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Maharashtra: Opposition Parties Boycott Assembly Session Over BJP Leader Girish Mahajan’s Alleged Gangster Links

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The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi on Monday boycotted the day’s proceedings in the state legislative council after turning tables on the government accusing its senior minister Girish Mahajan of having gangster links. This was in sequel to the government’s decision last week to appoint a special investigative team to probe Shiv Sena (UBT) Nashik unit head Sudhakar Badgujar’s association with gangster and Dawood Ibrahim’s sharpshooter Salim Kutta.

The leader of the Opposition in the House and the Shiv Sena (UBT) member Ambadas Danve on Monday asked the government to sack rural development minister Girish Mahajan for attending the marriage of international terrorist Dawood Ibrahim’s niece in Nashik in May, 2017.

CM Shinde must sack Mahajan: Oppn

The opposition leader said that if Mahajan does not resign, then chief minister Eknath Shinde must sack him.

Last week MLA Nitish Rane had presented video clips and photos of Badgujar dancing with Salim Kutta at a party in May 2017 while the latter was on parole.

Raising the issue aggressively, NCP member Eknath Khadse demanded immediate dismissal of Mahajan and an inquiry through SIT in the matter as he levelled the serious allegation against his old political foe Mahajan. 

“If the state government can set up a special investigation team  to probe the alleged links between  Badgujar and Salim Kutta, a convict in the 1993 serial bomb blast case, then why not an inquiry be constituted against the minister?” he asked, waving the purported pictures of Mahajan with alleged gangsters.

Danve supported Khadse and despite chairperson Neelam Gorhe raising objections to the way the matter was raised without a prior notice, named the minister.” He said when a similar allegation was raised in the lower house against Badgujar, the government had acted swiftly and so it should follow suit and take the same action against the minister after sacking him,” Danve said.Gorhe repeatedly tried in vain to stop Khadse and Danve and said she had granted them permission to air their contention  in good faith since the notice they pressed under section 289 did not name the minister. She also warned them that she would strike off from records the mention of the minister’s name. Senior Sena (UBT) member Anil Parab also vehemently demanded strict action against Mahajan for “hobnobbing with anti-national elements.”

House adjourned

As the opposition members persisted in their demand for Mahajan’s resignation and SIT probe against him, Gorhe adjourned the house twice -for ten minutes first and then for 20 minutes. 

Later, talking to media persons, Mahajan said the allegations against him by Khadse were baseless and uttered out of  personal animosity. “Khadse is a frustrated man  and lost his bearings after severe political and financial setbacks. He is liable to pay the revenue department Rs167 crore for irregularities he indulged in while in government. He is mentally disturbed and therefore making such wild allegations,” said Mahajan.

He said the incident, and pictures Khadse was referring to were nine years old. Elaborating, he said he had attended the marriage ceremony of a relative of Sheher-e-khatib of Nashik, a social figure. Some 20,000 people were attending it as the Sheher-e-khatib had lent a helping hand during Kumbh celebrations in Nashik  some nine years ago.

“Political leaders across parties were attending the event. Later the police had probed the matter to see if any  unscrupulous persons  had been present at the event. They found nothing objectionable and the matter was closed. I am not aware of Salim Kutta’s presence there,” said Mahajan.

Maharashtra

Protests not similar to ordering food from delivery apps: Shiv Sena blasts Rahul Gandhi

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Mumbai, Oct 12: Shiv Sena national spokesperson Shaina NC said on Monday that Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, thinks protesting is equivalent to ordering food items on a delivery app.

“For Rahul Gandhi, calling for protests is similar to ordering food on delivery apps. Call someone to protest; create inconvenience for people every day,” Shaina said while commenting on the ongoing unrest in the national capital.

“Honourable Supreme Court Justice Surya Kant has said that the matter is sub judice; then why are you creating nuisance on the streets and not letting the court do its work?” she asked.

She added, “Rahul Gandhi lacks empathy and does not care about common people who would want to go to Rajiv Chowk, Patel Chowk, Mandi House, Secretariat, Barakhamba Road. They are getting affected.”

“The protestors don’t care about the Metros, traffic, security of the people,” she said.

She further said, “When the matter is in court, one must wait and respect the decision of the Supreme Court.”

Stressing the matter, she further said, “How long will you (Opposition) be able to mislead people through a false narrative? You are welcome to debate in the parliament, but don’t create chaos on the streets.”

Shaina further said that people are not attracted by names like ‘Thackeray’, ‘Gandhi’, and that the opposition has no vision, plans, or blueprints whatsoever.

On the detention of CJP leaders, Shaina said, “There is a stark difference between ‘detention’ and ‘arrest’. Everyone has the right to protest, but when it leads to unrest and riots, then the police will also have to take action.”

She praised the Delhi Police for not aggravating the protests, controlling the mobs and further protecting the common masses.

Reacting to PM Narendra Modi appeal to the country’s Gen Z to make use of the opportunities that come with Viksit Bharat and taking the world towards solutions, Shaina said that the Indian Gen Z are not the future but the ‘present’. With initiatives such as Startup India, MSME, and Lakhpati Didi, the PM has empowered all.

