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Amit Shah’s Ganeshotsav trip to Maharashtra may be devotional-cum-political

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 Over two months after the alliance government of Shiv Sena rebel faction leader and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Bharatiya Janata Party’s Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis took charge, Union Home Minister Amit Shah is slated to visit Mumbai on September 5, at the height of the Ganeshotsav festival.

Shah’s customary annual visit to the state’s biggest festival for the past few years used to be a largely religious affair – visiting the Lalbaugcha Raja and other important venues, and taking ‘darshan’ of Lord Ganesha at the homes of several BJP bigwigs in the city.

This year, however, the devotional menu may be laced with a subtle political docket intended to strengthen the Shinde-Fadnavis regime – currently bedevilled by internal, external and legal hassles, plus other political ghosts.

Fadnavis acknowledged all the possibilities with a grin, indicating “there will be a political agenda” during Shah’s visit on Monday, but declined to elaborate.

The Shinde-Fadnavis government has been struggling to attain credibility among the masses after it toppled the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) of Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress, led by Uddhav Thackeray.

The MVA has viciously targeted and vituperatively lampooned them for the manner in which the government came to power, with embarrassing choruses of “Khoke Ok” (boxes, implying Rs 50 crore), “traitors”, etc. haunting the “ED sarkar” and needling the 40-odd legislators of the rebel group who sneaked out from June 10 onwards.

The Thackeray-led Shiv Sena even went a step ahead comparing them with a famous Arabian Nights tale of 40 dubious characters, attracting howls of protests and bitter counter-attacks from the “turncoats”.

Shinde faced flak for the massive delays in the cabinet expansion with 18 Ministers – which took place 41 days after he and Fadnavis took oath on June 30 – followed by the hiccups in allocating portfolios, and the hanging swords of the legal tussle in the Supreme Court.

Now, he confronts discontent afresh with many MLAs from his and BJP side clamouring for ministerial berths, and while a second round of expansion may take a while, Shah may cast a benign “glance” and placate the restless legislators.

There is the pending issue of the proposed tie-up with Maharashtra Navnirman Sena President Raj Thackeray, which the BJP has been hoping for since the past over a couple of years.

Once a sharp BJP-baiter, Raj Thackeray apparently sobered up his pilgrimage to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in August 2019, and now the “ED sarkar” is “after” him for a much-anticipated partnership, ahead of the upcoming crucial civic polls.

After recovering from a hip surgery, Raj Thackeray has been the flavour of the season for the BJP with a host of leaders calling on him, like Shinde, Fadnavis, state and city party heads Chandrashekhar Bawankule and Ashish Shelar, respectively, and others.

There’s intense speculation that Shah may home in on the reluctant Raj Thackeray and nudge him into a cooperative alliance – for the mutual benefit of MNS-BJP-Shinde Group – in the civic elections, to begin with, and get a “Thackeray” on the BJP side.

In recent weeks, some prominent Congressmen like ex-CM Ashok Chavan, have been doing multiple rounds of several BJP leaders, rattling the party’s state unit.

However, Congress leaders and Chavan have been claiming that these meetings pertain to “official or constituency-related works”, but the political grapevine is furiously spreading into a vineyard!

It is not immediately clear whether Shah will devote any attention to this new political development – that may well spell further doom for the MVA.

Maharashtra

‘Meltdown Of Worst Kind’: Sena UBT MP Priyanka Chaturvedi Hits Back At X User Accusing Her Of Humiliating Pune BJP MP For Speaking In Marathi In RS

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Shiv Sena UBT MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, who presided over the Rajya Sabha session on Thursday, has addressed allegations of attempting to “humiliate” Pune MP Dr. Medha Vishram Kulkarni for speaking in Marathi instead of English. The allegations were made by @MrSinha_, a ‘Hindu rights activist’ who criticised Chaturvedi for allegedly showing bias against Marathi speakers.

Chaturvedi took to X to refute these claims and said that Dr. Kulkarni spoke in Marathi without interruption. She claimed that Dr Kulkarni was repeatedly asked to sit down by her own ally, which she said was an attempt to show disrespect towards the chair. Chaturvedi also criticised @MrSinha_ for lacking an understanding of parliamentary procedures, advising him to review the rules of the Rajya Sabha.

In her post on X, Chaturvedi wrote, “This pawpaw champ bhakt is truly having a meltdown of the worst kind. Dr. Medha Kulkarni and Rajni Patil ji both spoke in Marathi and without interruption, barring when her own ally sitting in the front row had a hissy fit and asked her to sit down multiple times so that he could be disrespectful to the chair. Also paw paw champ, understand parliamentary proceedings in the RS and the rule book. Cry some more.”

