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Maharashtra

Kamra row: Criticism, soul of democracy trampled, says Shiv Sena(UBT)

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Mumbai, March 26: Shiv Sena(UBT) has slammed the Mahayuti government, Mumbai Police and the Shiv Sena over the ransacking of the studio over the controversial remarks by stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra, saying that the criticism, which is the soul of democracy as advocated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been trampled.

Shiv Sena(UBT), in its mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ editorial, questioned what the Maharashtra Home Minister and police were doing while chaos was going on in Mumbai city.

“PM Modi says criticism is the soul of democracy. Here, both democracy and the soul have been trampled underfoot by PM Modi’s supporters and are exposed. Instead of taking action against the goons who attacked the podcast studio, the Home Minister asked Kunal Kamra to apologise to Shinde and settle the matter. There is no such thing as freedom of expression. Fadnavis’ ancestors fought against the strangulation of freedom of expression during the Emergency. It no longer seems true that these people went to jail against the Emergency and fought against Indira Gandhi,” reads the editorial.

“Using the pretext of criticism, the pro-Modi Shinde group attacked a ‘podcast studio’. They destroyed the studio and the platform of freedom of expression. They threatened to kill ‘podcast’ artist Kunal Kamra. What was the Maharashtra Home Minister doing and what were his police doing while this chaos was going on in Mumbai city?” says the editorial.

“Was the police a silent spectator while the vandalism was going on or were they in a role of cooperating with the vandals? As soon as the pro-Modi Shinde group vandalized Kamra’s studio, the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation woke up and reached the studio with a dormant bulldozer. The civic body decided that many works in the studio were illegal and demolished it. BMC realised that there was illegal construction done inside the studio only after the stand-up comedian, without taking anyone’s name, read out his poem full of sarcasm. The BMC’s action should also be called a joke,” says the editorial.

The editorial further says, “Apologise and go away seems to be the policy of the current Chief Minister. If the podcaster has made a wrong and defamatory criticism, legal action can be taken against him, but threats, beatings and vandalism before the crime are proven hooliganism. Home Minister Fadnavis is openly supporting this hooliganism.”

Thackeray faction, while stepping up attacks against Chief Minister and Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ remarks, asks, “Shinde’s supporters attacked Kunal Kamra, but they are not ready to say a single word against a journalist Prashant Koratkar who insulted Shivaji. So has the Maharashtra government granted Koratkar the freedom of expression to insult Shivaji?”

The Shiv Sena(UBT) asks whether the Shinde faction will march at Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray’s residence and question him over his statement that ”There are many ‘Khokyabhai’ sitting in the Vidhan Sabha.”

“This statement reflects reality. Raj Thackeray called all those who defected with 50 boxes and got elected on the strength of those boxes ‘Khokyabhai’. The government belongs to these ‘Khokyabhai’s’. Are Shinde’s people going to march towards Raj Thackeray’s house today because he gave the analogy of ‘Khokyabhai’?” reads the Saamana.

Maharashtra

Maharashtra: MNS Workers Assault Attendant At Nanded Bus Stand For Refusing To Speak Marathi

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Nanded: In another instance of vigilantism over language, workers of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) allegedly assaulted a Hindi-speaking migrant worker at the state transport bus stand in Nanded on Wednesday. The attendant, posted outside the ladies’ toilet, was reportedly targeted for refusing to speak in Marathi when questioned by a local.

The incident came to light after multiple videos surfaced on social media. In one clip, a man is seen confronting the attendant for collecting Rs 5 from women for using the toilet, which is generally free. When asked to respond in Marathi, the attendant allegedly said, “I will not speak Marathi, do what you want to do.” The video was reportedly circulated among local MNS workers, including the party’s Nanded city chief.

Video Shows MNS Workers Assaulting Man

Soon after, another video showed a group of men wearing MNS scarves slapping and punching the attendant. They are heard berating him not only for refusing to speak Marathi but also accusing him of misbehaving with women and being rude.

Under pressure, the man was made to deliver a forced apology on camera, stating in Marathi: “I apologise to Marathi people and to Raj Thackeray. I will not repeat this mistake again.” Despite the videos going viral, no formal FIR had been registered till Wednesday evening.

Growing Incidents Of Violence Involving MNS Workers

This episode adds to a growing list of similar incidents involving MNS workers taking offense over language. Just earlier this month, MNS cadres had allegedly assaulted shopkeepers in Mira Road, Thane and Vikhroli for not speaking Marathi. The party has long positioned itself as a protector of Marathi identity, often using aggressive means.

