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BJP, Congress in MP take credit as Supreme Court allows OBC reservation in civic polls

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As the Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed an OBC quota in the local body elections in Madhya Pradesh, the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress started taking the credit for it. Both the parties also traded barbs over the issue.

Senior leaders of the BJP and the Congress in Madhya Pradesh welcomed the SC’s decision saying, “justice prevailed”, claiming that the initiative for providing reservation for OBCs was taken by their parties and accused each other of being anti-OBC.

Soon after a bench headed by Justice A.M. Khanwilkar pronounced the order granting permission to conduct local body polls with OBC reservation and directed the Madhya Pradesh State Election Commission (MP-SEC) to notify the elections in one week, the state BJP headquarters celebrated the decision calling it a win for the party.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan was greeted by state home minister Narottam Mishra and urban development minister Bhupendra Singh. The trio had visited New Delhi last week to file a review petition for seeking modification in the SC’s order of May 10, in which the court had directed the state election body to conduct elections without OBC reservation.

Expressing happiness over the SC’s decision, Chouhan said, “We had made our intentions clear on this issue. We wanted the local body elections to be held with OBC reservation and all preparations were made for this purpose. The election dates were announced, but the Congress went to the court and the process was stayed. The Congress committed a sin for political gains, but today justice prevailed and the truth won.”

Chouhan said that his government made all possible efforts to provide reservation to the OBCs. “An OBC commission was set up and a survey was conducted across the state to collect facts regarding the same. When the SC demanded more clarity on reports, we submitted the second report and the court trusted the commission’s report. Subsequently the decision to allow elections with OBC quota was pronounced,” Chouhan added.

He alleged that the Congress was in celebration mode after the SC’s order of May 10. He said that the Congress was not interested in the OBC reservation issue but was attacking the BJP for political gains.

On the other hand, the Congress maintained that it wanted local body elections with OBC reservation and for that the party fought strongly. “We were saying from day one that elections to Panchayat and urban bodies should not be held in Madhya Pradesh without OBC reservation. We had also fought regarding OBC reservation and after that the resolution was passed unanimously in the House,” said Kamal Nath, former chief minister and Madhya Pradesh Congress chief.

Nath said that the Supreme Court has given a decision to provide relief in the matter of OBC reservation. He claimed, “The OBC category will still not get the full benefit of OBC reservation increased from 14 per cent to 27 per cent by our government because the SC’s decision mentioned that the reservation should not be more than 50 per cent.”

He said that if the state government had followed the entire procedure of the triple test on time, then this unpleasant situation would never have happened but the Shivraj government woke up after snatching the rights of the OBC class.

Maharashtra

IN PICS: Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis At ‘Warkari BhaktiYog’ Program On International Yoga Day 2025

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Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis participated in the ‘Warkari BhaktiYog’ program on the occasion of International Yoga Day, June 21, 2025. The event was held in Pune and witnessed the participation of lakhs of Warkaris.

Dignitaries present at the event included Minister Chandrakant Patil, Minister of State Madhuri Misal, Professor Sadanand More, and several other important leaders. In an X (formerly Twitter) post, CM Fadnavis shared pictures from the yoga session and expressed his thoughts on the confluence of yoga and the Warkari tradition through the ‘Bhakti Yoga’ program.

The ‘Warkari BhaktiYog’ program aimed to promote a balance between the body, mind, and soul. It concluded in Pune with a massive gathering addressed by Chief Minister Fadnavis, who highlighted the spiritual and healing powers of yoga.

The Chief Minister said that yoga is our tradition, culture and a key to a happy life, as well as a method of treatment. It has an extraordinary ability to rejuvenate the body and mind. With this in mind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed Yoga Day at the United Nations, with the view that the world should accept this ancient Indian knowledge. This is the only such proposal in the history of the United Nations which was supported and approved by all the countries present. Therefore, we have been celebrating World Yoga Day for the past 11 years.

He further said that yoga is a practice that anyone can do. These asanas are designed according to our body structure and have a therapeutic effect on all the external and internal organs of the body, from nails to hair. That is why yoga is being recognised as a ‘healing power’ at the global level.

Chief Minister Fadnavis, referring to the concept of ‘One Earth, One Health’ given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said that the Warkari community upholds this concept through action. It is a matter of fortune for us to get the opportunity to do yoga with the Warkari after the Wari’s stay in Pune. Savitribai Phule Pune University is leading this program, which is a matter of pride.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that today, all the Dindyas are participating in yoga sadhana at their respective stations, and students from 700 colleges have also participated, which is a matter of great satisfaction.

The Chief Minister said that Pune has given a new ‘ring’ to the Wari. He wished that this tradition should continue and that we all remain committed to creating a ‘healthy and prosperous society’.

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Maharashtra

Thane Sessions Court Convicts Hawker For Brutal Attack On Civic Officer During 2021 Encroachment Drive

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Thane: The Thane Sessions Court has convicted a hawker for attempting to murder a senior civic officer and against her security personnel during an anti-encroachment drive conducted by the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) in 2021.

The accused, Amarjitsingh Shivshankar Yadav, alias Amarjit Yadav, was found guilty under several sections of the Indian Penal Code — including Section 307 (attempt to murder), Section 353 (assault on a public servant), Section 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant), Section 333 (causing grievous hurt to deter public servant), and provisions under the Maharashtra Police Act.

About The Incident

The incident took place on August 30, 2021, at the Kasarvadavali junction during a routine anti-hawker and encroachment drive. Kalpita Pimple, Assistant Municipal Commissioner of the TMC’s Majiwada-Manpada ward, was overseeing the operation when Yadav, a hawker at the site, suddenly launched a violent assault on her.

In the unprovoked attack, Pimple suffered severe injuries — including the loss of three fingers and a head injury. A security guard accompanying her also suffered injuries while trying to shield her from the assault.

After a detailed trial, the court held Yadav guilty on all counts, reaffirming the severity of the offence and the need to protect public servants carrying out their lawful duties.

The public prosecutor Shishir Hirey said, “There were two victims in the case, in which Pimple lost three fingers while her security personnel suffered injuries in while trying to prevent the attack.”

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Maharashtra

Kharghar Residents Stage Peaceful Protest Demanding Liquor Ban In Locality

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Navi Mumbai: In a show of unity and resolve, residents of Kharghar gathered today at Shah Arcade, Sector 6, to participate in a sit-in protest demanding a complete ban on liquor outlets in the area.

Organised under the banner of the Liquor-Free Kharghar movement, the protest began at 11:00 AM and witnessed the participation of local citizens, social activists, and community leaders who voiced their concern over the increasing number of liquor shops and their adverse impact on the peace and safety of the neighborhood.

Protesters emphasised that making Kharghar a liquor-free zone is essential to safeguarding the area’s future and ensuring a safe, healthy environment for families and youth.

“Every responsible citizen must stand united to protect Kharghar from the ill effects of alcohol. This movement is not just for today but for the generations to come,” said one of the organizers during the protest.

The peaceful demonstration reflected the community’s collective demand for the authorities to take immediate action and revoke licenses of existing liquor shops to maintain the area’s sanctity and security.

Organisers have urged residents to remain vigilant and continue supporting similar initiatives until their demands are met.

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