Connect with us
Sunday,15-November-2026
Breaking News

Maharashtra

Balasaheb Thackeray saved Modi after 2002 riots: Uddhhav slams BJP over ‘divisive’ Hindutva

Published

on

Maharashtra: Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday targeted the BJP, saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi wouldn’t have come this far had Bal Thackeray not “saved” him when the then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee had asked him to follow “rajdharma”.

He said Shiv Sena protected a political leadership for 25-30 years but they (BJP) didn’t want Sena and also the Akali Dal- the erstwhile members of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

“I fell out with BJP but I never abandoned Hindutva. The BJP is not Hindutva. Uttar Bharatiyas want answers on what Hindutva is. Hating each other is not Hindutva,” he told a gathering of north Indians in Mumbai.

“I fell out with BJP but I never abandoned Hindutva. The BJP is not Hindutva. Uttar Bharatiyas want answers on what Hindutva is. Hating each other is not Hindutva,” he told a gathering of north Indians in Mumbai.

Thackeray accused the BJP of creating a rift among Hindus

“For 25-30 years, Shiv Sena protected a political friendship. Hindutva meant warmth amongst us. They (BJP) didn’t want anyone. They didn’t want Akali Dal… Shiv Sena,” he said.

 “It was Balasaheb Thackeray who saved the current prime minister when Atalji (then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee) wanted him to honour ‘Rajdharma’. But Balasaheb intervened saying it was the need of the hour. Had that not happened he (Modi) wouldn’t have reached here,” Thackeray said in an apparent reference to Vajpayee’s remarks asking then Gujarat chief minister Modi to follow “rajdharma” after the 2002 communal riots.

He said the Shiv Sena founder never nurtured hatred. “Being Hindu never meant being Marathi and hating north Indians. Balasaheb was against those who were anti-India irrespective of their religion,” he added.

Walked out of alliance to protect dignity: Uddhav Thackeray

Thackeray said he walked out of the alliance with BJP to protect his dignity and joined hands with the NCP and Congress to form the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) after the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly polls.

“…..Otherwise I would have been a slave with a belt around my neck just like some of my people have now become,” he said in an apparent reference to the rebel Shiv Sena MLAs who belong to the Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

Thackeray said he becomes a victim of the smear campaign whenever he meets north Indians or Muslims and questioned are raised on his Hindutva.

Thackeray spoke on PM Modi’s visit to Mumbai

“My meeting with you has been criticised. If I meet Muslims, it is said I have given up Hindutva. When PM Narendra Modi came to Mumbai two days back, whose kitchen did he go to? If I had done that I would have been called anti-Hindu.

“But if the prime minister does that then it is said he has a big heart. I want to make it clear we have nothing against the Bohra community. They are with us,” he said.

During his latest visit to Mumbai, the prime minister inaugurated the new Marol campus of the Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah Arabic Academy, a prominent educational institution of the Bohra community, and said he had come there as a family member of the community.

Maharashtra

Mumbai: Man Arrested for Illegal Possession of Firearms with 2 Firearms and 19 Live Cartridges Seized.

Published

on

Mumbai: Following a threatening phone call to blow up the Mumbai CSMT (CST) railway station, the police have taken a young man into custody from Sambhajinagar; he is currently being questioned. According to details, a report was received via telephone at the Mumbai Central Control Room (CRO) around 7:00 AM today, indicating that a threat had been issued against the CSMT railway station. The caller was identified by the name ‘Shaikh’. It was later revealed that the caller’s mobile phone had allegedly been hacked, and a suspicious mobile number—suspected to be linked to this hacking—was identified. The caller, identified as ‘Shaikh Kishan’, a resident of Sambhajinagar, has been taken into custody by the CSMT ATS (Anti-Terrorism Squad) and is currently undergoing interrogation.

In accordance with Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), the GRP (Government Railway Police) and RPF (Railway Protection Force) were placed on alert. Currently, a significant number of GRP personnel, along with BDDS (Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad) teams and QRT (Quick Response Team) units, are present at the CSMT station.

The ACP (Assistant Commissioner of Police) for the CSMT division and the BDDS team inspected the station, conducting a thorough search of all platforms, waiting areas, and the surrounding premises.
No bombs, suspicious objects, or suspicious individuals were found during the search. The Control Rooms (CROs) of all relevant units have been notified. Further investigation is underway, and appropriate action will be taken accordingly. This information was provided by the Railway Police; meanwhile, an alert has also been issued across the stations.

