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Maharashtra

Maharashtra Governor to Amit Shah — ‘Can’t dream of slur to any icon’

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The beleaguered Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah explaining his position vis-a-vis the political storm raging in the state, and asserting that he “can’t dream of any slur on icons”.

Addressing him as ‘Respected Shri Amitbhai ji’ in the two-page letter in Hindi dated December 6, the Governor has drawn attention to his recent speech, and contended that certain small portions from that address were separated to criticise him.

Koshyari said he had cited instances of Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhash Chandra Bose who were inspiring icons when “we were students”, and the modern day students also want to know the current era personalities who could be their ‘ideals’.

“In that context I had given the examples of personalities like Dr B. R. Ambedkar to (Union Minister) Nitin Gadkari…..It also implied that students could even take (the late President) Dr APJ Abdul Kalam or (nuclear scientist) Dr Homi Bhabha as their idols”. If someone considers Prime Minister Narendra Modi who has raised India’s status in the world as an “ideal”, it doesn’t mean disrespect to the earlier ‘Maha Purush’… It’s not even a subject of comparison,” Koshyari said.

In an indirect swipe at his bete-noire, the Shiv Sena (UBT) President Uddhav Thackeray but without naming him, the 80-year-old Governor said that during the Covid-19 pandemic, “when many ‘big-big people’ were not stepping out of their homes, at my age, I had gone on a pilgrimage on foot to places like Shivneri, Sinhgad, Raigad, and Pratapgad”.

As far as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is concerned, he is the pride of not only Maharashtra but the whole country and Koshyari recalled his trip to the birthplace of Shivaji’s mother, Mata Jijibai in Sindhkhed, becoming the first Governor in over 30 years to go there, and that too walking.

“Respected Amitbhaiji, you will recall that in 2016, I had expressed a desire not to contest elections in 2019, and keep away from all political offices. At that time the honourable PM-ji and yourself had expressed your affection and faith in a humble worker like me due to which I accepted the post of Maharashtra Governor,” the Governor said.

Koshyari added that all the dignitaries are aware that if he commits any error he never hesitates to express regrets or apologise for his remarks.

“I cannot even dream of insulting the great people like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Maharana Pratap or Shri Guru Gobind Singh who made sacrifices during the Mughal era… I appeal to you that in the current situation, please take the trouble to provide appropriate guidance,” the Governor urged.

However, the Governor’s letter failed to impress leaders of the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), Nationalist Congress Party and others who remain firm that Koshyari should be shunted out of the state.

disaster

Mumbai’s Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Sudhakar Pathare, who was posted in the Port Zone, passed away in a road accident on Saturday.

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Pathare had visited Hyderabad for training. He was on his way to visit a temple with a relative when the accident occurred. Both Pathare and his relative lost their lives in the crash.

Mumbai Police have been informed about the incident.

More details are awaited.

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Maharashtra

Order to demolish the tomb of Hazrat Syed Bale Shah Baba in Mira Bhayander

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Mumbai: The state government has issued an order to demolish the four hundred year old dargah of Hazrat Syed Bale Shah Peer Rahmatullah Alaih located in Mira Bhayander. Mira Bhayander Municipal Corporation has sent a letter to the collector declaring this dargah illegal and ordered action against it. As the dargah is located on forest land, communalists had started demanding the demolition of the dargah. In the House, Darranjan Daukhre had also demanded action against the dargah, after which now the state government has ordered to run a bulldozer on the dargah. An order has also been issued to remove and demolish the dargah by May.

Dargah trustee Amjad Sheikh said that this dargah is ancient and this order is illegal in itself. In this case, communal forces had launched a campaign against the dargah, after which this order was issued.

There is a dargah on the beach and citing the threat of terrorist and illegal activities and the presence of terrorists here, there was a demand to demolish the dargah. The dargah is close to the sea and in such a situation, the threat of a terrorist attack on Mumbai from the sea has been expressed, while the dargah administration has clearly denied this and said that communal organizations are running their agenda against the dargah and there is no such threat. Muslims have opposed this decision of the government and Muslims have also expressed their displeasure and anger over it.

The trustee says that this dargah is ancient and earlier the collector and the municipal corporation had given a notice, after which the illegal shed and other premises were demolished here and the dargah administration has taken this action at its own level. Now an order has been issued to demolish the dargah itself.

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Maharashtra

Haji Ali Dargah will be closed for pilgrims for a few hours on Eid due to rising sea level

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Mumbai: Due to rising sea level at Haji Ali Dargah in Mumbai, the dargah will be closed for pilgrims for a few hours on Eid. On March 31, the dargah will be closed for pilgrims from 12 noon to 3 pm. During this time, entry of pilgrims to the dargah will be restricted. The dargah will be closed on Tuesday, April 1 from 12:45 pm to 3:45 pm and on Wednesday, April 2 from 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm.

Therefore, we have appealed to the pilgrims not to gather at the dargah during these hours. This information has been released by Tahir, administrative officer of Haji Ali Dargah. Pilgrims visit Haji Ali Dargah on Eid-Basi and Tiwasi, but due to the rising water level of the sea, water gets accumulated on the way to the Dargah and entry to the Dargah is prohibited and the gate of the Dargah remains closed during these days, due to which there is a lot of crowd there. Therefore, pilgrims have been requested to come to the Dargah only at the scheduled time.

The police also remains vigilant at the Dargah during the rising sea level, as there is a crowd of pilgrims here during Eid and festivals. The Haji Ali Dargah administration has said that on the occasion of Eid, lakhs of pilgrims visit the Dargah of Haji Ali (RahmatullahAlaih). These pilgrims include pilgrims from the country and abroad, so the Dargah administration has also claimed special security arrangements on Eid. Spiritual scenes are also seen at Haji Ali Dargah during Eid prayers.

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