memory. “I have not been able to work on the metallic aspect of my model as the college has no functional foundry,” said Rushikesh. To work with metal, students like him have been shelling money from their own pockets to visit commercial foundries.

Those who work with other materials face similar problems as JJ school still lacks necessities like looms, furnaces, and art softwares. And at certain places, even lights and fans.

A student, In most cases, spends six years of her life studying at the JJ arts college. She starts off with a 4 year Bachelor’s in Fine Arts(BFA) before moving on to a two year Master’s called MFA.

These students have been fearing shifts within the pedagogy during these long years, as most of the college staff teaches only on a contractual basis. Several teaching contracts are to expire on December 12, reported students.

“Art cannot be taught like any other technical subject. There is an exchange of ideas and philosophies between students and their professor. If art is taught from contract to contract, then you cannot prevent an enormous gap in the curriculum,” said Amol Hirawadekar, a protesting alum.

The winning students at Rajya Kala Pradarshan are honored by the state and receive a cash prize. “Students from the JJ School of Arts bring home the majority of the prizes each year,” said Prof. Vishwanath Sable, Dean at JJ School of Fine Arts.

“Even though the students are refusing to put up their projects now, we are certain that all protest issues will be resolved by January and JJ students will certainly participate,” he added.

Maharashtra

Online Gaming Ban: Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis Mulls Shutdown Of Online Gaming Due To Rise In Suicide, Scams, And Crimes

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Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is calling for a complete ban on online gaming within the state, citing alarming spikes in addiction, financial ruin, crimes, and suicides linked to real-money gaming. Fadnavis confirmed to the assembly that he has written to Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and is working closely with the Centre, stressing that current IT rules are insufficient to curb harm.

In the Assembly, Fadnavis said that he has written to the Centre, urging it to regulate or ban online real money gaming. “The Centre has jurisdiction over online gaming regulation because the majority of these platforms are hosted outside of India. We are committed to working closely with the Union government to combat this growing threat,” he was quoted as saying in reports. 

In recent years, online gaming has spawned a web of distressing cases. In one gut-wrenching example, a man in Dharashiv allegedly sold his land, poisoned his pregnant wife and 2-year-old, and then took his own life after falling into crippling losses from online rummy.

Another tragedy from Pimpri‑Chinchwad involved a 16‑year‑old boy who leapt from a 14th‑floor balcony after succumbing to gambling addiction.

Cyber fraud tied to gaming is also soaring. In Mohali, police uncovered an Rs. 18 crore online-gaming fraud syndicate that entrapped people through fake WhatsApp pitches, with eight arrested . In Mumbai’s Navi Mumbai, a businessman lost Rs. 2.74 crore to online betting over two years—prompting a police FIR.  

Fadnavis warned that unchecked gaming platforms are “a new-age addiction” fuelling mental health crises and criminal activity, calling for a crackdown on celebrity endorsements that glamourise gambling

With nearly 97 illegal betting cases since 2023—including dozens in Mumbai—the state’s cyber police have intensified searches, training 3,000 officers, opening 50 cyber labs, and launching helpline services 1945/1930, though admits only central legislation can truly shut down offshore platforms.

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Maharashtra

Mumbai Road Accident: 36-Year-Old Kurla Biker Killed In Sion Flyover Crash As Car Comes From Wrong Side

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Mumbai: A 36-year-old resident of Kurla, Suhel Shakil Ansari, lost his life on Sunday morning after the motorcycle he was riding pillion on was struck by a car allegedly driving on the wrong side of the Sion flyover. The vehicle was being driven by a 75-year-old senior citizen, who was later served a notice by the police and allowed to leave the scene.

According to officials, the incident occurred around 10:45 am while Suhel and his friend Abu Faizan Ehsaanhul Haq Ansari were returning home from Marine Drive. Abu was riding the bike, as reported by Hindustan Times.

According to the report, a police officer mentioned that, “When they reached the Sion flyover, their motorcycle collided with a car being driven on the wrong side of the road. The flyover doesn’t have a divider, and the car suddenly came into their lane and hit them.”

Suhel sustained severe injuries and was bleeding from the nose and mouth. He was rushed to Sion Civic Hospital, where doctors declared him dead. Abu suffered leg injuries, according to the officials.

The police identified the car driver as Chandulal Jain, 75, a Byculla resident. He has been booked under Sections 106(1) (causing death by negligence), 125(b) (endangering life or personal safety of others), and 281 (rash or negligent driving) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with Section 184 (dangerous driving) of the Motor Vehicles Act. A notice was served to him, and he was permitted to go, said the officer.

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Maharashtra

Mumbai: Ola, Uber Strike To Resume On Wednesday Noon As Cab Drivers’ Demands Remain Unaddressed

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Mumbai: The Ola and Uber driver strike in Mumbai, suspended until Tuesday, is set to resume on Wednesday if the Maharashtra government fails to address their demands.

The strike was initially called off on Saturday, allowing the government to respond to issues like fare rationalisation, the establishment of a welfare board for drivers, and restrictions on new permits. The Maharashtra Gig Kamgar Manch confirmed that the strike is merely suspended and will restart if demands remain unmet.

Key driver demands include:

Drivers advocate for fare alignment with traditional taxis.

A financial and legal support board for app-based cab drivers is requested.

There’s a push to limit new cab and auto-rickshaw permit issuance.

Protections under the Maharashtra Gig Workers’ Act for taxi workers are sought.

A review of aggregator platform operations regarding surge pricing and driver ID blocking is desired.

If unresolved by the deadline, drivers plan an escalated protest on Wednesday. According to a report, passengers have been asked to de-board in various locations across Mumbai due to the impending strike. A cab driver from Navi Mumbai highlighted their demand for a fixed rate per kilometre, contrasting current inconsistent rates with a previously established government-fixed rate of Rs 32 per km for AC taxis.

Cab unions have discussed these concerns with Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik, who has promised a solution within 15 days. Nevertheless, drivers remain skeptical, recalling previous unfulfilled promises. Sarnaik acknowledged the reasonableness of the demands and assured adjustments in policy would be made.

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