Continue Reading

Crime

20-year-old arrested for spying at sensitive sites in Mumbai

Published

on

In a major operation, the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested a youth for allegedly conducting reconnaissance of sensitive sites in Mumbai, including the Chabad House in Colaba, officials said.

The Chabad House, also known as the Nariman House, was one of the primary targets during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.

The accused, identified as 20-year-old Yash Singh, had allegedly been conducting reconnaissance of one of Mumbai’s most sensitive locations, the Chabad House/Synagogue in Colaba, along with businesses and establishments associated with Jewish citizens, and was sending photographs and location details to handles that he got in touch with on social media.

According to officials, the young man had allegedly got trapped in the network of international criminal and anti-national elements through social media.

The ATS Navi Mumbai unit received confidential information that the accused, a resident of the Airoli area, was in contact with anti-national elements through social media.

During intensive questioning, it emerged that anti-national actors and mafia-linked social media handles had assigned him the task of collecting and sharing photographs and information about sensitive and prominent locations in Mumbai, including the Chabad House/Synagogue in Colaba, companies owned by Jewish citizens, foreign or Jewish nationals, their vehicles, and surrounding locations.

He allegedly received payments from time to time in exchange for the information.

Further investigation revealed that Yash Singh had direct contact with anti-national operatives through Telegram.

Further, investigators found that he was also linked as an associate in Crime No. 994/2025, registered at the Thrissur East Police Station, Kerala, under Section 13 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967.

The ATS team in Navi Mumbai immediately shared the information with Thrissur police.

Subsequently, a team of Kerala Police arrived in Navi Mumbai and questioned Singh. After confirming his direct involvement in the case, Kerala Police arrested him in connection with that investigation.

According to the ATS, several international criminal syndicates, anti-national elements, and Pakistani handlers, including the Shahzad Bhatti network, are using platforms such as Telegram, Instagram, and WhatsApp to lure unemployed and financially distressed youth with money and recruit them for anti-national and sabotage-related activities.

In a warning issued by the agency, the ATS said it is actively identifying and taking action against such individuals.

Meanwhile, police have appealed to citizens, especially parents and young people, not to interact with unknown individuals on social media or be tempted by financial offers. They also urged people not to share photographs, reconnaissance details, or information related to sensitive locations with anyone.

Continue Reading

Maharashtra

PM Modi to mark Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas in Maha today; inaugurate projects worth Rs 3,000 crore

Published

on

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate in the Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas programme in Gadchiroli, Maharashtra, through video conferencing on Sunday at 11 a.m. and address the gathering on the occasion of the 151st birth anniversary of tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda.

During the programme, the Prime Minister will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of 246 development projects worth approximately Rs 3,000 crore, aimed at strengthening education, healthcare, livelihood opportunities and community infrastructure for tribal communities across the country.

Of the total projects, Prime Minister Modi will inaugurate 173 initiatives, including 38 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) for tribal students and 100 Multi-Purpose Centres under the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN). These centres will function as important hubs for delivering essential services and facilitating various community-level activities.

He will also inaugurate various other projects under PM-JANMAN and the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DAJGUA).

Other key projects to be inaugurated include the Tribal Research Institute (TRI) building at Itanagar in Arunachal Pradesh, and the Ropuiliani Tribal Freedom Fighter Museum at Aizawl in Mizoram, aimed at preserving tribal culture and heritage.

The museum commemorates the courage, valour and sacrifices of Mizo tribal freedom fighters, while showcasing the rich cultural traditions, historical legacy and heritage of the Mizo people.

It is named after Ropuiliani, a nineteenth-century Mizo chieftainess who courageously resisted British colonial rule and is remembered as a symbol of tribal resistance and sacrifice.

The Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of 19 new Eklavya Model Residential Schools, further strengthening the commitment to providing quality education to tribal children.

He will also lay the foundation stone of 12 Tribal Multi-purpose Marketing Centres (TMMCs) to strengthen market access for tribal producers.

In addition, Prime Minister Modi will also lay the foundation stone for 42 other projects under PM-JANMAN and DAJGUA.

The programme will mark the culmination of Janjatiya Gaurav Pakhwada, being observed across the country from November 1 to 15.

During the Pakhwada, a range of national and grassroots-level programmes have been organised, including the President’s interaction with EMRS students, the National Tribal Literary Festival, training programmes for tribal healers, health and nutrition camps for Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), and community service drives in tribal villages under the Dharti Aaba Janbhagidari Abhiyan.

Continue Reading

Trending