Mumbai, Aug 31: Mounting a sharp offensive against Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat, the Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray on Monday said that if the RSS leadership expects its global message of “one humanity” to carry credibility abroad, the tolerant principles articulated on international soil must be actively practised and enforced within India’s domestic socio-political landscape. ​

In an editorial published in the Shiv Sena (UBT)’s mouthpiece ‘Saamana’, the Thackeray camp scrutinised Bhagwat’s recent address in New York, where the RSS Sarsanghchalak invoked ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ and declared that “if a Hindu feels that there should be no Muslims in India, then he is not a Hindu at all.” ​

The editorial characterised Bhagwat’s measured vocabulary in the United States as a carefully calibrated effort to align with Western democratic norms and global human rights frameworks, arguing that these statements stand in sharp contrast to ground-level developments inside India. ​

​The Thackeray faction accused Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders at the Centre and across various states of fostering an environment where minority communities face systematic exclusion, claiming their actions directly contradict Bhagwat’s public stance on Hindu-Muslim coexistence.

It cited a recent alleged “purification ceremony” conducted by local BJP activists in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, following a public address by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, pointing to it as evidence of a starkly polarised domestic atmosphere driven by political motives.

​”Such is the extreme nature of religion, caste, and inhumane behaviour within the BJP,” the editorial stated. “Do these antics fit into the Krishna Consciousness articulated by Bhagwat in America? Come to India and speak a bit about this as well.” ​

The editorial also drew attention to what it described as the RSS’s selective global posture, criticising its silence on major international humanitarian crises, including civilian casualties in Gaza, as a reflection of changing geopolitical calculations rather than universal human rights. ​

Taking aim at the ideological narratives presented during the American tour, the editorial alleged that the RSS chief deliberately shifted his focus away from Lord Ram to avoid uncomfortable questions regarding domestic governance and financial accountability.

​The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena claimed that the political utility of the Ram Temple movement had been exhausted for the ruling apparatus, accusing supporters tied to the Sangh ecosystem of financial mismanagement surrounding the Ayodhya temple project.

​”The Hindu community in America donated heavily for the construction of the Ram Temple, which was looted in Ayodhya. Neither PM Modi nor the Sarsanghchalak commented on this loot,” the editorial alleged, adding that Bhagwat “escaped accountability on American soil by speaking about Krishna’s ideas instead of Lord Ram”.

The Thackeray camp underscored the striking parallel between political developments abroad, noting that while Prime Minister Narendra Modi engaged in high-level talks in Tashkent to elevate India-Uzbekistan ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, Bhagwat’s US visit — organised as part of the RSS centenary outreach — drew active demonstrations, political pushback, and intense scrutiny over the gap between international rhetoric and domestic reality.

​Concluding with a reference to core tenets of the Bhagavad Gita, the editorial noted that true spiritual authority demands selflessness, equanimity, and the elimination of ego rather than social division or political posturing, urging the RSS leadership to match its global preachings with meaningful action at home.

Nashik, Aug 29: A tragic road accident occurred near the eighth mile area on the Nashik-Mumbai highway when a speeding container truck hit four members of the same family who were walking along the road, police officials said on Saturday.

The accident left the father critically injured, while his three children also sustained injuries.

The injured were immediately taken to Nashik District Hospital in a free ambulance operated by the Jagadguru Narendra Maharaj Sansthan.

However, doctors declared the father dead after examination.

The deceased has been identified as Bhagirath Devaram Made, 45. His children — Mayur Bhagirath Made (16), Shyam Bhagirath Made (6), and Devyani Bhagirath Made (8) — were injured in the accident. The three children are currently undergoing treatment.

According to preliminary information shared by the police, Bhagirath Made was walking along the road with his three children when a speeding container truck struck them.

All four sustained injuries in the collision, the police said.

After receiving information about the accident, emergency assistance was provided and the injured were transported to Nashik District Hospital in a free ambulance, police added.

Despite all the efforts to take the injured to hospital timely, Bhagirath Made was declared dead by doctors, the police said.

Police reached the spot soon after the accident and took the container driver into custody.

Authorities are investigating the circumstances that led to the crash.

The investigators are also trying to determine whether negligence or any other factor was responsible for the accident.

According to officials, the accident has once again raised concerns about pedestrian safety on the busy Nashik-Mumbai Highway.

Officials said that heavy traffic moves throughout the day on the highway where pedestrians are always at the risk.

Motorists have been urged to control their speed and drive carefully, particularly in areas where pedestrians are present, the police officials said.

Meanwhile, people who were there insist that patrolling needs to be increased.

Mumbai: As part of the ‘Pedestrian First’ campaign launched by the Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), various departments are carrying out a drive to remove encroachments to ensure safe, convenient and obstacle-free routes for pedestrians. In the first phase of this campaign, 134 out of 200 marked footpaths have been cleared of encroachments, effectively freeing a total area of ​​197 km. Moreover, action was taken against 94 unauthorised stalls on footpaths near Bhandup Railway Station (West) in the last two days. Under the guidance of Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide, as per the directions of the High Court, the BMC is implementing the ‘Pedestrian First’ campaign to immediately remove unauthorised hawkers and encroachments from footpaths across Mumbai. Commissioner Bhide has directed the Additional Municipal Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners and Assistant Commissioners to ensure strict implementation of this campaign. She is also personally reviewing the progress made in each administrative ward and the actions taken by various departments within these wards. The municipal administration has appealed to the business community and citizens of Mumbai to cooperate in this campaign. The ‘Pedestrian First’ (Padachari Pratham) campaign has been launched in Mumbai to make footpaths accessible to pedestrians. Accordingly, emphasis has been placed on removing obstructions from footpaths in areas with heavy pedestrian traffic such as the areas around Bhandup railway station. In the first phase, encroachments are being removed from 14 footpaths in Bhandup area. The work of removing encroachments from about 11 of these footpaths has already started. The operation was conducted under the guidance of Additional Municipal Commissioner (Eastern Suburbs) Dr. Avinash Dhakane, Deputy Commissioner (Zone 6) Mr. Santosh Kumar Dhonde and Assistant Commissioner (S-Ward) Samrin Syed.

The operation has cleared the way for pedestrians to and from Bhandup Railway Station. This will help in reducing traffic and pedestrian congestion during peak hours. Moreover, citizens will now have access to an obstacle-free footpath leading from Bhandup Railway Station area towards Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg. The operation involved 5 JCBs, 10 dumpers, over 50 officers and staff members, 100 labourers, and over 70 police personnel. Along with the ‘Pedestrian First’ campaign, ‘S’ ward is also making special efforts to eliminate ‘garbage vulnerable spots’ (GVPs) which are prone to accumulation of large quantities of garbage.

Appeal to business owners and citizens
The Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) administration appeals to citizens to remember that footpaths are designed for the safe and easy movement of pedestrians. Do not create obstructions by placing unauthorized shops, stalls, structures or any other material on the footpaths. The corporation is continuously taking action to keep the footpaths clean under the ‘Pedestrian First’ campaign, and strict action will be taken against violators as per the rules. The campaign was carried out at 1,459 locations in the municipal corporation areas. In the first phase of this campaign, encroachments will be removed from 200 footpaths. Out of these, work has been completed on 134. Nearly 197 km of footpaths have been cleared of obstructions, with enforcement actions being carried out at 1,459 locations. The campaign is being carried out in all 26 administrative wards of the Municipal Corporation.