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Maha Speaker, BJP’s Rahul Narwekar is India’s youngest in the august seat

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Mumbai lawyer and first-time legislator, Rahul Narwekar, 45, has been elected as the youngest Speaker of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly and also becomes the youngest ever in India to hold this august Constitutional post, here on Sunday.

A Bharatiya Janata Party MLA from Colaba, Narwekar was elected to the high office at a Special Assembly Session, trouncing his sole Maha Vikas Aghadi-backed Shiv Sena nominee Rajan Salvi.

Interestingly, Narwekar is married to Sarojini, the daughter of Nationalist Congress Party’s Ramraje Naik-Nimbalkar, who is the Chairman of the Maharashtra Legislative Council.

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, pointing out at the happy familial coincidence, said that now the ‘relation between the Upper House and Lower House is akin to a father-in-law and son-in-law’, amid cheers, as the new Speaker smiled.

However, Narwekar had served as a Governor Nominated MLC (Upper House) from 2016 before becoming MLA in 2019.

Hailing from a political family, the soft-spoken but sharp legal eagle Narwekar started his career with the Shiv Sena around late-1990s, but felt stifled due to lack of leadership opportunities.

After he was denied a ticket to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, he quit the Sena in a huff and threw his lot with the NCP, where his father-in-law was already a senior leader.

The NCP rewarded Narwekar with a ticket from Maval Lok Sabha constituency in 2014, but he came a distant third to Shiv Sena’s winner Shrirang Barne and the runner-up PWP’s Laxman Jagtap and was compensated as an MLC.

Ahead of the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections, he hopped from the NCP to the BJP, which fielded him from Colaba in South Mumbai and secured his maiden victory to the Lower House.

Barely 31 months later, Narwekar scripted history to become the youngest legislator to be elected as the 16th Speaker (since 1960) and also is now the youngest ever lawmaker to occupy the coveted top legislative post in the country.

His father, Suresh Narwekar was a BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation Municipal Corporator, his brother Makarand Narwekar is a two-term independent Municipal Corporator, and his sister-in-law Harshita Narwekar is also a BJP Municipal Corporator.

Shortly after his election was declared formally by the Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Congress President Nana Patole, NCP leader Ajit Pawar, and other senior Members escorted Narwekar to the Speaker’s ‘hot seat’ from where he would crack his Constitutional whip to run the House in order and legislative decorum.

Hailing Narwekar, top leaders of various parties expressed hopes that he would function in a judicious and impartial manner and carry forward the glorious traditions of the state Speakers, some of whom have gone ahead to many higher offices in public life.

Usually, the post of Speaker is held by senior legislators with years of experience and multiple tenures in the Lower House of Assemblies or Parliament, but a first-time lawmaker Narwekar’s elevation to the plum post has set a new trend in the country.

Maharashtra

Uddhav swallowed Mumbai like python: Mahayuti slams ‘anaconda’ remark on Amit Shah

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Mumbai, Oct 28: The political temperature in Maharashtra has soared after Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray launched a scathing attack on Union Home Minister Amit Shah, calling him an “anaconda” and accusing the BJP of trying to “swallow Mumbai” through political manipulation and illegal land acquisition.

Thackeray’s remarks came after a report in Saamna, the Shiv Sena UBT’s mouthpiece, alleged that a new BJP office was built “by grabbing land at lightning speed”.

Drawing a sharp comparison between the BJP and a newly introduced anaconda at Mumbai’s Jijamata Udyan, Thackeray said that the ruling party’s greed to control Mumbai knows no bounds.

Reacting strongly to Thackeray’s statement, leaders from the ruling Mahayuti alliance hit back, accusing him of “swallowing Mumbai’s wealth” during his tenure.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde countered the remark, saying, “If we talk about the ‘anaconda’ remark, the one calling others an anaconda is actually the real anaconda himself. He had tightly wrapped himself around Mumbai’s treasury. The special thing about anacondas is that their hunger never ends. He swallowed Mumbai’s wealth, swallowed Mumbai itself, and even grabbed several plots of land.”

Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule also lashed out at the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief, comparing him to a “python”.

“Uddhav Thackeray has swallowed Mumbai. He is like a python, not an ordinary snake. This snake sits at home, sleeps all day, eats all day, and has ruined Mumbai. On the other hand, Home Minister Amit Shah has worked for the country from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, strengthening India and tackling terrorism,” he told reporters.

“For over 11 years, under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, he has helped eliminate terrorists. Such a person, you would call an anaconda? Pythons like these have destroyed Mumbai for over 40 years. Uddhav Thackeray couldn’t even manage his own party properly and has left it weak, while also harming Hindus,” Bawankule said.

