Mumbai, Sep 8: Launching a scathing attack on Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister, Eknath Shinde, and his faction, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief, Uddhav Thackeray, on Tuesday endorsed senior advocate Kapil Sibal’s argument in the Supreme Court requesting the freezing of the undivided party’s iconic ‘Bow and Arrow’ election symbol if a final decision on the party’s identity is delayed any further.

Addressing a press conference, Thackeray justified Sibal’s stance, asserting that those who “stole” the party, its name, and its symbol should not be permitted to exploit stolen property to consolidate power and engage in misgovernance.

“Four years have passed in this legal battle. Two major elections, municipal elections, and Zilla Parishad polls have taken place while the case drags on from date to date. We are bearing the brunt of these delays. Their misuse of the symbol to retain power must be halted,” he remarked.

Thackeray added that his party holds the rightful claim to the name and symbol, reiterating that the current rulers are incapable of governance and that the dispute should never have arisen in the first place.

“We shouldn’t have had to fight a legal battle to retain our own name and symbol in the first place,” Thackeray stated.

Directing his ire at the Election Commission of India (ECI), he questioned its impartiality. “The ECI is scrutinising our party constitution, yet it turns a blind eye to bogus political parties—like the six entities sharing an office in Naroda holding over Rs 620 crore in assets. Is the ECI auditing their constitutions, or should we assume the Commission is a partner in those donations?”

Rebutting Eknath Shinde’s remark that freezing the symbol equates to “freezing Balasaheb Thackeray’s ideology,” Thackeray said, “Shinde and his associates are men with frozen minds. I won’t ask to send them to a cattle shed (gotha), because even livestock serve a purpose to humanity. These frozen-minded thieves have lost all moral right to speak on the Bow and Arrow.”

Beyond internal party matters, the former Chief Minister touched upon key public and political issues. Commenting on the nuisance caused by high-decibel DJ sound systems during festivals, Thackeray voiced support for restrictions, noting, “Everyone wants to celebrate festivals, but nobody wants intolerable noise pollution.”

Thackeray extended strong support to banning high-decibel DJ sound systems during major festivals like Ganeshotsav and Dahi Handi, advocating instead for traditional Indian musical instruments.

Drawing a historical parallel, Thackeray noted that Lokmanya Tilak transformed festivals into a mass movement for India’s freedom struggle, which later evolved into grand public celebrations. However, he cautioned that these celebrations should not degenerate into loud, disruptive noise.

“The sanctity of our festivals must be preserved; there is no need for utter chaos and noise,” Thackeray remarked. “Festivals are meant to bring joy to the public, not to cause distress. People want to celebrate, but they do not want the harassment that comes with extreme noise.”

Thackeray questioned the need for massive speaker stacks and complex decibel-monitoring protocols when traditional music instruments are readily available. He urged the administration to engage directly with festival committees (Ganeshotsav Mandals) and key stakeholders to establish clear time limits and reasonable guidelines through dialogue rather than coercion.

Taking a swipe at “Neo-Hindutva” proponents regarding controversial dance performances during Dahi Handi events, Thackeray asked whether such vulgarity aligns with their values, urging them to publicly clarify their stance on the matter.

On removal of PM Modi’s photographs by MNS activists in Pune college, Thackeray backed the decision to remove Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pictures alongside revered historical figures.

“Under no circumstances should the Prime Minister’s photograph be placed next to iconic national icons and great personalities,” he asserted.

A financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh has been handed over by the Mumbai Municipal Corporation to Anjum Shaikh, wife of late Aslam Shaikh, a resident of Sakinaka (Yadun Nagar) who lost his life in a manhole accident at Khairani Road, Kurla. Anjum Shaikh sent a letter thanking the Mayor, public representatives of all political parties and the municipal administration for the immediate help provided by Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde during this crisis and the timely assistance provided by the Corporation. After the tragedy that took place on 2 July 2026, Mayor Ritu Tawde reached out to the Shaikh family to express her condolences, recognising the needy circumstances of the family, she had immediately promised a financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh. Following these instructions, the Corporation’s ‘L’ Ward (Kurla) office followed up on the matter, ensuring completion of necessary formalities related to bank account details and inheritance documents. On August 4, 2026, an amount of ₹10 lakh was transferred directly to Anjum Shaikh’s bank account. Submitting a written acknowledgement of assistance to the Municipal Corporation, Anjum Shaikh said in her letter that the promise made by the Mayor to our family in this very difficult time has been fulfilled. I am grateful to the public representatives of all parties, office bearers, the Mayor, and the municipal officers who guided and supported this entire process. The family was deeply shocked by the tragic demise of their father Kafeel Aslam Shaikh, however, it was our duty to stand with the bereaved family. The sentiments expressed in Anjum Shaikh’s letter encourage the Municipal Corporation administration to work with greater sensitivity.

Mumbai: Amid tight security arrangements for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Mumbai, a stir was created when a youth was detained at the Nita Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC) in Mumbai’s Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC). He was accused of trying to gain entry by posing as an official of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). Another person who came with the youth has also been detained by the police. According to initial information, the detained youth has been identified as 24-year-old Rohan Parekh. It is said that Rohan was carrying an identity card claiming affiliation with the Prime Minister’s Office. During the security check, the card was found to be fake. He claimed to be a PMO official. According to sources, Rohan Parekh identified himself as an official of the Prime Minister’s Office. He was trying to reach the venue of the event on the basis of this claimed identity. Security agencies and Mumbai Police deployed at the scene were already on high alert due to the Prime Minister’s scheduled programme. The security personnel found his movements suspicious and checked his documents. During the check, the PMO identity card in his possession was found suspicious. So, he was taken into custody, and interrogation began. The bodyguard recovered a gun from his possession. A particularly serious aspect of the case is that Rohan Parekh was not alone. He was accompanied by a person who was acting as his bodyguard. Reports suggest that a gun was recovered from the person during the security check. The police have not yet released official information regarding whether the gun is licensed or illegal. Authorities are also investigating whether the person had a valid license and other necessary documents to carry weapons. The Crime Branch has started an investigation. Considering the seriousness of the incident, further investigation of the case has been handed over to the Mumbai Crime Branch. The investigating agencies are working to determine why Rohan Parekh allegedly made a fake PMO identity card and what was his real motive. The investigating agency is also looking into where Rohan obtained the identity card, his connection with the armed person who accompanied him and what places the two had visited before the incident. Security agencies are also questioning him.

Since this is a matter related to an event attended by the Prime Minister, the security agencies are also taking the entire incident very seriously. The police are currently questioning the two detained persons and examining their mobile phones, identity documents and other belongings. Further legal action and details about the confirmation of the charges will be clear only after the investigation is completed.