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In UP Shiv Sena rejig, Muslim woman named GS in 46-strong top body

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Nearly seven weeks after losing power in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena President and former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has revamped the party in Uttar Pradesh — its second biggest unit outside the home state, officials said here on Friday.

A sparkling new 46-member Uttar Pradesh Shiv Sena (UPSS) team has been formed, incorporating a first — a Muslim woman Nazia Khan appointed as General Secretary (GS) — along with two other women leaders, Sonu Singh Thakur and Savita Shrivastav.

According to UPSS Chief Spokesperson and office head Vishvjeet Singh, the 46-member apex body comprises the state President Anil Singh Thakur, 10 Vice Presidents, 6 GS, 11 Secretaries, 6 State Organisers, a 3-member panel of spokespersons, and 8 state executive committee members.

“These appointments have been made with the approval of the Party President Thackeray with immediate effect, and now we shall plunge full-fledged into preparations for ensuing Uttar Pradesh civic polls, the 2024 Lok Sabha and 2027 UP Assembly elections,” said Singh.

The Sena plans to contest all the upcoming civic elections in Uttar Pradesh putting up a maximum number of candidates with possibility of local alliances, as decided by the central leadership, said a party leader in Mumbai.

The Uttar Pradesh leaders are also likely to be deployed for the ensuing Maharashtra civic elections to woo the north Indian voters, particularly in Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Pune, Aurangabad and certain other regions where they are in significant numbers, he added.

Singh said the new body will launch a state-wide membership drive with a target of over 100,000 people who will be enrolled by December.

“Thereafter, in all the 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh, we shall launch an intensive membership drive with at least 100,000 enrolments per district before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections,” said the Chief Spokesperson.

Shiv Sena, which has been on the fringes in Uttar Pradesh since 30 years, almost equivalent to its rule over the country’s biggest and richest civic body, BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), now plans to spread wings in a big way in that state.

It broke the ice with the electorate when a party nominee, Pawan Pandey was elected from Akbarpur to the Uttar Pradesh Assembly in 1991, and later he was among those accused in the Babri Masjid demolition case.

“The situation today in Uttar Pradesh is very differenta People are now weary of the Ram Temple issue and are demanding the basics of life like jobs, education, health facilities, curbing inflation, end to communal and caste politics,” claimed Singh.

Referring to the collapse of the Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress’s MVA regime headed by Thackeray on June 29, he said that the Uttar Pradesh masses are “disturbed” by the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) blatant misuse of central agencies to topple state governments.

The MVA experiment of November 2019 dealt a blow to the party even in Uttar Pradesh, and Singh claimed that the BJP adopted vindictive tactics against Shiv Sena candidates in the March 2022 Assembly polls in which Chief Minister Adityanath Yogi swept to power for a second consecutive term.

“In the 75th year of Independence, our strategy will be to create Hindu-Muslim amity, all-inclusive growth and development of Uttar Pradesh, with job creations at all levels, improved infrastructure, health and education for the entire population,” said Singh.

After contesting around two dozen seats in 2019 Lok Sabha elections and 100 in 2022 Assembly polls, the Sena plans to at least double its candidates for both these elections after approval from the central leadership in Mumbai.

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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