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Maharashtra

Decide on party name, symbol after SC verdict, Thackeray tells poll panel

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In a significant development, Shiv Sena-UBT President Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday appealed to the Election Commission to give its decision on his party’s name ‘Shiv Sena’ and its ‘bow and arrow’ poll symbol only after the verdict on the disqualification of 16 rebels by the Supreme Court on February 14.

In October 2022, the EC had frozen the name ‘Shiv Sena’ and its ‘bow and arrow’ symbols amid counter-claims by the Thackeray group and the splinter faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

Later, in view of an Assembly seat bypoll in Mumbai in November 2022, the ECI allotted the Thackeray group the name of Shiv Sena-UBT and symbol of a ‘flaming torch’, while the Shinde group got the Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena name and ‘two swords and shield’ symbol.

Reiterating his complete faith in the law, the ex-Chief Minister said that “we are fully confident that the 16 MLAs (including Shinde) will be disqualified” by the apex court at the next hearing due after a week (February 14)”.

Accordingly, Thackeray, speaking to media persons here this afternoon, flanked by senior leaders Subhash Desai, Anil Desai and others, called upon the EC to give its decision on the party poll symbol only after the SC case outcome.

The arguments by both sides have been completed before the EC and they have also made their written submissions on their respective claims.

The SC’s Constitution bench will start the hearing of the disqualification of the 16 Sena rebels and other related issues from February 14.

In a direct snub, Thackeray also said that there’s “only one Shiv Sena” and he doesn’t recognise any other faction – referring to the BSS headed by Shinde.

He described them as “traitors” who had backstabbed the “real Shiv Sena” to grab power in June 2022 after the rebellion which brought down the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government comprising Sena, Congress and Nationalist Congress Party.

Ridiculing the BSS’ claims that they are the real Sena as they had “more elected people” (MLAs & MPs), Thackeray said if this was so, “then tomorrow, anybody with money power including industrialists can become the Prime Minister or Chief Minister”.

Thackeray rued how these days anyone can become the PM or CM using money power which poses a “threat to democracy”, and urged the SC to deliver its judgement in the Shiv Sena case soon.

Reacting, Shinde said he had full faith in the legal procedures and since the EC is an independent body, he wondered how Thackeray could advise them when to give their verdict.

Another BSS leader Rahul Shewale slammed Thackeray saying he was misleading on the issue of internal party elections and asked him to provide the footage of the polls.

Maharashtra

Conspiracy to defame Sameer Wankhede… serious accusation of protecting Cordelia Cruz from drug case, Judge Irfan Shaikh dismissed after disciplinary committee report

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Mumbai: An attempt to defame former NCB zonal director Sameer Wankhede has started once again. Now the latest case is the dismissal of Judge Irfan Sheikh, in which this allegation has been made against Sameer Wankhede. In the Cordelia Cruz case, instead of arresting Judge Irfan Sheikh, his team has saved the judge. Additional Metropolitan Magistrate Irfan Sheikh was then posted as a judge of the Splendid Court. He was currently serving as a judge of Palghar and Thana District. After serious allegations like misuse of office, use of seized drugs, hitting a taxi with his car on Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Marg while intoxicated, abusing his powers along with having disproportionate wealth, hiding his identity at Nair Hospital and registering a false and misleading address, and getting the car back without depositing it, the High Court has dismissed the judge from service under disciplinary action. When the judge was investigated in the case, the allegations were found to be true and Irfan Sheikh was dismissed from his job. There is no mention of the Cordelia Cruz drug case anywhere in it, but Sameer Wankhede is being accused of helping the judge. Sameer Wankhede has categorically denied this and said that there is no mention of the Cordelia Cruz drug case in the police report or the judicial committee report.
When the documents and copies were obtained in this regard, there was no mention of the Cordelia Cruise drug case. Sameer Wankhede is a constant target of Bollywood, so Shah Rukh Khan’s company Red Chillies Entertainment had prepared a series of bad Bollywood stories against him, against which Sameer Wankhede has filed a defamation case in the Delhi High Court and its hearing is likely to be held soon. The series of slander against Sameer Wankhede and his family has become long and this is the reason why the attempt to defame Sameer Wankhede has intensified in the Irfan Sheikh case as well, but Sameer Wankhede or the NCB team have no role or involvement in this matter.

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Maharashtra

Muslims should stop pasting stickers of I Love Muhammad, criticism of Somaiya and Nitesh Rane, accusation of Abu Asim Azmi of working on a hate agenda

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Mumbai: Maharashtra Samajwadi Party leader and MLA Abu Asim Azmi has appealed to Muslims to follow the footsteps and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and stop pasting stickers of I Love Muhammad because this government is taking action against pasting stickers and is also raining down batons. He said that the unrest being created over the I Love Muhammad sticker is a threat to the country, but despite this, the government is taking action against Muslims. On the Bareilly violence, Azmi said that I Love Muhammad is now an opportunity for sectarians under the guise of which they are running a hateful agenda. Therefore, now Muslims should love him with their true teachings and heart instead of pasting stickers of I Love Muhammad and should avoid pasting stickers. He said that Kirit Somaiya shows provocations about Ai Lo Muhammad and Muslims every day, along with that, the stickers that were pasted in Kurla were pasted with the will of the vehicle owners, there is no need to create a fuss and uproar over it, but Kirit Somaiya has no value, that is why he runs a hate agenda every day. Responding to BJP leader Nitesh Rane’s threat, MLA Abu Asim Azmi said that Nitesh Rane has no other business except spreading hatred, that is why I do not want to respond to his words. Elephants walk, dogs bark. He said that Nitesh Rane cannot even do Hanuman Chalisa and Bhagwat Gita Puja Paat properly, he only does politics in the name of Ram.

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Maharashtra

Thane: Major Blaze Erupts At Chemical Godown In Bhiwandi; One Fire Officer Injured

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Thane: A major fire broke out at a godown storing chemicals along the Mumbai-Nashik highway in Maharashtra’s Thane district, officials said on Monday.

While no casualty was reported in the blaze which erupted around 9.45 pm on Sunday, a fire officer was injured after falling into a drain during the firefighting operation, they said.

Thick smoke from the burning chemicals triggered panic in the surrounding industrial area.

Efforts were still on to douse the blaze, the officials said.

The fire originated in the chemical storage unit located near Savad Naka in Lonad village of Bhiwandi town along the highway, Bhiwandi Nizampur Municipal Corporation’s disaster management cell chief Saquib Kharbe said.

Several fire engines and private water tankers were pressed into service, he said.

There was no report of any casualty in the blaze so far. However, fire officer Nitin Lad sustained injuries after slipping and falling into a drain while wearing a fire suit during the operation and was immediately provided medical assistance, the official said.

Four fire engines — two from Kalyan and one each from Bhiwandi and Ulhasnagar — were rushed to the spot. Several fire personnel were at the spot and efforts were still on to douse the flames, Thane Municipal Corporation’s disaster management cell chief Yasin Tadvi said.

The cause of the blaze was yet to be determined, he added.

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