@MrSinha_ had earlier criticised Chaturvedi, questioning her respect for Marathi as a language and accusing her of being disrespectful towards the Pune MP.

“Uddhav Thackeray’s RS MP Priyanka Chaturvedi tried to humiliate the MP from Pune, Maharashtra because she was speaking in Marathi but not her “posh” language English? She kept shouting at her…  What does she think of herself? And what happened to UT’s Marathi ashmita?” @MrSinha_ 

Meanwhile, many wondered how Chaturvedi was made to preside over the Rajya Sabha, a chair on which we usually see the Vice President of India. 

As per the rules of the Parliament, in the absence of the Vice President of India, who serves as the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, the responsibility of presiding over sessions falls to the Deputy Chairman or a panel of Voice Chairpersons.

Chaturvedi, a member of this panel, was tasked with the role during the session. Her varied approach to presiding, which included moments of stern reprimand and visible enthusiasm, has been noted by many on social media.

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Maharashtra

Mumbai: Central Railway GM Inspects CSMT Lobby After 150 Dead Rats Found; Promises Quick Renovation

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Mumbai: Central Railway GM Inspects CSMT Lobby After 150 Dead Rats Found; Promises Quick Renovation

Mumbai: On Friday, General Manager of Central Railway, RK Yadav, conducted an inspection of the motorman and guard lobby at CSMT amid serious cleanliness concerns. This visit comes in response to allegations that approximately 150 dead rats had been discovered in the lobby, highlighting significant issues with hygiene and pest control.

Sources indicate that the foul smell from the dead rats had forced motormen and guards to work outside the lobby for several days. In response, Central Railway has commenced renovation work on the affected area, with completion anticipated by Monday.

During his visit, GM Yadav addressed the staff’s concerns and assured them that the renovation would be completed promptly. The GM’s inspection also included a review of the ongoing extension project for Platforms 13 and 14, which aims to enhance capacity and passenger experience. Additionally, he evaluated the newly inaugurated toilets in the suburban concourse, which were recently renovated with support from the Dmart Foundation.

“The visit underscores Central Railway’s commitment to improving infrastructure and facilities at CSMT, striving to ensure operational efficiency and a better environment for both staff and passengers” said an official of CR.

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Maharashtra

Mumbai: X User Booked For Derogatory Posts Against Maha Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis

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Mumbai: X User Booked For Derogatory Posts Against Maha Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis

Mumbai: A case has been registered against a user of the social media platform ‘X’ for allegedly posting derogatory memes about Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, police reportedly stated on Friday. The complaint was lodged at Khadakpada police station in Thane district under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for promoting enmity between different groups and public mischief.

X User Posts Morphed Pics With Derogatory Texts

The complaint specifies that the ‘X’ handle @gajabhauX has been creating and sharing derogatory memes featuring morphed photographs of Fadnavis since July 19. The posts contain morphed pictures of Fadnavis portraying Afzal Khan, Aurangzeb and other Mughal personalities.

The posts also contain texts having use of derogatory language against the Deputy CM considering him as the evil villain responsible for all the bad that is happening in the state. The complainant reportedly stated that these posts have created a sense of dissatisfaction and insecurity among people.

Case Filed In Thane

A case was registered on Thursday at Khadakpada police station in Thane district under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for promoting enmity between different groups and public mischief. The police are currently investigating the matter, and no arrests have been made yet.

Fadnavis Reacts To Allegations By Anil Deshmukh

Meanwhile, Devendra Fadnavis recently responded to the allegations of Anil Deshmukh that three years back a close associate of Fadanvis had offered him to make allegations against Uddhav Thackeray, Aaditya Thackeray, Ajit Pawar and Anil Parab in a false case, in return he was assured te be set free from ED and CBI inquiry.

Fadnavis while replying to the allegations warned him that he doesn’t spare anyone who troubles him unnecessarily. Fadanvis said “I never do such politics. I don’t trouble anyone unnecessarily. I want to tell Deshmukh that his party leaders have given me video clips, wherein he was seen saying bad words against Uddhav Thacekray and Sharad Pawar and Sachin Waze. If any one is making false allegations against me, I will not keep quiet and make those clips viral. I never speak without evidence.”

He further said that the Chief Justice of Bombay high court directed to register a case against Deshmukh now Deshmukh is on bail. “CBI chargesheet is saying how pressure was created to put Girish Mahajan behind the bar under a false case. I had given evidence to the CBI and it shows how the MVA government had tried to invoke mocca against opposition leaders.”

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