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Maharashtra Oppn slams gas price hike, terms it fallout of new ‘ED govt’

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The Opposition Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Congress on Wednesday attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the Centre for the steep hike of Rs 50 in the prices of LPG cooking gas cylinders, terming it as a “fallout” of the new government assuming power in Maharashtra.

NCP Chief Spokesperson Mahesh Tapase said 50 MLAs from the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) rebelled against the then Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and a week later, the cooking gas prices were increased by Rs 50.

“The 50 MLAs were taken to Surat, flown to Guwahati and then to Goa, everywhere pampered in deluxe hotels… The ‘invisible force’ behind that operation to topple the MVA government must have cost a huge amount. Is there any connection between the 50 MLAs and Rs 50 spike in gas cylinder prices,” Tapase asked.

He also referred to the development as a consequence of the ‘E.D.’ government — of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis — as pointed out by the latter (Eknath-Devendra) last week.

In a sharp attack, Congress state President Nana Patole asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi how can the masses afford the huge hike of Rs 50 for domestic gas cylinders in the all round inflation.

“The Modi government has a new slogan now – ‘Na khaunga, Na pakaane doonga’. With the latest hike, the domestic gas cylinder prices have touched Rs 1,053,” Patole pointed out.

Tapase pointed out that barely 24 hours ago, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had promised to reduce taxes on petrol-diesel and today, people got a shock when the BJP government hiked the gas cylinder prices, indicating that the reality is very different from perceptions.

Patole recalled how, ever since the Modi regime came to power, the inflation graph has been rising and the government has “failed to control” the price rise.

“Owing to the continuous price hikes, essential commodities have also gone out of reach of the common masses. In 2014 ,during the Congress-led UPA government, the gas cylinder cost Rs 450, ensuring the commoners were not hit by inflation,” said the Congress chief, adding: “The subsidies extended by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh have also been removed by the Modi government, and Indians are using the most expensive gas in the world.”

Claiming that it is impossible to get a new gas connection, Patole said it cost Rs 2,200, plus Rs 4,400 security deposit, regulator price has gone up by Rs 100, and then highly-priced monthly refill cylinders costing Rs 1,000-plus.

Referring to the Centre’s figures of 9-crore gas connections given under the Ujjwala Yojana, Patole demanded to know how many of those beneficiaries can afford the revised cylinder prices, and now they cannot go back to kerosene which has been stopped to them.

“The economy is on downslide, the Indian Rupee falling daily against US Dollar, but the government has already looted the people of Rs 26 lakh crore on fuel taxes and filling its own coffers as the masses continue to suffer in the whirlpool of inflation,” said Patole.

The fresh increase in cooking gas prices has attracted severe flak even on the social media groups.

Crime

Palghar Fraud: Nalasopara Gym Trainer, Wife Booked For Duping Mumbai Cosmetics Shop Owner Of Over ₹1.27 Crore In Investment Scam

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Palghar, Maharashtra: The Tulinj Police have registered a case against a gym trainer and his wife from Nalasopara for allegedly duping a Mumbai-based cosmetics shop owner of over ₹1.27 crore under the pretext of a profitable gym business investment.

Victim Details and Investment

According to police, the complainant, Ashokkaraman Van (28), originally from Gujarat and currently residing in Elphinstone, Mumbai, stated that in 2022 he and his friend Valjibhai Ravariya were persuaded by Abhishek Singh, a fitness trainer, and his wife Poonam Shukla to invest in a new gym project at Sitaram Complex, Santosh Bhavan, Nalasopara (East), Palghar district.

The couple allegedly promised high returns and assured them that the investment would be safe. Convinced by the assurances, Van invested ₹1,27,63,000 into the venture. However, despite repeated follow-ups, neither profits nor the principal amount were returned.

FIR Filed for Cheating and Criminal Breach of Trust

Realizing that they had been cheated, the complainant approached police, leading to the registration of an FIR under sections 316(2), 316(5), 31(8)(4), and 3(5) of the Indian Penal Code, pertaining to criminal breach of trust and cheating.

Investigation Underway

Police confirmed that no arrests have been made so far. The case is under investigation by Inspector Anand Pednekar of Tulinj Police Station.

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Crime

Mumbai Crime: 26-Year-Old Woman Allegedly Assaults Female Ticket Checker At Goregaon Station; Case Registered

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Mumbai: The Borivali railway police have registered an FIR against a 26-year-old woman for allegedly assaulting a woman ticket checker on Wednesday after a dispute over showing a ticket. The accused has been identified as Sony Chauhan, 26. The case was registered on August 20, subsequently, the police issued a notice to the accused.

Incident on Local Train

According to the police, the incident occurred on Wednesday at 3:25 pm at the Goregaon ticket checker office at the railway station. The complainant, Geeta Pandoria, 52, works as a ticket checker with the railways and resides in Andheri East. She had boarded a slow local train from Andheri to Borivali from platform number 3 at Andheri station.

Before the train reached Goregaon station, Pandoria asked passenger Sony Chauhan to show her ticket. Chauhan was unable to produce one as she had not purchased it. The ticket checker then got down with her at Goregaon railway station’s platform number 2 and took her to the ticket checker’s office.

There, Chauhan allegedly began arguing with Pandoria, verbally abused her, threatened to harm her, physically assaulted her by beating and twisting her left hand, and obstructed her from performing her official duty. The ticket checker sustains the middle finger of the left hand.

Case Registered Under IPC

Following the complaint, the Borivali railway police registered a case against Chauhan under Sections 132 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of duty), 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 352 (intentional insult to provoke breach of peace), and 351 (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The accused resides in Andheri East.

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Maharashtra

Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena Faces Setback As Ex-Palghar Zilla Parishad Chief Prakash Nikam, Along With Other Prominent Leaders, Defects To BJP

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Palghar: Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena faced a major setback in Palghar as important leaders switched allegiance to the BJP, such as former Zilla Parishad President Prakash Nikam and multiple office bearers. In a demonstration of power, more than two hundred vehicles, spearheaded by BJP district president Bharat Rajput, departed for Mumbai, signaling a tactical step before local body elections.

Notable individuals like Sarika Nikam, Purnima Dhodi, and Ghanshyam More became members of the BJP at an event with state president Ravindra Chavan. The BJP’s enlistment of individuals from the Shinde and Thackeray factions, as well as the Nationalist Congress Party, has heightened the regional political atmosphere. By incorporating six members from the Gram Panchayat, the BJP is likely to take control of Saravali Gram Panchayat, which is strategically located near the Tarapur Industrial Estate.

The roster of individuals defecting to the BJP features: Prakash Nikam, Sarika Nikam, Yuva Sena coordinator Ricky Ratnakar, Anand Dhodi, Purnima Dhodi, Ghanshyam More, Kamlakar Dalvi, and Virendra Patil, whose daughter previously worked in the municipal sector. Prakash Nikam conveyed his discontent with the Shiv Sena, pointing out disrespect and exclusion from party events, while Anand Dhodi voiced comparable feelings of being overlooked at district meeting.

Both mentioned unresolved issues and continuous insults as reasons for their exit. Under the guidance of Chavan and Rajput, the BJP is gearing up to focus on strengthening its hold in the district in anticipation of forthcoming elections, utilizing the dissatisfaction among Shiv Sena to amplify its presence in Palghar.

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