Mumbai: On the 69th death anniversary of Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (BR Ambedkar), also known as Mahaparinirvan Diwas, a holiday has been declared to all government and semi-government officials in Mumbai on Saturday, December 6. Mahaparinirvan Diwas serves as an opportunity to honour his efforts towards social justice, equality, and human rights.

The holiday has also been granted to the municipal officials in the Thane district. In addition to this, the employees who are not eligible for the holiday will be granted one day of earned leave. Citing a Municipality circular, the report stated that the workers and employees in essential services will be exempted from the holiday.

The day commemorates the death of Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, the creator of the Indian Constitution and a leader who fought for social justice. It represents his shift to everlasting peace while honouring his lasting influence in supporting underrepresented communities and championing equality and human rights.

It is a day for contemplation, honour, and a reaffirmation of the dedication to his vision of a fair and inclusive community. Mahaparinirvan Diwas serves as a reminder of Dr Ambedkar’s steadfast dedication to establishing an equitable society and motivates ongoing endeavours for social justice.

A large number of people are expected to congregate at the Chaityabhoomi here on December 6, the death anniversary of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. The annual event draws lakhs of followers of Dr Ambedkar from across the country.

On December 2, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis directed all departments to ensure that security and all other necessary arrangements at Chaityabhoomi. Fadnavis directed officials to ensure proper ‘mandap’ (canopy/pandal) arrangements, drinking water facilities, sanitation, traffic management and adequate signage in Dadar area, where the Chaityabhoomi is located.

Central Railway will be running 12 additional suburban services on Babasaheb Ambedkar’s death anniversary on December 6, observed as Mahaparinirvan Divas by lakhs of his followers, who converge at Chaityabhoomi in Dadar from across the country.

In a release, CR said that these additional suburban special trains will be run between Parel-Kalyan and Kurla-Panvel stations on Friday-Saturday mid-night. These additional suburban special trains will be operated from Kurla, Kalyan, Thane, Parel, Vashi and Panvel stations between 00.45 am and 4 am.

The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) has been instructed to deploy additional buses for the convenience of devotees, he said, adding that the annual review helps identify gaps and improve arrangements each year.

Kolkata, Dec 3: The decision of the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) to strike down 35 castes from West Bengal in the central Other Backward Classes list, all from the Muslim community, proves the appeasement politics pursued by the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government in the state, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said on Wednesday.

The information on the NCBC’s move came through a reply given by Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment B. L. Verma to an unstarred question raised by Jagannath Sarkar, the BJP’s Lok Sabha member from Ranaghat in Nadia district of West Bengal.

“The National Commission for the Backward Classes has given its advice for the exclusion of 35 castes from the Central List of OBCs for the state of West Bengal on 03.01.2025,” Verma’s reply said.

Reacting to this, the BJP’s Information Technology cell chief and the party’s central observer for West Bengal, Amit Malviya, issued a statement on Wednesday morning saying that the step by the NCBC raised serious questions about the grouping of religious communities under OBC quotas for scoring political gain, which in turn denied genuinely backward Hindu groups their fair share.

“The Modi government is correcting decades of appeasement-led distortions and ensuring real social justice based on backwardness, not vote-bank politics. Mamata Banerjee’s regressive politics have run their course,” Malviya said.

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court deferred the hearing in the West Bengal OBC list case for four weeks and made it clear that the Calcutta High Court should not continue with further proceedings while the matter is before the apex court.

In an interim order issued on June 17 this year, a Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court had directed the West Bengal government not to publish the final notification for the new OBC list till July 31 this year.

New Delhi, Dec 3: Delhi Police on Wednesday arrested three interstate smugglers and recovered 40 cartons containing 2,000 quarters of illegal liquor.

According to a statement issued by Dwarka Police, the Special Staff team of Dwarka District apprehended the accused, Sunny, son of Mool Chand, aged 39, from Najafgarh, Delhi; Riti alias Ritik, son of Munshi, aged 19, from Jai Vihar, Najafgarh, Delhi; and Ajit, son of Omprakash, aged 30, from Village Kablana, District Jhajjar, Haryana

The seized liquor was meant for sale in Haryana. Police also confiscated a TVS Jupiter scooter with a temporary registration number (DL12A0XXXX), used in the smuggling operation.

Acting on the directions of DCP Dwarka District, Ankit Singh, the Special Staff team was tasked with keeping surveillance on individuals involved in supplying illegal liquor from Haryana to Dwarka and the surrounding areas. The team monitored interstate borders and deployed local sources to collect actionable intelligence.

On November 15, Head Constable Vijender Kumar received specific information about a TVS Jupiter scooter being used for liquor smuggling. Based on this input, a raiding team led by Inspector Vishvendra and comprising Sub Inspector Vinod Kumar, Head Constable Vijender Silayach, HC Jagdish Chand, HC Ajay, Constable Pradeep and HC Jai Bhagwan was formed under the supervision of ACP Operations Dwarka, Ram Avtar.

The team conducted a raid in Dichaon Gaon, Kumharo Wali Gali, BHD Nagar, where Sunny was spotted arriving on the scooter carrying a black bag. Upon checking the bag, police found illicit liquor quarters.

Further interrogation revealed that the liquor was loaded from a nearby house. During a search of the premises, police found two individuals filling illicit liquor bottles into bags. A total of 38 additional cartons were recovered.

The two men were identified as Riti alias Ritik and Ajit, who were working for Sunny.

A case under FIR No. 373/25, dated November 16, under Sections 33/38/58(D) of the Delhi Excise Act, was registered at BHD Nagar Police Station.

During interrogation, the accused admitted that they were supplying illegal liquor from Haryana to Delhi for quick financial gain.

Further investigation is underway.