Mumbai: the arrival of the government, the arrival of the master, the arrival of the lord, the streets of Mumbai echoed with the loud slogans of “Welcome, welcome, welcome” when the historic Muhammadi procession was taken out from the Khalifat House. The procession was warmly welcomed at every place. The procession was accompanied by a convoy of lovers of the Prophet, reciting Naat and Manaqabat along the way, playing drums. The convoy of lovers of the Prophet passed through the Muslim-majority areas of Nagpara, Madnapura, Do Tanki and other highways and came to a peaceful end at Mastan Talab after reciting Naat, Manaqabat and prayers. Before the procession, a meeting was held at the Khalifat House, where scholars described the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) as a mercy for the worlds and said that today the world has come to his aid. Addressing the gathering, Mufti Hazrat Allama Khaliq Ashraf, Principal of Darul Uloom Ashrafia Mazhar Uloom, said that until 40 years before the announcement of Prophethood, people were indeed human, but they did not have human qualities. He (PBUH) transformed the beasts, i.e., beasts, into humans on the land of Arabia. My Holy Prophet did not come as a mercy only for humans, but he came as a mercy for animals as well. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) visited the house of a deer owner, the deer said that it had two children and wanted permission to breastfeed them. The Prophet (peace be upon him) told the deer owner that this deer is the mother of two children and wants permission to breastfeed her children and will return after breastfeeding. The owner then asked who would guarantee that the deer would return. The Prophet (peace be upon him) guaranteed the return of the deer and the deer returned after breastfeeding. The Prophet (peace be upon him) expressed his desire to buy the deer. The deer owner gave the deer to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and then he untied its rope and set it free. The deer said that you are Muhammad Mustafa (peace be upon him), you were the only one who could set me free. You (peace be upon him) were merciful not only to humans but also to animals. This Muhammadan procession will be successful when humanity is shown in the procession. If an ambulance comes on the way, give way to it. Eid Priority should be given to welfare works on Milad-un-Nabi and good deeds should be done on the birth of Muhammad (peace be upon him). This will be our true tribute to the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). Deputy Chairperson of the Legislative Council Sachin Ahir said that the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) has spread the message of peace and is the standard bearer of justice and humanity. The message of brotherhood and peace is spread in the procession of Eid Milad-un-Nabi and unity is achieved. We are different, our ways of worship are unique, but our homeland is one and our goal is to promote unity. Member of Parliament Congress Senior Leader Imran Pratap Garhi started his speech with a poem and said that.

I respect all the people in the world, but after Mustafa, Imran Pratap Garhi narrated the history of the Khilafat Movement and said that Gandhiji had started the Non-Cooperation Movement along with the Khilafat Movement. When the Messenger of Allah was sent into the world, he was sent as a mercy for the whole world. India is like a bouquet and we have made countless sacrifices for the freedom of this country. Therefore, the unity and solidarity of this country is its specialty. Former MLA Waris Pathan said that this is not a political procession, by the grace of Allah Almighty, we have all gathered here to celebrate the birth anniversary of the Holy Prophet. MLA Amin Patel said that you (PBUH) have come to this earth as a mercy for the worlds and we, the lovers of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), celebrate his birth anniversary. Member of Assembly Manoj Jamsatkar said that the Khilafat Committee is of historical importance and the procession of Milad is taken out from here. You (PBUH) have broken the chains of ignorance, oppression and oppression and given a new life to humanity. After the meeting, after the prayers and greetings, the meeting took the form of a procession. In the procession, the leader of the procession, Allama Khaliq Ashraf, Congress leader and MP Imran Parpapgarhi, MP Amin Patel and others rode in an open jeep and led the procession. The procession was given a grand welcome by the Baikla Fruit Market. Before the vehicle of these leaders, a convoy of lovers of the Prophet was playing Naat and Manaqabat of the Prophet of Mercy in a respectful and respectful manner, which was very unique. The procession also included tableaux of the holy place, in which the attractions of Medina and Mecca were also included on trucks. In view of Eid Milad-un-Nabi, the police had also made strict security arrangements. Additional Commissioner Central Region Vikram Di Mane, along with the procession staff, was on duty to provide security for the procession. No untoward incident of any kind was reported during the procession and the procession ended peacefully.

Mumbai: Shiv Sena organised a ‘Yuva Samvad’ (Youth Dialogue) programme in Andheri Assembly constituency, which was enthusiastically attended by a large number of youth. During the event, the youth asked Dr. Shrikant Shinde questions related to education, startups, artificial intelligence (AI), competitive exams, the arts sector, and learning Marathi language. Dr. Shrikant Shinde answered their questions in a pleasant and conversational atmosphere, emphasizing that the youth should not be seen as a mere ‘vote bank’ but through the lens of their future.

The event was organised by Shiv Sena MLA from Andheri, Murji Patel and was attended by Industries Minister Uday Samant, MP Ravinder Waikar and several other Shiv Sena office bearers.

