Mumbai, Sep 5: The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) on Friday slammed Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) MP Milind Deora and demanded his expulsion from the party for urging Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to draft a standard operating procedure to prevent Mumbai from being paralysed during protests.

After the five-day protest by pro-Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil paralysed the city, Deora wrote to Fadnavis seeking a ban on protests in, or their relocation away from, the city’s high-security and key operational zones, a move that angered the Uddhav Sena camp, drawing sharp criticism.

In a hard-hitting editorial in the party mouthpiece Saamana, the Uddhav Sena said, “The first right over Mumbai belongs to the Marathi people. Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s party answers to Amit Shah. Therefore, the Shinde camp MP does not acknowledge the Marathi people’s claim over Mumbai. The city did not stop even after the terrible bomb blasts; that is Mumbai’s character. It will not stop because of agitation either, but industrialists aligned with Modi and Shah are trying to swallow Mumbai, which is a serious concern. Mumbai may seem to belong to the affluent, but it is, above all, the capital of Maharashtra.”

The Uddhav Sena has demanded that Shinde immediately expel Deora, accusing him of showing contempt for Marathi identity and opposing both the Maratha community’s movement and the gathering of Marathi people in Mumbai.

“The struggle for a united Maharashtra first caught fire in South Mumbai. From there began the marches of the Marathi people. Most of the 106 martyrs fell in police firing in this very part of the city, where their memorial now stands. It was also from South Mumbai that Mahatma Gandhi gave the call of ‘Quit India’ to the British. The sweat and blood of Marathi workers and mill labourers built the wealth that raised palaces for the rich in this area. Yet Shinde Sena MP Deora now says Marathi people should not be allowed to protest in South Mumbai. He further argues that the country’s economic capital must not be halted by any agitation,” the editorial stated.

Uddhav Sena says that young men and women from villages across Maharashtra came to Mumbai to join Jarange-Patil’s protest for Maratha reservation. For four to five days, they walked the city streets and gathered along the seafront, eating the chutney and bread they had carried from home while sitting by the roadside. The rich from South Mumbai have since raised objections, and their representative, Deora, has written to the Chief Minister registering his protest against the agitation.

“Deora struck the note that no further agitation should be allowed around the Mantralaya in South Mumbai. As an MP from the Shinde group backed by Amit Shah, he has opposed the Marathi people’s protest in South Mumbai in this manner,” claimed the Thackeray camp.

The Uddhav camp rejected Deora’s claim that such protests are barred in every major capital, calling the statement completely objectionable.

“Americans took to the streets against President Trump’s rule, with demonstrations held in more than 1,600 locations. Chicago, a major commercial centre, became the main hub of the protest. People also marched in Atlanta, St. Louis, California, Maryland, New York, and Washington. President Trump’s supporters even resorted to violence inside the Capitol Hill building, long seen as a symbol of American democracy. Across Europe as well, protests are a common feature in national capitals. The right to protest in a capital city is a basic entitlement granted to citizens in a democracy,” the editorial said.

“Saying that Marathi people should not protest in Mumbai, particularly in South Mumbai where the wealthy reside, is an injustice to all Marathi brothers,” it said.

New Delhi, Sep 5: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday conveyed his greetings to the nation on Milad-un-Nabi, the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad, expressing hopes for peace and the well-being of society.

Taking to social media platform X, the Prime Minister posted, “Best wishes on the occasion of Milad-un-Nabi. May this sacred day bring with it peace and well-being in our society. May the values of compassion, service, and justice always guide us. Eid Mubarak!”

Milad-un-Nabi, also known as Eid-e-Milad or Mawlid, is an important festival for Muslims worldwide, commemorating the birth of the Prophet Muhammad.

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju also extended his wishes on the occasion.

Taking to X, he wrote, “Greetings on Eid-E-Milad-Un-Nabi! May this Eid bring joy in everyone’s life and strengthen the bonds of unity & togetherness.”

Jammu and Kashmir L-G, Manoj Sinha also extended wishes, writing in a post on X, “Greetings to all on the auspicious occasion of Milad-un-Nabi. The life and teachings of Prophet Muhammad inspire humanity to live a life of compassion and selflessness. May his message guide us to righteous living and strengthen unity, brotherhood & peace in society. Eid Mubarak!”

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge also joined in greeting people. In his post on X, he said, “Eid Milad-Un-Nabi Mubarak to everyone. May this auspicious occasion usher in peace, prosperity, and compassion, uniting everyone in a spirit of goodwill.”

The Prophet, born in Mecca around 570 CE, is remembered for his teachings of compassion, equality, and justice, which continue to inspire millions worldwide. This year, the festivities began on Thursday, September 4, and conclude on Friday, coinciding with the 12th day of Rabi’ al-Awwal, the third month of the Islamic calendar.

Milad-un-Nabi is observed with prayers, religious gatherings, and charitable activities. It is seen as a time of reflection, where followers revisit the Prophet’s message of kindness, service to humanity, and harmony. The day’s significance extends beyond celebration, it serves as a reminder of the enduring values of justice, compassion, and unity that Prophet Muhammad espoused.

Mumbai: On a rainy Thursday, food lovers were shocked when an insta post from Ranbir Batra, owner of New Yorker, the iconic Tex-Mex-Italian-Indian vegetarian restaurant at Chowpatty seaface founded by his father Tony Brar, announced that the place was downing shutters on September 11. It was a kind of 9/11 moment for the foodies.

The message came like a bolt from the blue. No reasons were given for the sudden decision. Efforts to reach out to Ranbir were in vain.

Ever since this dining place with its cool interiors opened 45 years ago, two generations of Mumbaikars had enjoyed its delectable fare. If the oldies preferred to go to Cream Centre next door for its outsized baturas and chhole, the younger generation headed for New Yorker.

In fact, taking your girlfriend to NY was an in thing in the ’80s. It was ideally sandwiched between Cafe Ideal, where you can sip your chilled lager as you watched the sunset through its glass windows, and Cream Centre which continues to be a favourite with the aunties and uncles.

In his post Ranbir said, “There is sadness as this restaurant opened a few years before I was born, close to 45 years ago…..It is due to some unforeseen and unfortunate circumstances that we have to shut our doors…but we pray this is not the end. We hope to continue to serve you some of our most popular dishes via a delivery model soon enough and then the door will always be open for New Yorker to come back in a new way. For now though, we say goodbye to this location.”

The post hints that NY may relocate to another location. There is speculation that the building may be going in for redevelopment and that is the reason for NY’s closure.

NY was justly famous for its Mexican tomato soup, Feta cheese salad, Smoky chipotle hummus, Nachos, Mexican galouti tikkis, Paneer quesadilla, Bean and cheese enchiladas, Burrito bowl, Blue Tribe Veg Sausage pizza, Pesto Genovese, Good ol’ Arrabiatta, Mucho grande pizza, burger, hot dog et al. which could be downed with Oreo thickshake, cranberry mojito or Lemon masala jeera soda.

The dessert section boasted Mexican churros, Molten choco lava cake, triple hot fudge nut sundae etc and guaranteed to make you stay away from your weighing scales.