Mumbai: After Nagpur’s Dayanand Arya Kanya Vidyalaya refused to admit Muslim students on religious grounds, Samajwadi Party MLA from Bhiwandi East Rais Shaikh has urged Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to take strict action against the school. MLA Rais Shaikh also urged that all schools in the state be warned not to discriminate against students on the basis of religion.

Speaking on the issue, MLA Rais Shaikh said that Dayanand Arya Kanya Vidyalaya in Nagpur is run by a minority group. MLA Rais Shaikh said that there was a religious communal violence in Nagpur recently. After this, the school adopted a policy of not admitting Muslim students. The school secretary issued a verbal order to the teachers, which resulted in the shocking incident of keeping the admission applications of Muslim students pending despite the availability of seats.

MLA Rais Shaikh further said that the concerned parents have filed a complaint with the Jaripatka police station and the State Minorities Commission. A case has been registered against the school secretary Rajesh Lalwani and teacher Simran Gyanchandani under section 299 of the Bharatiya Naya Sanhita for hurting religious sentiments. This is a serious incident, and strict action should be taken against the school administration. A stern warning should be given to all schools across the state to ensure that such incidents do not happen anywhere else.

MLA Rais Shaikh also stressed that after the Pahalgam terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir, all Indian citizens of different religions showed unity and solidarity. While there is an atmosphere of religious harmony and unity in the country, the incident with Muslim students in Nagpur is condemnable. The School Education and Minorities Department should take strict action in this matter.

Mumbai, May 17: Senior Maharashtra Congress leader Husain Dalwai on Saturday welcomed the central government’s initiative on constituting an all-party parliamentary delegation that will visit major global partner nations, including member countries of the United Nations Security Council, to share information about India’s anti-terrorism policies, military actions, and ‘Operation Sindoor’. He called it a commendable step toward exposing the real face of Pakistan on the international stage.

Speaking to Media, Dalwai emphasised the need to highlight, at global forums, the damage inflicted on India — especially Jammu and Kashmir — by Pakistan.

He stated that, for the first time, the government is including leaders from all political parties in such a delegation, allowing a united front to present the truth about Pakistan’s activities.

Questions were raised over the inclusion of Congress MP Shashi Tharoor in the delegation, as his name was not on the Congress’ official list.

Clarifying the matter, Dalwai said, “The government itself included Shashi Tharoor in the delegation. The Congress had finalised and submitted four names. If there are any internal concerns, the party’s central committee will address them.”

Tharoor’s recent praise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sparked speculation that this may be the reason for his exclusion from the Congress’ submitted list.

Responding to this, Dalwai noted, “If a leader adopts an independent political stance, the party certainly takes it into consideration. However, such decisions lie with the party leadership.”

Dalwai also described the government’s delegation initiative as a step in the right direction. He said this is the first time the BJP-led government is seriously sending a multi-party delegation abroad to present the extent of damage caused by Pakistan.

He emphasised the importance of gaining international support, particularly on the Kashmir issue. Citing recent Pakistani statements, Dalwai remarked that India’s military operations have created panic across the border.

“Had our soldiers been given a little more time, Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) might also have been freed,” he added.

Commenting on the INDIA bloc, Dalwai stated that the coalition remains intact. He confirmed that Opposition parties in Maharashtra will contest the upcoming Zilla Parishad and Municipal Corporation elections together.

“Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole recently met Uddhav Thackeray, and it has been decided that we will fight these elections unitedly,” he concluded.

This comes after senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Thursday praised the BJP, describing it as “formidably organised” across all fronts. However, he also expressed doubts about the unity of the INDIA bloc, admitting he was uncertain whether the Opposition alliance remained intact.

Mumbai, May 17: Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Eknath Shinde on Saturday expressed his heartfelt thanks to the Centre and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for appointing him to lead one of the all-party delegations that will travel to key partner nations to highlight India’s resolute stance against terrorism.

The mission comes in the wake of the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 26 innocent people and involved two Pakistani terrorists.

Shinde said the delegation would clearly articulate India’s zero-tolerance policy on terrorism and unmask Pakistan’s continued patronage of terror elements operating from its soil.

These comments come as the Indian government gears up to dispatch seven bipartisan delegations to prominent global capitals as part of its diplomatic counteroffensive.

Writing on X, Shinde said, “Nation Always First..!! As part of ‘Operation Sindoor’ and India’s ongoing efforts to combat cross-border terrorism, seven all-party delegations are scheduled to visit key partner nations, including members of the United Nations Security Council, later this month.”

“I have the honour of leading one of these delegations. We will firmly convey to the international community that terrorism has no place in India, and that it is Pakistan which continues to nurture terrorism on its own soil,” he added.

He further underlined the importance of political unity on such issues.

“When it comes to matters of national interest, there is no division, only duty. It is a privilege to serve my country in this capacity, and I will carry out this sacred responsibility with unwavering devotion and a resolute commitment to India’s zero tolerance stance against terrorism,” Shinde stated.

He concluded his message with a note of gratitude: “I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Central Government for entrusting me with this important responsibility. Jai Hind!!”

The delegations will include Members of Parliament Shashi Tharoor from the Congress, Baijayant Panda and Ravi Shankar Prasad from the BJP, Sanjay Kumar Jha from the JD(U), Kanimozhi Karunanidhi from the DMK, Supriya Sule from the NCP (SP), and Shrikant Shinde from the Shiv Sena.

These leaders are expected to visit several important nations such as the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, South Africa, Egypt, and Japan later this month.

According to the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, the initiative is aimed at presenting a unified Indian political front against terrorism while building international consensus to hold Pakistan accountable for fostering terror on its territory.

Other Members of Parliament expected to be part of the delegations include BJP leaders Anurag Thakur, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, and Tejasvi Surya, TDP MP Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu, Congress MP Manish Tewari, and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi.