Mumbai, Oct 13: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday said that those speaking against the country or engaging in activities he described as treasonous should be jailed, not merely have FIRs filed against them, as he accused the Opposition of attempting to create unrest and undermine the country’s progress.

Speaking to media, Shinde described Monday as a “black day” in the country’s history, alleging that democracy and the Supreme Court had been disrespected by the Opposition’s protest march against the country’s highest judicial institution.

“Yesterday will be remembered as a black day in the history of the country because democracy and India’s highest judicial institution were disrespected. In India’s history, a protest march has never been taken out against the Supreme Court. This is an attack on the country’s highest judicial institution. They want to spread unrest and chaos in the country. This is a major, well-planned conspiracy,” he said.

Shinde alleged that the protest was part of an international conspiracy and accused the Opposition of attempting to obstruct the country’s development.

“I will say that it is an international conspiracy. Protesting with them is treason. The Leader of the Opposition works like a puppet. It is shameful that they are trying to hinder the country’s progress,” he said.

Claiming that the Opposition was attempting to tarnish India’s image internationally, Shinde praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and said the country was moving towards the goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047.

“PM Modi has taken the country to great heights. He is taking the country forward towards Viksit Bharat by 2047. At a time when the economies of several countries have collapsed, he is taking India from the Fragile Five to the top five,” he said.

Shinde attributed the Opposition’s criticism to jealousy and said that 140 crore Indians stood with the Prime Minister. He also accused Opposition leaders of being desperate to return to power despite repeated electoral defeats.

He further criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over an alleged incident involving a woman journalist during Monday’s protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

A woman journalist had claimed that she was three months pregnant and alleged that Gandhi grabbed her hand and pulled her forward before his security personnel pushed her away while she was covering the protest.

Questioning Gandhi’s conduct, Shinde said it was inappropriate for the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha to behave in such a manner and accused him of seeking publicity. He urged citizens to consider whether Opposition leaders were working to unite or divide the country.

“It is the responsibility of every citizen to ensure that they fail,” he said, referring to the Opposition.

Shinde also reacted to the controversy involving actor Imran Khan following his protest in Mumbai, alleging that forces were attempting to damage India’s reputation.

“The way people say that we will make the country as strong as China, what is this? What is the purpose and intention? The way the INDIA bloc is trying to stop the country’s progress, we have to make them fail,” he said.

Reiterating his demand for strict action against those he accused of acting against the country, Shinde said, “Not just an FIR, they should be put in jail if they are speaking against the country or engaging in treasonous activities.”

Referring to the Emergency, he said that people were now free to approach the Supreme Court, organise protests and express their views, unlike during the period when restrictions were imposed on the media.

Shinde also criticised Gandhi for allegedly comparing himself to Lord Shiva. He said such comparisons were inappropriate and warned the Opposition against what he described as provocative conduct.

Shinde further said those who compared themselves to Lord Shiva should remember the symbolism of the deity’s third eye, adding that the INDIA bloc and other Opposition parties would be reduced to ashes by its fire.

Mumbai, Oct 12: Shiv Sena national spokesperson Shaina NC said on Monday that Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, thinks protesting is equivalent to ordering food items on a delivery app.

“For Rahul Gandhi, calling for protests is similar to ordering food on delivery apps. Call someone to protest; create inconvenience for people every day,” Shaina said while commenting on the ongoing unrest in the national capital.

“Honourable Supreme Court Justice Surya Kant has said that the matter is sub judice; then why are you creating nuisance on the streets and not letting the court do its work?” she asked.

She added, “Rahul Gandhi lacks empathy and does not care about common people who would want to go to Rajiv Chowk, Patel Chowk, Mandi House, Secretariat, Barakhamba Road. They are getting affected.”

“The protestors don’t care about the Metros, traffic, security of the people,” she said.

She further said, “When the matter is in court, one must wait and respect the decision of the Supreme Court.”

Stressing the matter, she further said, “How long will you (Opposition) be able to mislead people through a false narrative? You are welcome to debate in the parliament, but don’t create chaos on the streets.”

Shaina further said that people are not attracted by names like ‘Thackeray’, ‘Gandhi’, and that the opposition has no vision, plans, or blueprints whatsoever.

On the detention of CJP leaders, Shaina said, “There is a stark difference between ‘detention’ and ‘arrest’. Everyone has the right to protest, but when it leads to unrest and riots, then the police will also have to take action.”

She praised the Delhi Police for not aggravating the protests, controlling the mobs and further protecting the common masses.

Reacting to PM Narendra Modi appeal to the country’s Gen Z to make use of the opportunities that come with Viksit Bharat and taking the world towards solutions, Shaina said that the Indian Gen Z are not the future but the ‘present’. With initiatives such as Startup India, MSME, and Lakhpati Didi, the PM has empowered all.

She further said that the youth of the nation should move forward in development and not indulge in chaos and unrest. Rather, one must understand that the need of the hour is education, security and ‘Atma-nirbharta’.

Mumbai, Oct 12: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday launched a scathing attack on Lok Sabha Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi and the INDIA bloc, accusing them of executing a deliberate strategy to pressure and delegitimize India’s constitutional institutions, including the Supreme Court, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

The Chief Minister’s strong reaction came as INDIA bloc leaders, led by Rahul Gandhi, staged a high-voltage march in New Delhi towards the Supreme Court.

The opposition leaders are demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, accusing him, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah of subverting electoral integrity and “robbing the nation”.

CM Fadnavis criticised the opposition for brandishing copies of the Constitution while systematically undermining constitutional bodies. He alleged that the current protests are part of an extreme far-left plot designed to reject Dr B R Ambedkar’s Constitution and breed public distrust against democratic systems.

Questioning the rationale behind marching to the apex court to force a meeting with the Chief Justice of India (CJI), CM Fadnavis asked, “Which section of the Constitution empowers a political march to demand an audience with the Chief Justice of India? Attempting to exert pressure on the Supreme Court is a direct insult to Dr Ambedkar’s Constitution.”

Drawing a sharp contrast, he invoked the 1975 Emergency imposed by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. He highlighted how the Congress regime then suspended fundamental rights and restricted citizens from approaching High Courts and the Supreme Court.

“We fought against constitutional tampering in 1975, and we will fight again today. We will never allow anyone to alter or tamper with Dr B R Ambedkar’s Constitution,” he declared.

CM Fadnavis asserted that Congress’s repeated electoral failures have driven it to resort to anarchy. He also pointed to instances during past agitations at Jantar Mantar, where social media algorithms were manipulated to spread chaos, noting that platforms like Meta later issued apologies over ad-driven content and missteps involving Prime Minister Modi’s posts.

He stated that Congress needs to stop blaming Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) for its political setbacks and instead look inward at its failed leadership. “Congress needs to find the reasons for its failure not in EVMs, but in its own leadership. This is a rejected leadership that is repeatedly re-launched, only to fail every time,” he noted.

Emphasising Congress’s declining footprint, CM Fadnavis noted that key states across the nation have rejected the party for decades, including Tamil Nadu: 59 years, West Bengal: 50 years, Uttar Pradesh: 46 years, Sikkim: 42 years, Bihar: 36 years, Tripura: 33 years, Gujarat: 31 years and Madhya Pradesh & Odisha: 23+ years.

He added that across 18 states, voters have distanced themselves from Congress for decades, forcing the party to rely heavily on regional partners like the DMK, RJD, and BSP to survive.

He accused the opposition of systematically trying to instill distrust in the public mind regarding democratic institutions and the rule of law.