Party chief Raj Thackeray had previously said he was “proud” of MNS workers for “defending Marathi pride,” while Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had condemned such vigilantism. “No one has the right to assault someone for not speaking a particular language,” Fadnavis had said.

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Maharashtra

Supreme Court Stays Bombay High Court’s Acquittal in 2006 Mumbai Train Blasts Case

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New Delhi, July 24, 2025 — The Supreme Court of India has issued a stay on the Bombay High Court’s recent decision to acquit 12 men previously convicted in the 2006 Mumbai suburban train bombings. The apex court, however, clarified that the accused will not need to return to jail while the legal process continues.

The move comes days after the Maharashtra government filed a challenge against the High Court’s ruling, expressing serious concern over the acquittal of all 12 individuals who had been found guilty nearly a decade earlier. The Supreme Court agreed to examine the appeal and put the acquittal order on hold until further notice.

Background of the Case

On July 11, 2006, a series of coordinated bomb blasts targeted local trains on Mumbai’s Western Railway line during evening rush hour. The attacks resulted in the deaths of around 190 people and left over 800 injured. It was one of the deadliest terror strikes in India’s history.

In 2015, a special court convicted 12 men under anti-terror laws, sentencing five to death and the remaining to life imprisonment. However, the Bombay High Court overturned these convictions in July 2025, citing weak and unreliable evidence, inconsistencies in witness testimonies, and procedural lapses in the investigation.

Supreme Court’s Intervention

Responding to the state’s petition, the Supreme Court noted the seriousness of the matter and temporarily suspended the High Court’s decision. The court stated that although the acquittal order is stayed, the accused who had already been released will not be required to surrender at this stage.

Government’s Stand

The Maharashtra government described the High Court’s judgment as deeply concerning, arguing that the earlier trial had followed due process and that crucial evidence—such as confessions and material recovered—was improperly dismissed. The government urged the Supreme Court to uphold the original convictions in the interest of justice for the victims and their families.

What Lies Ahead

The Supreme Court is expected to conduct a detailed review of the High Court’s findings and the prosecution’s evidence. The final verdict could have a significant impact on how terrorism-related cases are investigated and prosecuted in the future, especially with respect to the handling of confessional statements, forensic evidence, and procedural safeguards.

The case continues to be a matter of national attention due to its historical gravity and implications for the justice system. Families of the victims, legal experts, and civil rights advocates are all watching closely as the country’s top court re-evaluates one of India’s most complex terror cases.

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Maharashtra

Maharashtra Govt Targets 50 Lakh Homes In 10 Years Under New Housing Policy 2025, Aims For Slum-Free State

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Mumbai: The Maharashtra government introduced the Housing Policy 2025 on Wednesday, a comprehensive plan expected to mobilise investments worth Rs 70,000 crore.

The policy outlines a multi-pronged strategy focusing on slum rehabilitation, affordable housing, and sustainable urban development, with special emphasis on economically weaker sections (EWS), lower-income groups (LIG), and middle-income groups (MIG).

The government has set an ambitious target to construct 35 lakh houses over the next five years, with a long-term vision of delivering 50 lakh homes within a decade. To facilitate this, the MahaAwas Fund will be significantly expanded to Rs 20,000 crore.

“The ultimate target is to build 50 lakh houses in the next 10 years… To achieve this ambitious target, existing provisions under the Development Control and Promotion Regulations/Unified Development Control and Promotion Regulations and relevant institutional frameworks will be strengthened and modified as needed. Additionally, active participation from the private sector will be promoted through a range of incentive-based measures,” the policy stated.

A key focus of the policy is transforming Maharashtra into a slum-free state through large-scale rehabilitation and redevelopment projects. The policy prioritises the needs of low-income earners, senior citizens, women, industrial workers, and students.

Affordable housing has been granted infrastructure status, enabling developers to access external commercial borrowing (ECB) and foreign direct investment (FDI). It also qualifies for priority sector lending (PSL) from banks and housing finance companies (HFCs).

The policy advocates for the redevelopment of old buildings to enhance living conditions and optimise land use. It also promotes the development of integrated townships that combine affordable housing with essential services.

“The state-level portal will soon be developed for providing information on housing development through government-private sector partnership, through developers and also through state-run undertakings,” the policy noted.

Recognising diverse housing needs, the policy includes provisions for industrial workers, senior citizens, working women, students, project-affected persons (PAPs), and migrant workers. A notable feature is the ‘Walk to Work’ concept, which reserves 10% to 30% of land in Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) areas for housing.

“Such land should be handed over to the appropriate authority at the applicable acquisition price, so that authority can create adequate housing stock in such areas. The authority can also partner with private industries to provide housing for industrial workers in a public-private partnership model,” the policy explained.

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