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Maharashtra

Hotel Owners Stage Silent Protest In Navi Mumbai Against Excise Duty Hike and VAT Changes

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Navi Mumbai: Members of the Navi Mumbai Hotel Owners Association staged a silent protest on Monday, July 14, at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Chowk in Vashi. The protest targeted the Maharashtra Government over the recent hike in excise duty, the abolition of VAT exemptions, and several other pending issues.

In a coordinated move, over 20,000 bars across Maharashtra shut operations on July 14 as part of a statewide bandh called by the Association of Hotels and Restaurants (AHAR). The bandh is a protest against what AHAR terms the government’s “relentless and unjust” tax hikes on the hospitality sector, an industry valued at Rs 1.5 lakh crore and now, according to AHAR.

The protest follows several ignored appeals from the industry, leaving AHAR with no choice but to take what it describes as an extreme yet necessary step for survival, as reported.

AHAR is objecting to multiple policy changes, including a VAT on liquor increased from 5 per cent to 10 per cent, a 15 per cent hike in annual licence fees, and a staggering 60 per cent rise in excise duty within just one year. The bandh is a reaction to what AHAR calls a “triple tax tsunami” that has hit the industry in less than a year.

The president of the AHAR, Sudhakar Shetty, mentioned that, “The entire hospitality sector in Maharashtra is bleeding. Our pleas have fallen on deaf ears. On July 14, every bar and permit room in the state will be shut in protest.” Also added that members across Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, Nagpur, and Konkan have confirmed full participation.

These cumulative tax increases, paired with ongoing post-COVID recovery struggles, have made operations unviable for many businesses. AHAR has warned that these conditions could lead to widespread closures of small and mid-sized establishments, triggering job losses and a potential rise in illegal liquor smuggling from neighbouring states.

“This is not just an economic blow; it is a death blow to an industry that contributes significantly to employment and state taxes,” said Shetty. “These draconian hikes are the final nail in the coffin. From excise renewal fees to VAT and excise duty, our survival is at stake. If the government does not roll back these hikes, we fear mass closures and irreversible damage to Maharashtra’s hospitality landscape.”

Maharashtra

Mumbai: Ahead of Diwali, citizens beam with smiles… Goods worth over 1 crore returned, police performance praised, and people in a joyous mood.

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Mumbai: Mumbai Police has brought back the happiness of the citizens before Diwali by returning their lost and stolen goods and spreading smiles on their faces. DCP Manish Kalwaniya in Zone 8 of Mumbai has today returned the lost and other belongings of the citizens before Diwali, worth more than one crore, including 2000 mobile phones. The DCP said that the people’s joy has doubled after the return of stolen and lost goods because most of them had given up hope of their belongings, but the police have brought smiles back to their faces. Mumbai Police has started a process of returning people’s belongings at various police stations. This process has been started on the initiative of Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti. After the return of stolen and lost goods, the trust of the people in the police in Mumbai has been further strengthened and now the police is performing better in such cases in which people’s belongings have been stolen or have disappeared. The police have now brought smiles to the faces of many people who had forgotten their belongings or did not expect that their belongings would be available to them again.

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Maharashtra

Mumbai: Jains Donate ₹1.38 Crore To 141 Flood-Hit Gaushalas Across Maharashtra

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In a remarkable act of compassion, the Jain community in Mumbai distributed ₹1.38 crore to 141 gaushalas across Maharashtra that were affected by recent floods.

According to Paresh Shah, a member of the Maharashtra Goseva Aayog, the donations will help the gaushalas purchase fodder and essential supplies for their cattle. Each gaushala received ₹50,000 as part of the relief distribution.

The contribution was made during the ‘Jivdaya Mahotsav’, held on Sunday at a Jain temple in Chinchpokli. Of the total amount, the Sheth Damji Lakshmichand Charitable Trust contributed ₹63 lakh. The community also launched a ₹27-lakh animal ambulance to aid animal welfare initiatives in Mumbai.

The event was graced by Shaina N C, national spokesperson of the Shiv Sena, as the chief guest, and Girishbhai Shah from the Animal Welfare Board of India.

Notable donors included the Deepakbhai Bheda family and the Diyodar Jain Sangh, each contributing ₹11 lakh.

Organisers said the initiative reflects the Jain community’s commitment to ‘Jivdaya’ (compassion for all living beings) and aims to support animal shelters struggling after the floods.

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Maharashtra

Mumbai: Harassment of ordinary Muslims in the name of Bangladeshis should stop, Abu Asim makes serious allegations against the government over Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement

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abu azmi

Mumbai: Maharashtra Samajwadi Party leader Worker Assembly Abu Asim Azmi criticized the statement of Home Minister Amit Shah and said that it is the responsibility of the Home Minister and the Central Government to take action against Bangladeshi and Pakistani infiltrators. The population of Muslims in India has increased due to Bangladeshis. This is completely wrong. The residents of West Bengal and ordinary Muslims are being targeted under the guise of Bangladeshi and Pakistanis. He said that the government is yours in many states and at the center, so how do Bangladeshi infiltrators enter from the border? What action has the government taken against those who forge their documents so far? He said that targeting Muslims under the guise of Bangladeshi should be stopped, just as Karat Soumya is trying to fake the certificates and documents of every Muslim and is targeting Muslims. He said that the government should pay attention to how Bangladeshi infiltrators infiltrate from the Indian border. This is not the job of Congress, SP or other parties. It is the job of the government to take action against Bangladeshi and Pakistanis and to bring them to justice. But Muslims should not be harassed or disturbed. He said that action is being taken against those officers who are preparing documents for Bangladeshis.

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