“He is a person who has lost his mental balance, especially after the elections. He is trying to prove his leadership by making derogatory remarks against Amit Shah and Devendra Fadnavis; however, he should know that leadership is proven through winning elections and not by abusing,” he added.

Joining the attack, BJP MLA Ram Kadam also took a jibe at the former Maharashtra Chief Minister, saying that Thackeray’s comments reflected his “frustration and deteriorating mental state”.

Speaking to media, Kadam said, “Uddhav Thackeray has been abandoned by everyone, and his recent statement reflects that his mental condition is not right and he is frustrated. With no blood relatives and ministers distancing themselves, he resorts to baseless comments.”

“He knows nothing beyond taunting. How can he criticise our Home Minister? Amit Shah earns respect through hard work, while Uddhav, a lazy person who inherited politics, has failed to sustain it,” he added.

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Maharashtra

6 Afghans arrested in Mumbai accused of preparing fake documents

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Mumbai: Mumbai Police has claimed to have arrested 6 Afghan nationals residing illegally in Mumbai city. The Crime Branch Unit 1 of Mumbai Police had received information that Afghan nationals were residing illegally here, on which Unit 1 and Unit 5 formed a joint team and conducted a raid in Fort, Dharavi-Kalaba area of ​​Mumbai and arrested 6 non-Afghan nationals, who have been identified as Mohammad Rasool Nishazia Khan (24), Mohammad Jafar Nabiullah (47), Mohammad Rasool Nishazia Khan (24), Akhtar Mohammad Jamaluddin (47), Ziaul Haq Ghousia Khan (47), Abdul Manan Khan (36) and Asad Shamshuddin Khan (36). Units 1 and 5 carried out the operation on technical grounds. These Afghan nationals had obtained visas in 2015, 2016, 2017 and settled in India. During this time, these Afghan nationals prepared fake documents and settled in India. All of them are in India. They had also hidden their identity with fake names. Their real names were Abdul Samad Kandahar, Muhammad Rasool Qamaruddin Kandahar, Amilullah Jhabul, Zia-ul-Haq Ahmed Kabul, Muhammad Ibrahim Ghaznavi Kabul, Asad Khan Kabul. All of them had prepared their fake documents to prepare Indian documents and then they prepared Indian documents. In this case, the Crime Branch has taken action against Afghans on a large scale and has arrested Afghan illegal residents. The police have registered a case against them and started investigation. This action has been carried out by Joint Police Commissioner Crime Lakshmi Gautam and DCP Raj Tilak Roshan on the instructions of Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti. A case of preparing requisite documents has been registered against them and a case has also been registered under the Passport Act.

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Maharashtra

Mumbai Weather Update: City Sees Clear Skies After Heavy Overnight Downpour, Yellow Alert Issued; Overall AQI In Moderate Range At 63

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Mumbai: After heavy rains lashed the city on Friday, bringing brief waterlogging and traffic disruptions, Mumbai woke up to sunny skies on Saturday morning. However, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) cautioned that the respite may be short-lived, as the city remains under a Yellow Alert with a forecast of partly cloudy skies and a possibility of moderate rain or thunderstorms through the day.

According to the IMD, temperatures are expected to hover around 34°C during the day and dip to about 25°C at night. The brief spell of unseasonal rain not only cooled the weather but also brought a remarkable improvement in the city’s air quality, which had deteriorated sharply post-Diwali due to increased pollution and stagnant winds.

Overall AQI In Moderate Category

Real-time data from AQI.in showed that Mumbai’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 63 on Saturday morning, placing it in the moderate category, a notable recovery from the unhealthy levels recorded earlier in the week.

Among the city’s monitoring stations, Wadala Truck Terminal reported the highest pollution level with an AQI of 190, followed by BKC (75), Kurla (73), Worli (73) and Chembur (72). While mild traces of smog lingered in some of these areas during the early morning, visibility and air freshness improved significantly across most parts of Mumbai.

On the other hand, several localities recorded remarkably clean air. Thakur Village in Kandivali reported the city’s best air quality with an AQI of 25, while Parel-Bhoiwada (32), Malad West (38), Borivali East (40), and Kandivali East (43) also registered good air quality, offering much-needed relief to residents.

As per AQI.in’s classification, readings between 0–50 indicate “Good” air, 51–100 “Moderate”, 101–150 “Poor”, 151–200 “Unhealthy”, and above 200 “Severe” to “Hazardous.”

Friday’s rain marked the third unseasonal spell after the official monsoon withdrawal and was accompanied by lightning, thunder and gusty winds. The IMD had issued a Nowcast warning late Friday evening, alerting of potential thunderstorms and moderate rainfall over Mumbai and adjoining districts. Meanwhile, most parts of Maharashtra, excluding the Vidarbha region, continue to remain under a Yellow Alert for the next few days.

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