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Maharashtra

MVA attacks Raj Thackeray for ‘failed agitations’, wants BJP’s clarification

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Maharashtra’s ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi on Friday again targeted Maharashtra Navnirman Sena President Raj Thackeray over his “failed” agitations and demanded the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party should clarify its stand over its Uttar Pradesh MP’s threats to him.

Congress’s state chief spokesperson Atul Londhe said the BJP must define its stance on its Kaiserganj MP Brijbhushan Sharan Singh’s warning that Raj Thackeray would not be allowed to set foot in Ayodhya next month (June 5) until he apologises with folded hands for “humiliating” north Indians in the past.

“On the other hand hand, the state BJP endorsed Raj Thackeray on the loudspeakers issue and the UP BJP government is ready to welcome him with a red carpet in Ayodhya. Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis and state BJP chief Chandrakant Patil should clarify their stand on these issues,” Londhe demanded.

He also accused BJP of using the MNS chief, independent MP Navneet Kaur-Rana and her MLA husband Ravi Rana as “puppets” and supporting the MNS for removing loudspeakers from mosques.

In a sharp attack, Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar said in Pune that none of Raj Thackeray’s agitations in the past have been successful but adversely hit the state and the social fabric.

Without naming Raj Thackeray, he cited the examples of the MNS’ past agitation against the north Indian communities and the toll-tax protests on highway, and the latest against mosque loudspeakers and ‘azaan’ which it is countering with Hanuman Chalisa.

Pawar pointed out that those agitations continued for some days and then nothing materialised out of them, but it ended up affecting the state and the society, and north Indians fled the city, hitting various economic sectors badly till they returned.

In 2008, the MNS had gone after the north Indian candidates for various government and railway exams and also hammered street vendors in the name of priority of jobs for locals.

However, 10 years later in 2018 – ahead of the 2019 Parliament and Assembly elections – Raj Thackeray attempted to soothe the ruffled feathers of the north Indians, but the strategy barely impressed them.

In the latest anti-loudspeakers campaign, though a majority of the mosques in Mumbai and others parts of the state have silenced or removed their public address systems, murmurs of protests have started from the other religions as they are unable to use loudspeakers in temples, gurudwaras, Buddh Viharas, Jain Derasars, churches and others even for their routing pooja-aartis and other religious functions.

Maharashtra

Burglary suspect arrested in Mumbai, 6 cases solved

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Mumbai: Police has claimed to have arrested a burglar who has committed four burglaries within the limits of MHB police station, along with burglary and theft cases registered against him in Mumbai and its suburbs. Six theft cases have been solved after the arrest of the accused. Mumbai Police DCP Sandeep Ghoge said that the police traced the burglar within the limits of MHBC. The police came to know that he is residing in Kopar Khernar, Navi Mumbai, after which the police arrested the accused Kamaljeet Kaljit Singh, 26, and seized stolen property worth Rs 45 lakh, including gold ornaments and cash, from his possession. The police have also claimed to have seized stolen property worth Rs 45 lakh from him. The accused is a criminal and is also accused of being involved in theft and burglary cases in Dadar, Mahim, Kala Chowki, RCF, Dharavi. In this case, the police have taken action and arrested the burglar and the burglar and started further investigation.

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Maharashtra

Maharashtra ATS takes strict action against online terrorism, orders issued to take action against those spreading misinformation on social media, effective from August 6

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Mumbai: Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has now issued an order to take action against content and materials promoting online terrorism. ATS found during its action against Pakistani don Shahzad Bhatti and gangster Lawrence Bishnoi that along with spreading online terrorism, youth are being misled online. ATS analysis has revealed that attempts are being made to mislead through online and digital and social media media through audio and video. Therefore, if anyone on social media publishes and propagates controversial content, PDF, which is tantamount to a threat to the integrity of the country and harms brotherhood and unity, then action will be taken against him. ATS found during its investigation that misleading propaganda has been done in 114 PDFs, magazines, digital contents, after which ATS has also seized them. If anyone publishes controversial content and materials on social media, then action will also be taken against him. The order has been issued under the GATS Public Safety Act 2023. This order has come into force from August 6. If anyone violates it, action will be taken against him. Maharashtra ATS has appealed to the citizens to stay away from misleading and propaganda videos and other content and materials that promote terrorism on social media, otherwise action may be taken against them. ATS Chief Noel Bajaj has appealed to the citizens to refrain from misuse of social media. Along with this, the ATS had also intensified action against other gangsters including Shahzad Bhatti. Accordingly, the ATS had also questioned those in contact with Shahzad Bhatti and Lawrence Bishnoi. Their social media accounts were checked and later they were released. ATS has now started monitoring social media as well. If anyone tries to promote terrorism on social media, action will be taken against him.

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Maharashtra

Growing paradox at the heart of Sangh Parivar: Shiv Sena(UBT) in ‘Saamana’

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Mumbai, Aug 7: The Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray on Friday questioned the ideological alignment between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its parent organisation, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), accusing the ruling political establishment of ‘suppressing’ youth protests while the RSS maintains an ambiguous stance.

The Thackeray camp, in an editorial in the party’s mouthpiece ‘Saamana’, criticised RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat’s decision to host an outreach session in Mumbai with Gen Z to understand youth unrest in the wake of the recent Jantar Mantar student demonstrations.

The editorial labelled the move ‘hypocritical’, pointing out that while Bhagwat seeks dialogue, the Central government has engaged in a heavy-handed police crackdown against student activists.

The editorial highlighted a severe contradiction within the Sangh Parivar, noting that while BJP leaders and affiliated groups have branded protesting students as “anti-national” and part of the “Tukde Tukde Gang”, the RSS leadership is attempting to project an image of mediation and open communication.

The Thackeray camp cited specific instances of alleged police harassment, pointing to youth leaders such as Riya Ahir, who was targeted by law enforcement after attempting to prevent the unlawful detention of fellow protesters in Mumbai. Despite public statements from the Prime Minister offering pardons to student protesters, it reported that police agencies under the Home Ministry continue to intimidate students and their families at university campuses and private residences.

Indian democracy is being transformed into an autocracy, “with constitutional institutions dismantled, national assets privatised, and human values eroded,” it said.

“Ideally, the RSS should have raised its voice against these trends. Instead, it remained silent while youth took to the streets to denounce authoritarianism. Is this stance deemed appropriate by Mohan Bhagwat?” asked the editorial.

Recalling the 1975 Emergency, when the RSS actively opposed bans on strikes, protests, and civil liberties, the editorial accused current RSS leadership of remaining silent while similar authoritarian measures are deployed against today’s youth.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena argued that any genuine outreach by the RSS chief must engage actual movement participants on the ground — particularly those injured during police lathi charges — rather than “curated gatherings of Sangh-affiliated youth groups”.

The editorial concluded by demanding that “Home Minister Amit Shah address Parliament regarding alleged police excesses and misbehaviour toward female protesters”, asserting that true resolution requires stopping false charges and “curbing state force rather than offering unsolicited sermons to the nation’s youth”.

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