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Both Shiv Sena groups welcome SC decision

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Both Shiv Sena factions – led by ex-CM Uddhav Thackeray and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde – welcomed the Supreme Court decision on Tuesday allowing the Election Commission to decide on the ‘real Shiv Sena’ and the allotment of the iconic bow-and-arrow symbol.

In his first reaction, Shinde said he humbly welcomed the apex court decision and reiterated that his faction is the “real Shiv Sena”.

“In a democracy, the majority counts and we have that majority in the assembly, a majority of the MPs are supporting us. All decisions taken in the country are based on the Constitution, laws and procedures. We have not done anything to flout any laws and we have formed this government also on the basis of the laws. We were expecting this decision,” he said.

Shiv Sena ex-Minister Aditya Thackeray said that “this is not a relief” as claimed by the Shinde group leaders, while MP Arvind Sawant said that this decision is part of the legal procedures, and the whole country has witnessed the court proceedings.

“This is neither a shock nor relief to any side. The SC has now asked the ECI to take a decision in the matter. The ‘traitors’ have not got any victory as they are claiming. Now we shall present our case before the ECI. We have full faith in the judiciary,” said Thackeray Jr.

Terming it as “the first blow to Uddhav Thackeray” with more to come, Shinde said that they had full faith in the EC, even as several other leaders his Group hailed verdict rejecting the Sena’s plea for a stay on the ECI on the rival group’s claims before it.

Nationalist Congress Party state President Jayant Patil, Sena leaders like Anil Desai, ex-Minister Anil Parab and others also said that they accept the SC verdict and will now present their case strongly before the EC.

Maharashtra

Maharashtra: No Funds For Shaktipeeth Highway Despite CM Devendra Fadnavis’s Push; Finance Dept Skips Provision In ₹57,509 Crore Supplementary Demands

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Mumbai: Despite a clear directive from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the Finance Department (FD) has not made provision for the ambitious Shaktipeeth Highway while introducing Rs 57,509 crores supplementary demands in the State Assembly on Monday.

Significantly, the supplementaries, according to government sources, will put an additional Rs 40,000 Cr burden on the state kitty, which is already overburdened with debt of over Rs 9 lakh Cr. The Chief Minister had in a recent meeting on infrastructure projects, asked the Public Works Department (PWD) to set aside Rs 20,000 Cr for the land acquisition of Shaktipeeth Highway, 802 KM greenfield, access control six-lane express highway connecting Nagpur to Patradevi (Dist Sindhudurg) near the Goa border.

The project has been facing stiff opposition from farmers from various districts, which led to altercations with government officials during surveys in the districts of Solapur, Latur, Dharashiv and Parbhani. Despite that, the state cabinet in a recent meeting approved the design and Rs 20,787 Cr for planning and land acquisition for the project. Usually, if total provision is not possible, the Finance Department makes a token provision to indicate that a particular project or plan is very much on the cards, and the provision can be made down the line. But this does not seem to be the case with the Shaktipeeth Highway, which is estimated to cost over Rs 86,000 Cr.

An offical told the FPJ that government will have to ask the state legislature to make the financial provision as approved in the June 24 meeting of the state cabinet. The Finance Department, led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, however, has earmarked approximately Rs 10,000 Cr for the PWD. A majority of the provision will go for the state highways, district roads, the ring road for Pune and a Samruddhi Mahamarg link connecting Jalna to Nanded.

Although Shiv Sena has only four departments under it’s control whereas there are as many as eight departments with the BJP and seven with the NCP, it seems to have cornered a substantial part of the provisions. Urban Development Department, led by Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, tops the list with the provision of Rs 15,465 Cr. The Public Health Department, led by Shinde’s party colleague Prakash Abitkar, will get Rs 6952 Cr.

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Maharashtra

‘Thackerays Are Coming’: Sanjay Raut’s Post On July 5 ‘Marathi Victory Rally’ Sparks Buzz On Shiv Sena UBT-MNS Joint Celebration Event

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Mumbai: Mumbai is set to witness a triumphant celebration on July 5, as the Shiv Sena UBT led by Uddhav Thackeray has announced a ‘Marathi Vijay Melava’ (Victory Rally), following the Maharashtra government’s rollback of both government resolutions (GRs) mandating Hindi as a compulsory third language from Class 1 under the three-language formula.

In a post on X on Tuesday, Sena UBT MP Sanjay Raut shared an image saying, “It’s settled. July 5 – A Victory Rally for Marathi! Thackeray is coming…” He captioned the post, “Jai Maharashtra.” It is speculated that the rally is a joint celebration event along with the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) led by Raj Thackeray. However, there is no confirmation from both Sena UBT and MNS over the reunion of Thackeray brothers at the rally.

The rally, originally planned as a protest against the imposition of Hindi, will now be held in a celebratory spirit, marking what the opposition parties call a people-powered win for Marathi identity. The Shiv Sena (UBT) had earlier joined hands with the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) to protest the GRs and both Uddhav and Raj Thackeray were scheduled to participate in a joint protest march on July 5. However, with the government withdrawing the controversial orders on Sunday, the planned protest has now transformed into a victory rally for Marathi pride.

Announcing the change, Uddhav Thackeray stated, “Even though the protest has been called off, a victory rally will still take place. This is not just a rollback of two government decisions, it’s a win for every Marathi-speaking citizen who stood up for their language.”

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had declared the rollback in a press conference, flanked by Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar. He also announced the formation of an expert committee headed by Dr Narendra Jadhav to re-examine the three-language policy after wide consultation with stakeholders. The government maintained that Marathi would remain compulsory and future decisions would be based on the committee’s recommendations.

The Shiv Sena UBT and MNS had strongly opposed the move to impose Hindi from the first grade, calling it an assault on Maharashtra’s linguistic identity. MNS first raised the issue, followed by an aggressive entry by the Thackeray-led Sena. Pressure continued to mount, leading to the state government’s retreat.

Now, instead of protests and slogans, Mumbai is expected to echo with celebration, marking what many see as a rare moment of opposition unity and cultural assertion in Maharashtra.

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Maharashtra

SP MLA Abu Azmi Moves Bombay High Court to Quash FIRs Over Controversial Remarks Labeling India as ‘A Golden Sparrow’ Due to Aurangzeb

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Mumbai, June 30, 2025 — The controversy surrounding remarks made by Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA Abu Azmi continues to unfold as he has approached the Bombay High Court seeking to quash multiple FIRs registered against him. The filings stem from comments in which Azmi referred to India as ‘a golden sparrow’—a phrase he linked to the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb—drawing widespread attention and sparking debates over the nature of these remarks.

Azmi’s petition argues that his statements have been misinterpreted and taken out of context, claiming they are part of a historical narrative rather than a political statement. He contends that criminal proceedings against him are unjustified and that his freedom of speech should be protected under constitutional rights.

The FIRs, registered across various districts, allege that Azmi’s comments could incite communal tensions and offend sentiments linked to national identity. Critics have accused Azmi of making divisive remarks, while supporters argue that his statements are historical references meant to shed light on past rulers and avoid misrepresentations.

Legal experts suggest that the case revolves around balancing free speech against the potential to incite discord. The court’s decision on whether to dismiss the FIRs could have broader implications for political discourse and expression of historical perspectives in India.

As the matter remains under judicial review, it continues to fuel discussions across political circles and social media, highlighting the sensitive nature of historical narratives and freedom of expression in contemporary India.

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