She further said that the youth of the nation should move forward in development and not indulge in chaos and unrest. Rather, one must understand that the need of the hour is education, security and ‘Atma-nirbharta’.

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Maharashtra

Maha CM accuses Rahul Gandhi, INDIA bloc of trying to weaken judiciary through protests

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Mumbai, Oct 12: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday launched a scathing attack on Lok Sabha Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi and the INDIA bloc, accusing them of executing a deliberate strategy to pressure and delegitimize India’s constitutional institutions, including the Supreme Court, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

The Chief Minister’s strong reaction came as INDIA bloc leaders, led by Rahul Gandhi, staged a high-voltage march in New Delhi towards the Supreme Court.

The opposition leaders are demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, accusing him, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah of subverting electoral integrity and “robbing the nation”.

CM Fadnavis criticised the opposition for brandishing copies of the Constitution while systematically undermining constitutional bodies. He alleged that the current protests are part of an extreme far-left plot designed to reject Dr B R Ambedkar’s Constitution and breed public distrust against democratic systems.

Questioning the rationale behind marching to the apex court to force a meeting with the Chief Justice of India (CJI), CM Fadnavis asked, “Which section of the Constitution empowers a political march to demand an audience with the Chief Justice of India? Attempting to exert pressure on the Supreme Court is a direct insult to Dr Ambedkar’s Constitution.”

Drawing a sharp contrast, he invoked the 1975 Emergency imposed by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. He highlighted how the Congress regime then suspended fundamental rights and restricted citizens from approaching High Courts and the Supreme Court.

“We fought against constitutional tampering in 1975, and we will fight again today. We will never allow anyone to alter or tamper with Dr B R Ambedkar’s Constitution,” he declared.

CM Fadnavis asserted that Congress’s repeated electoral failures have driven it to resort to anarchy. He also pointed to instances during past agitations at Jantar Mantar, where social media algorithms were manipulated to spread chaos, noting that platforms like Meta later issued apologies over ad-driven content and missteps involving Prime Minister Modi’s posts.

He stated that Congress needs to stop blaming Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) for its political setbacks and instead look inward at its failed leadership. “Congress needs to find the reasons for its failure not in EVMs, but in its own leadership. This is a rejected leadership that is repeatedly re-launched, only to fail every time,” he noted.

Emphasising Congress’s declining footprint, CM Fadnavis noted that key states across the nation have rejected the party for decades, including Tamil Nadu: 59 years, West Bengal: 50 years, Uttar Pradesh: 46 years, Sikkim: 42 years, Bihar: 36 years, Tripura: 33 years, Gujarat: 31 years and Madhya Pradesh & Odisha: 23+ years.

He added that across 18 states, voters have distanced themselves from Congress for decades, forcing the party to rely heavily on regional partners like the DMK, RJD, and BSP to survive.

He accused the opposition of systematically trying to instill distrust in the public mind regarding democratic institutions and the rule of law.

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Maharashtra

CM Fadnavis criticises protesters for targeting constitutional bodies; backs CJI’s stance

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Mumbai, Oct 12: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday launched a scathing attack on the opposition and activist groups, defending Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant’s decision to decline a meeting with protesters.

Speaking during a media interaction, he accused opposition parties and outfits of running a systematic design to undermine India’s core constitutional institutions and usher in an “ultra-Leftist” brand of anarchy.

Defending the CJI’s refusal to meet demonstrators, CM Fadnavis asked, “Which Constitution states that the Chief Justice of India should meet protesters and marchers?” He emphasised that the CJI acted well within his constitutional rights and praised the judiciary’s stance that grievances must be legally addressed inside courtrooms rather than through street pressure.

CM Fadnavis alleged that a well-crafted conspiracy is underway to systematically devalue independent pillars of democracy, such as the Supreme Court, the Election Commission, and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). He noted that the ultimate goal of these groups is to convince citizens that constitutional frameworks cannot deliver justice.

Commenting on recent demonstrations, including those by the Congress and civil groups, CM Fadnavis distinguished between lawful democratic protest and chaos. Pointing to instances where crowds allegedly crossed the line with provocative sloganeering, he asserted that when thousands with criminal records mobilise to disrupt public order, it amounts to outright anarchy rather than peaceful dissent.

Addressing reports that certain protesters praised his governance style as “soft-hearted” to allow demonstrations, he dismissed the remarks as a tactical ploy. He stated he is not easily swayed by opportunistic flattery, pointing out that the intent behind such praise was merely a convenient vehicle to target higher offices.

Contrasting the current protests with constructive democratic engagement, CM Fadnavis highlighted his administration’s willingness to engage in dialogue with anyone — reiterating that even violent insurgent elements like Naxalites have been approached with attempts at reform and persuasion through democratic channels, rather than enabling lawlessness under the guise of activism.

CM Fadnavis’ comment comes after BJP National President Nitin Nabin targeted Opposition parties and youth groups leading protests in the national capital over electoral roll revisions and the Chief Election Commissioner’s accountability.

Nabin accused the INDIA bloc and youth organisations (such as the Cockroach Janta Party) of attempting to “destabilise the nation” after being rejected by voters in democratic elections. He alleged that the ongoing protests were being driven at the behest of “foreign forces” seeking to undermine domestic peace and economic development.

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