Mumbai: A social media post featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a red saree triggered political drama in Dombivali, where BJP workers retaliated by making a Congress leader wear a saree in public. The incident followed a viral morphed video of the Prime Minister, shared on Facebook by senior Congress leader Prakash alias ‘Mama’ Pagare.

Pagare, a veteran Congress functionary from Dombivali, had posted the edited video on Monday with the caption, “Sorry girls, I too want to stay in trend.” The clip was set to a popular Marathi song “Mi Kashala Arshaat Pahu Ga,” showing a morphed image of Modi draped in a saree. The post quickly drew sharp reactions from the BJP’s Kalyan district unit, which accused Pagare of insulting the Prime Minister.

Determined to give a ‘fitting reply,’ local BJP leaders devised their own symbolic protest. Acting on a tip-off that Pagare usually spends mornings near Manpada Road in Dombivali (East), district BJP chief Nandu Parab, mandal president Karan Jadhav, and party functionaries, including Sandeep Mali and Datta Malekar, confronted him on Tuesday morning.

Pagare, dressed in a white kurta, pyjamas and polished black shoes, was caught off guard when BJP workers surrounded him. They forcibly draped him with a brand-new ornate saree (shaloo), worth Rs 5,000, purchased earlier that day from a local cloth shop.

“What are you doing?” Pagare reportedly shouted, but BJP workers completed the act, warning him against repeating such actions. One party member even patted him on the cheek in a sarcastic gesture before the group dispersed.

Speaking to the press later, BJP’s Kalyan district president Nandu Parab justified the act, saying, “If anyone attempts to malign our senior leaders on social media, we will respond in kind. Today, Pagare had to face this in public because he disrespected the Prime Minister. Let this be a warning.

Mumbai: Abu Asim Azmi, a leader and MLA from the Samajwadi Party in Mumbai, stated that just as loudspeakers are permitted during other festivals and Navratri, they should also be permitted for the Azaan (call for prayers). Commenting on the relaxation of loudspeaker use during Navratri in Uttar Pradesh, Azmi stated that relaxations should be granted for all festivals in the country, as people celebrate late into the night, and loudspeakers are only permitted until 10 p.m. Furthermore, the proposal to allow loudspeakers in mosques should also be approved, as the decibel limit is too low, making the use of loudspeakers impossible. Therefore, the government is urged to formulate a policy regarding loudspeakers. He said that Muslims have no objection to the permission and concessions for the use of loudspeakers during Navratri or other festivals. The Azaan should be two or five minutes long, but loudspeakers have been removed from mosques because the decibel limit is too low. Therefore, the government should allow loudspeakers in mosques.

Mumbai: Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti has assured that efforts are underway to resolve the long-standing housing issues faced by the city’s police force. He announced that plans are being developed to provide 500-square-foot homes to policemen and eventually ensure that constables are allotted housing at the very start of their service.

Bharti made this announcement during a felicitation ceremony organised by the Jan Sahayog Foundation, where children of police personnel were honoured for academic achievements. The event was attended by Additional Police Commissioner (South Mumbai) Dr Abhinav Deshmukh, Additional Police Commissioner (Special Branch) Dhananjay Kulkarni and Jan Sahayog Foundation president and senior journalist Prabhakar Pawar.

The Commissioner said police officers and staff often work in extremely difficult conditions, with many commuting long distances from areas like Kalyan and Dombivali. Others live their entire lives in cramped homes, unable to afford better housing in the city. “Policemen are always on duty, and their families make sacrifices too. They deserve proper homes in Mumbai itself, and we are working at senior levels to make this happen.

Alongside housing, Bharti stressed the department’s commitment to the welfare and education of policemen’s children. He announced plans to establish world-class sports and educational infrastructure. “Within three years, we will build an Olympic-standard swimming pool and a state-of-the-art sports complex in Naigaon,” he said, adding that children would be given every opportunity to develop their skills and talents.

Bharti also highlighted the success stories of police families, noting that many children have secured prestigious positions globally. “One constable’s son is employed in the office of US President Donald Trump. Such achievements are a matter of pride for us all,” he said.

Addressing students, he urged them not to get carried away by early success in exams but to remain focused on future challenges, including competitive tests. Additional CP Dhananjay Kulkarni encouraged students to prepare with determination and to keep multiple career plans in mind, while Dr Abhinav Deshmukh reminded them to never forget their parents’ struggles.

Concluding, Bharti said, “The Mumbai Police never say no, no matter the situation. Their dedication is unmatched. It is our duty to ensure their families are supported with proper housing and facilities.”