Mumbai, May 20: Anti-corruption activist Anjali Damani on Tuesday slammed the Maharashtra government over veteran NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal’s induction into the state cabinet.

Soon after Bhujbal was inducted into the state cabinet, Damani wrote in a post on X in Marathi (loosely translated as): “Congratulations to the coalition government of Maharashtra. The state got another ED Bhushan Minister.”

Minutes before Bhujbal’s induction, Damani said, “Will Chhagan Bhujbal take oath as a minister at Raj Bhavan at 10 a.m. on Tuesday? Wow, Fadnavis, wow! Does this mean that one corrupt minister will be replaced by another corrupt minister? What is this nonsense? Or are there no decent people in politics?”

She further said, “And yes, when this same Bhujbal was in jail, a photo of him looking like a complete loser was shown in the media. So now what? I feel disgusted with Maharashtra politics. Remember the slogan below? “Action against corrupt officials, Ab Ki bar 400 paar.”

“Modi Govt’s Big Step Against Corruption. “Is this the big step? Is this the action?” she asked.

Bhujbal’s induction was done after the NCP president and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, party working president Praful Patel, and party state president Sunil Tatkare’s unanimous decision, especially ahead of the upcoming local and civic body elections.

Bhujbal is a leading OBC leader and the founder of Akhil Bharatiya Mahatma Phule Samta Parishad. He has been a strong advocate of the protection of the OBC reservation and caste-based census.

As another OBC leader Dhananjay Munde resigned in March in connection with the brutal killing of Beed sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh, NCP decided to give ministerial berth to Bhujbal.

Bhijbal was sulking after not being inducted into the cabinet expansion held on December 15 last year.

New Delhi, May 19: The government is unlikely to extend the commercial airline IndiGo’s leasing agreement with Turkish Airlines due to strained diplomatic relations following Turkey’s open support for Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor launched by India to avenge the killings of 26 tourists.

“The current pact, which enables IndiGo to operate wide-body aircraft on the Delhi-Istanbul route, expires on May 31. The government review is underway and the deal is unlikely to be renewed given the broader diplomatic context,” according to an Media report, citing people in the know.

IndiGo currently operates over 500-seater Airbus A330s on lease from Turkish Airlines for its Istanbul flights. The partnership also includes a codeshare deal that allows IndiGo to sell connections to over 40 destinations in Europe and North America via Istanbul.

On Thursday, IndiGo defended the collaboration, calling it “strategic” and essential for offering Indian flyers long-haul international access.

Apart from the vocal support during the heinous Pahalgam massacre, Turkey has also supplied drones to Pakistan, which were used to attack India during Operation Sindoor.

The issue of renewal of the IndiGo agreement with Turkish Airlines comes up at a time when India is already snapping ties with Turkish businesses and universities.

The government on Thursday revoked the security clearance for Turkish ground-handling firm Celebi Airport Services at Indian airports, due to national security concerns.

The Turkish company handled around 70 per cent of the ground operations at Mumbai airport, including passenger services, load control, flight operations, cargo and postal services, warehouses and bridge operations.

Adani Airport Holdings has also scrapped its agreement with Turkish company DragonPass to provide the latter’s customers access to its airport lounges.

“Our association with DragonPass, which provided access to airport lounges, has been terminated with immediate effect. DragonPass customers will no longer have access to lounges at Adani-managed airports. This change will have no impact on the airport lounge and travel experience for other customers,” the Adani Airport Holdings spokesperson said on Thursday.

Hundreds of Indian tourists have cancelled their trips to Turkey and Azerbaijan as part of the nationalistic backlash against these countries for supporting Pakistan in the conflict with India. Leading online travel booking platforms MakeMyTrip and EaseMyTrip have reported mass cancellations and a sharp drop in Indian tourists wanting to travel to Turkey and Azerbaijan.

Similarly, many Indian universities, including Jawaharlal Nehru University, Jamia Millia Islamia, and Maulana Azad National Urdu University, have suspended academic ties with Turkish institutions.

Mumbai, May 19: Amid the BJP’s Tiranga Yatra across the country and similar mobilisation by some opposition parties, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) on Monday said that as India and Pakistan have agreed on a ceasefire for the time being, restraint should be exercised in celebrations in honour of those heroes who sacrificed their lives for the country.

MNS leader Amit Thackeray has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi that there is a need to refrain from celebrating victory and exercise restraint during this time as a true tribute to the heroes who sacrificed their lives for the country.

In a two-page letter, Amit Thackeray, who is the son of MNS founder Raj Thackeray, said, “Even today, the countrymen have faith that you are sensitive and grateful towards the contribution of the soldiers. And therefore, through this letter, I sincerely request that until the outcome of the war is clear, we should refrain from celebrating victory and exercise restraint during this time as a true tribute to the heroes who sacrificed their lives for the country. We have faith in our decisive leadership and hope that we will take these sentiments into account.”

“Even though a ceasefire has been declared for the time being, it is difficult to trust Pakistan completely given its history. It has failed on such occasions many times before. Therefore, keeping the citizens aware of such situations, guiding them about what to do in a war-like situation and preparing them mentally should also be an important part of the government’s policy,” he said.

He said that due to the current situation on the border, the attention of the public has been completely focused on our Indian Army. “The courage, discipline, dedication and sacrifice shown by our brave soldiers in ‘Operation Sindoor’ is a source of pride and glory for the entire country. The Indian Army has made its place in the hearts of the entire country with its bravery. Today, the work of the soldiers is being saluted from every home, crossroad and social media of the country. The country watches every step of the army with love and pride. It is because of their unparalleled bravery that we are safe, and that is why their work is greater than any honour,” said Amit Thackeray.

“Against this backdrop, there is emotional confusion in society over the initiatives currently being implemented in some places as symbols of victory. This is not a time to celebrate victory when the ceasefire has been announced. And so, celebrations during the same period in which our brave soldiers lost their lives are heartbreaking for many. If there is something to express at this time, it is the sacrifice of our soldiers, their stories of bravery and the unparalleled courage of their families. But the joyous displays or ‘Vijay Rally’ (mainly of a political nature) currently taking place in some places do not seem appropriate. In fact, there is only one feeling in the hearts of the countrymen at this time, the need for long-term welfare measures for the families of martyred soldiers, and as a society, we need to be more sensitive towards this sacrifice,” he remarked.

“Additionally, given the current situation, there is still uncertainty about some important issues in the country. For instance, the brutal terrorist attack in Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of 26 innocent tourists, is still fresh in people’s minds. The genuine public sentiment is for a strong and decisive action against those brutal extremists. Moreover, some of our civilians and soldiers have lost their precious lives on the India-Pakistan border in the last few days. In such a backdrop, instead of celebrating the victory, it would be more appropriate to create literacy, awareness and sensitisation in the society in this regard,” he said.

“Under your leadership, the country has made decisive progress on many important milestones. Thank you for the tough but necessary decisions you have taken, especially with regard to national security, which have been vital to the national interest,” he concluded.