Speaking on the occasion, Murji Patel said that today the youth have high expectations from Shiv Sena. Highlighting the journey of Dr. Shrikant Shinde, he said that the youth are eager to know how Shrikant Shinde overcame difficult circumstances to complete his medical education and achieve success. Marji Patel said that he has vowed to take the party to every home and the work of taking the message of Shiv Sena to every home is underway. He described himself as a grassroots worker, noting that a large number of people who connect with him come from ordinary families and slums. Praising Dr. Shrikant Shinde’s leadership, he remarked that Shinde answers calls from party workers even at 2 am. Uday Samant praised Dr. Shrikant Shinde for his hard work and patriotism. He said Shrikant Shinde completed his medical education with hard work and has a deep sense of patriotism. Referring to ‘Operation Sindhoor’, he said that India gave a befitting reply after the terrorist attack on the country. He said that Shrikant Shinde took the initiative to reveal the truth behind ‘Operation Sindhoor’ to the world.

Jain community should not be seen as just a vote bank

Dr. Shrikant Shinde said that the aim of this programme is to directly interact with the youth. He mentioned that the government listens seriously to any demand of the Jain community and pays attention to them.

He remarked that while some people see the Jain community as just a vote bank and exploit them politically, this is not the intention of the government. Stressing on the need to talk about the future of the youth, he said that this dialogue should be a two-way process rather than a one-sided one. It is very important to understand what the youth want for their future.

Questions related to online education and competitive exams
Raising the issue of high fees for online classes, the youth asked what the government can do for economically backward students. A student suggested starting online classes for competitive exam preparation so that students from financially weaker backgrounds can prepare without having to rely on expensive coaching.

Acknowledging the importance of this suggestion, Dr. Shrikant Shinde noted that such classes have already been started in some places. He said that efforts will be made to start similar classes in every assembly constituency after consulting all stakeholders. Youth enthusiasm for startups and AI
The youth also asked questions about starting a business and the use of AI. In response, Shrikant Shinde said that Maharashtra is at the forefront of the country in the startup sector. He added that the government has made a policy on AI and is working to prepare the youth for new opportunities in this sector.

Recognition of artists
A student stressed on increasing employment and income opportunities for artists. The student said that just as doctors and engineers command respect in the society, artists also deserve recognition and respect. Responding to this, Dr. Shrikant Shinde said that the suggestion will definitely be considered. He stressed the need to work to ensure better opportunities and respect for artists.

UP youth ask: How can we learn Marathi?
During the event, a student from Uttar Pradesh expressed his desire to learn Marathi and asked if arrangements could be made to teach it. Shrikant Shinde said that efforts are already underway to teach Marathi to auto-rickshaw drivers and similar initiatives will be tried for the youth soon.
Judge for yourself the pre-2014 and post-2014 periods
Dispelling concerns that some individuals are misleading the youth, Shrikant Shinde said that this is debatable. He said that while some people try to spread misinformation, the youth are sensible and intelligent.

He urged the youth to seek information for themselves instead of blindly believing what others say. He suggested that they compare the period before 2014 with the period after. By comparing the two, they themselves will be able to distinguish between right and wrong.
The Shiv Sena has established a direct connection with the youth through the ‘Yuva Samvad’ (Youth Dialogue) programme.

MUMBAI, August 25, 2026: Legislative participation among Mumbai’s elected representatives has witnessed a sharp decline, with total questions raised in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly dropping by 72% compared to the 12th Assembly, according to the ‘Mumbai MLA Report Card 2026’ released by Praja Foundation.

The report evaluated the performance of 33 Mumbai MLAs across the Winter 2024 and Monsoon 2025 sessions based on session attendance, participation, quality of questions raised, and overall constitutional duties. Out of 33 MLAs, only three scored above 80%, with Indian National Congress representatives securing all top three positions.
Top Performing MLAs

Rank 1: Amin Patel (Congress) — Score: 82.89

Rank 2: Aslam Shaikh (Congress) — Score: 80.58

Rank 3: Jyoti Gaikwad (Congress) — Score: 80.30

Key Report Findings

Plunge in Legislative Inquiries: MLAs asked only 2,213 questions in the 15th Assembly (Winter 2024 – Monsoon 2025), down significantly from 7,955 questions in the 12th Assembly (Winter 2009 – Monsoon 2010).

Decline in Question Quality: The quality score of questions asked dropped from an average of 50% in the 12th Assembly to 33% in the 15th Assembly.

Fewer Working Days: In its first year, the 15th Assembly met for only 40 working days, compared to 47 days in the 12th Assembly and 50 days in the 13th Assembly.

Stagnant Overall Scores: The overall average performance score of legislators fell from 61 in the 12th Assembly to 54 in the 14th Assembly, before slightly recovering to 55 in the 15th Assembly.

Aging Representatives: The average age of Mumbai MLAs has progressively increased over time, moving from 52 years (12th Assembly) and 51 years (13th Assembly) to 53 years (14th Assembly) and now 57 years in the 15th Assembly.

Concerns Over Democratic Accountability
Addressing the findings, Milind Mhaske, CEO of Praja Foundation, stated that performance metrics reflect whether citizens’ concerns are reaching the house floor. While top performers demonstrated strong engagement, the overall stagnating scores highlight significant gaps in representation.

Asif Khan, Manager at Praja Foundation, warned that shorter session durations and fewer quality questions deprive citizens of a critical mechanism to hold the government accountable.