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Ahead of PM’s Mumbai visit, CM Shinde packs bags for Swiss biz sojourn

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Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Mumbai visit, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is busy packing his bags for a quick business trip to Davos, Switzerland, where the World Economic Forum (WEF) is scheduled between January 16 and 20.

Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, who was scheduled to accompany Shinde’s 20-strong delegation, backed off and will make preparations for the PM’s programmes in the country’s commercial capital on January 19, and the foreign-returned Shinde shall join them.

For Shinde, this is his first trip abroad since coming to power on June 30 last year after unceremoniously toppling the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA)’s ex-CM Uddhav Thackeray.

The Davos biz trip is crucial for Shinde-Fadnavis to make a lasting impression back home where the Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party (BSS-BJP) alliance is under machine-gunfire as several mega-projects have hopped off Gujarat and certain other states.

Even before boarding the flight, team Shinde has announced that the Maharashtra government “will sign MoUs worth around Rs 1.40 lakh-crore” with 20 global conglomerates at the picturesque Alpine ski resort of Davos – hosting the 2023 conference themed ‘Cooperation In A Fragmented World’.

As per the CMO, Shinde and his entourage will fly to Zurich on Jan. 15 and on Jan. 16 (Monday), go to Davos – some three hours away – and inaugurate the Maharashtra Pavilion, which is right opposite the India Pavilion.

The pavilion will showcase Maharashtra’s Coastal Road Project, Metro Projects in various cities, the HinduhridaySamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Mumbai-Nagpur Super Expressway, the longest tunnel for the Mumbai-Pune Expressway ‘missing link’, changing over to electric vehicles in public transport and other eco-friendly measures combing sustainable development adopted by the state.

There, some MoUs will be signed and then Shinde will meet top officials of the WEF and attend the main welcome function at the Congress Centre that evening.

On Jan 17, the CM will meet and say cheese with the Prime Ministers of Luxembourg and Jordan, Ministers of Singapore and Saudi Arabia, bankers and the Swiss-India Chamber of Commerce, and a few more MoUs shall be inked.

That afternoon, he will address a gathering in Congress Centre on the challenges posed by “changing climatic conditions to the development of cities and environment-friendly sustainable development”.

After the hectic businesslike day, a relaxed Shinde would host a Maharashtrian banquet for around 150 Indian and international dignitaries from politics, industry and others attending the WEF and sell the concept of ‘Magnetic Maharashtra’ aimed to attract big investments.

Unconvinced, the Opposition MVA leaders have raised eyebrows over Shinde’s brief Davos jaunt with sharp comments.

Nationalist Congress Party’s Chief Spokesperson Mahesh Tapase urged the CM should ensure that “the proposed investments finally land in Maharashtra and not get diverted to Gujarat or some other state” and ensure good employment opportunities for the youth here.

Congress General Secretary Sachin Sawant said that owing to the PM’s visit to Mumbai, the Dy CM (Fadnavis) cancelled his Davos trip and CM Shinde will cut short his tour, thus missing out a golden opportunity for getting good investment projects for the state.

Shiv Sena (UBT) Chief Spokesperson and MP Sanjay Raut said that the Shinde-Fadnavis government is “illegal and unconstitutional” and hence not serious about investments or creating jobs in the state.

“This is the first physical WEF after the two years of pandemic. We have prepared a master plan to convey an impressive image of Maharashtra at the conference. The CM and Deputy CM have personally reviewed everything and guided the officials on all aspects,” said an official here.

The annual WEF attracts around 2,500 top leaders in politics, business and economics and attracts the eyes and ears of the whole world, though Shinde may warily keep glancing over his shoulder to keep an eye back home.

Minister Uday Samant, top officials like Chief Secretary Manukumar Srivastava, Bhushan Gagrani, Harshdeep Kamble, Vipin Sharma and others will comprise the state delegation led by Shinde, and will return home late on Jan 18 – in time for the PM’s visit.

Crime

Wildlife Smuggling Racket Busted: Rare Snakes, Reptiles, Caged Orangutan Rescued From Dombivli House

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Thane: In a significant operation exposing a wildlife smuggling racket, the Forest Officials rescued rare species of animals from a highrise in Dombivli. The officials raided an apartment in Palava City, Dombivli and found exotic animals including lizard, turtles, rare species snakes and other reptiles stored in the flat. Horrifying enough, the team found a monkey caged in the washroom of the apartment.

It was later confirmed that the rescued animals included Ignuana (lizard), an Orangutan and python. The operation was conducted by the Forest Range Officers from Thane and Kalyan along with a team from Manpada Police Station after a tip.

The officials did not find any accused present in the apartment at the time of the raid. A case under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 has been registered and a search for the accused is underway. Meanwhile, the seized species are handed over to a local NGO on a temporary basis for observation.

The video of the forest officials raid surfaced on the internet shows a boy opening the door of the well-kept apartment. After entering the flat, the officials gradually come across wildlife species stores in small cage, plastic boxes piled up in the passage and shocking enough an Orangutan in washroom at the end of the apartment.

As per the statement issued by the police, the teams raided the 8th floor apartment in B wing of Savarna Building in Palava City, Dombivli. In the action, the exotic animals seized as prima facie identified as python, ignuana (lizard), turtle, snake etc. The seized wildlife species, on temporary basis, are handed over to Birsa Munda- a local NGO. The pachanama, documentation and search for the accused is underway, it added.

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Maharashtra

Maharashtra Elections 2024: Milind Deora Challenges Aaditya Thackeray For Open Debate On ‘Future Of Worli & Mumbai’

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Shiv Sena MP and party’s candidate from Mumbai’s Worli constituency for the Maharashtra Assembly elections, Milind Deora, on Wednesday challenged Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and his opponent in the seat, Aaditya Thackeray, to an open debate on the future of Worli, Mumbai, and Maharashtra. In an X post, Deora referred to Aaditya’s old post in which he had said, “Someone who is scared of an open debate with rival candidates is not worthy of being in any public forum.”

Responding to an old post by Aaditya on X, which was posted in May this year during the Lok Sabha elections, Deora invited the former Maharashtra minister to a debate, saying, ‘Let’s also talk about BMC’s 30-year misgovernance, Mumbai Metro delays, Mahalaxmi Racecourse, and the Sachin Vaze scandal’s impact on Maharashtra’s economy.’

‘Worlikars should decide whether “speed breaker politics” or “progress without speed limits” is the best way forward for our city and state,’ he added.

Notably, in May this year, Aaditya Thackeray had challenged the Shiv Sena candidate Yamini Jadhav, who was pitted against Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Arvind Sawant from Mumbai South seat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Aaditya had said that two events where citizens could have watched South Mumbai candidates debate face-to-face and be asked questions by the citizens were canceled at the last minute. He alleged that the police canceled the events citing ‘fear of political workers clashing.’

In the post, he further said that Shiv Sena (UBT) South Mumbai candidate Arvind Sawant was ready for the debate and open questions, but the event was canceled.

‘Someone who is scared of an open debate with rival candidates is not worthy of being in any public forum, the Parliament being the highest,’ Aaditya had said.

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Maharashtra

Maharashtra Elections 2024: ‘Modi Govt Will Amend Waqf Act, Danke Ki Chot Par,’ Says Union Home Minister Amit Shah At Ghatkopar Rally

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Mumbai: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday boldly asserted that the Narendra Modi government will amend the Waqf Board law “come what may (danke ki chot par)” and after that no one would be able to declare private land as Waqf property.

Shah said the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is against the changes, but the bill to amend the law regarding the Waqf board will soon be passed in the Parliament.

Home Minister On Waqf

Speaking at the rally in Ghatkopar on Tuesday, the Union Minister said that in Congress-ruled Karnataka, entire villages had been declared as Waqf property.

“The Waqf Board of Karnataka has transferred lands of farmers, villages and old temples to Waqf property, and no one can stop them. It won’t be possible here, because Modi ji has proposed the changes in the law of the Waqf Board. The Aghadi is against the changes, but the bill to amend the law regarding the Waqf board will soon be passed in the Parliament,” Shah said.

“Narendra Modi sarkar waqf kanoon danke ki chot par badal ne wali hai (Come what may Narendra Modi government is going to amend the Waqf act) and then no one’s land or house would be declared as Waqf property. This is a free India, and no one has the permission to do this,” he added.

What Is The Waqf Act Of 1995?

The Waqf Act 1995, was originally established to regulate Waqf properties, but it has long faced criticism over issues of mismanagement, corruption, and encroachments. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which was introduced in the Lok Sabha this August, seeks to bring sweeping reforms, introducing digitisation, stricter audits, transparency, and legal mechanisms to reclaim illegally occupied properties.

Amit Shah in his rally further talked about a petition submitted by a large group of ulemas to the Congress State President in Maharashtra, demanding 10 per cent reservation for Muslims. He said the Indian Constitution does not allow reservation based on religion.

“Just now, a large group of ulemas met the Congress State President in Maharashtra and submitted a petition demanding 10 per cent reservation for Muslims. In this country, 50 per cent of reservations have already been allocated, and if you (Congress) want to provide reservation to Muslims, then someone’s reservation will have to be reduced. Our Constitution does not allow reservation based on religion…let Rahul Baba and his company do what they can, but we will protect the reservation rights of OBCs, Dalits, and Adivasis,” Shah said in his speech.

“A few days ago, I presented the BJP’s manifesto before the people of the state, and on the same day, Kharge ji presented the Maha Aghadi’s manifesto to the public. Furthermore, Kharge ji told the Maharashtra Congress to make promises that can be fulfilled, not promises that can’t be kept,” Shah added.

Campaigning has intensified for the 288 assembly seats in Maharashtra with both the ruling Mahayuti and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) making efforts to woo the electorate.

The polls are scheduled for November 20 and counting will be held on November 23.

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