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Raj Thackeray puts off Ayodhya trip in political setback for MNS

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In a self-inflicted political blow, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena President Raj Thackeray on Friday morning tersely announced that he has temporarily “postponed” his proposed visit to Ayodhya on June 5.

He himself made the announcement via social media but didn’t spell out any reasons for the move, leading to wild speculations in political circles.

MNS spokesperson Sandip Deshpande and party leader Bala Nandgaonkar were at a loss to explain what actually prompted the unexpected decision, but assured that Raj Thackeray will enlighten the people about it at his planned public rally in Pune on Sunday.

Adding to the MNS’ awkwardness, ruling Maha Vikas allies’ leaders like Shiv Sena’s Tourism Minister Aditya Thackeray and state Congress President Nana Patole announced that their upcoming tours for ‘darshan’ of Ram Lalla would proceed as per schedule and their trips would be “non-political”.

Taking a swipe at the MNS chief, Shiv Sena chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut said that he heard about it from the media, “but we would have supported him”.

“There’s a large number of Shiv Sainiks and Sena supporters in Ayodhya, and we would have supported him… He is being used by the Bharatiya Janata Party, but some people get delayed wisdom,” he said.

Nationalist Congress Party spokesperson Clyde Crasto expressed hope that Raj Thackeray would now realise how he was being exploited by the BJP politically.

“They propped him to propagate their agenda and when their message was delivered, they have cut him down to size. He was used as a pawn and he allowed himself to be used to revive his failed political career,” he claimed.

Congress General Secretary Sachin Sawant squarely blamed the BJP for Raj Thackeray’s current predicament.

“First, the BJP pumped up air into him, but when it feared that the Hindutva vote-bank would be divided, they snipped him off,” he said.

Sena MoS and spokesperson Kishore Tiwari alleged that the BJP-MNS and Rana couple were competing to prove whose Hindutva brand is the worst and Raj Thackeray got trapped in their machinations.

“He had harassed North Indians and when the BJP felt this cannot continue as it would have repercussions (in the upcoming civic elections), they ejected him… Anyways, his planned Ayodhya trip was purely political as there people have nothing to do with religion or Hindutva,” he added.

Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis merely said: “Raj has postponed his visit now, but whenever he plans to go there, he will be given full support and nobody will touch him.”

Raj Thackeray’s abrupt decision came amid massive protests by certain BJP leaders and activists in Uttar Pradesh and other northern states opposing his Ayodhya trip.

They have been vociferously demanding his unconditional apology for the treatment meted out to North Indians in the MNS agitation in 2008.

The anti-Raj Thackeray protests were spearheaded by Uttar Pradesh BJP MP Brijbhushan Sharan Singh who warned that unless he apologises, lakhs of his supporters would block his entry to Ayodhya.

Though Raj Thackeray has not revealed anything, there’s speculation that the postponement may have been due to health reasons, but MNS leaders declined comments.

Back in Uttar Pradesh, Brijbhushan Sharan Singh dismissed the MNS claims of “postponement due to illness” and asserted that Raj Thackeray has “cancelled” his trip, and vowed to continue his agitation till the MNS chief tenders an apology.

Earlier, apprehending threats, MNS’ Nandgaonkar had called on Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil and demanded security for Raj Thackeray either from the state government or the Centre.

Simultaneously, he warned that “even if a hair of Raj was harmed, Maharashtra would burn”, though preparations for the Ayodhya trip continued.

Since a month, Raj Thackeray has been in the limelight after he launched an agitation demanding removal of loudspeakers from all mosques in the state failing which his activists would blare Hanuman Chalisa at double-decibel levels.

Crime

Palghar Fraud: Nalasopara Gym Trainer, Wife Booked For Duping Mumbai Cosmetics Shop Owner Of Over ₹1.27 Crore In Investment Scam

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Palghar, Maharashtra: The Tulinj Police have registered a case against a gym trainer and his wife from Nalasopara for allegedly duping a Mumbai-based cosmetics shop owner of over ₹1.27 crore under the pretext of a profitable gym business investment.

Victim Details and Investment

According to police, the complainant, Ashokkaraman Van (28), originally from Gujarat and currently residing in Elphinstone, Mumbai, stated that in 2022 he and his friend Valjibhai Ravariya were persuaded by Abhishek Singh, a fitness trainer, and his wife Poonam Shukla to invest in a new gym project at Sitaram Complex, Santosh Bhavan, Nalasopara (East), Palghar district.

The couple allegedly promised high returns and assured them that the investment would be safe. Convinced by the assurances, Van invested ₹1,27,63,000 into the venture. However, despite repeated follow-ups, neither profits nor the principal amount were returned.

FIR Filed for Cheating and Criminal Breach of Trust

Realizing that they had been cheated, the complainant approached police, leading to the registration of an FIR under sections 316(2), 316(5), 31(8)(4), and 3(5) of the Indian Penal Code, pertaining to criminal breach of trust and cheating.

Investigation Underway

Police confirmed that no arrests have been made so far. The case is under investigation by Inspector Anand Pednekar of Tulinj Police Station.

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Crime

Mumbai Crime: 26-Year-Old Woman Allegedly Assaults Female Ticket Checker At Goregaon Station; Case Registered

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Mumbai: The Borivali railway police have registered an FIR against a 26-year-old woman for allegedly assaulting a woman ticket checker on Wednesday after a dispute over showing a ticket. The accused has been identified as Sony Chauhan, 26. The case was registered on August 20, subsequently, the police issued a notice to the accused.

Incident on Local Train

According to the police, the incident occurred on Wednesday at 3:25 pm at the Goregaon ticket checker office at the railway station. The complainant, Geeta Pandoria, 52, works as a ticket checker with the railways and resides in Andheri East. She had boarded a slow local train from Andheri to Borivali from platform number 3 at Andheri station.

Before the train reached Goregaon station, Pandoria asked passenger Sony Chauhan to show her ticket. Chauhan was unable to produce one as she had not purchased it. The ticket checker then got down with her at Goregaon railway station’s platform number 2 and took her to the ticket checker’s office.

There, Chauhan allegedly began arguing with Pandoria, verbally abused her, threatened to harm her, physically assaulted her by beating and twisting her left hand, and obstructed her from performing her official duty. The ticket checker sustains the middle finger of the left hand.

Case Registered Under IPC

Following the complaint, the Borivali railway police registered a case against Chauhan under Sections 132 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of duty), 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 352 (intentional insult to provoke breach of peace), and 351 (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The accused resides in Andheri East.

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Maharashtra

Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena Faces Setback As Ex-Palghar Zilla Parishad Chief Prakash Nikam, Along With Other Prominent Leaders, Defects To BJP

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Palghar: Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena faced a major setback in Palghar as important leaders switched allegiance to the BJP, such as former Zilla Parishad President Prakash Nikam and multiple office bearers. In a demonstration of power, more than two hundred vehicles, spearheaded by BJP district president Bharat Rajput, departed for Mumbai, signaling a tactical step before local body elections.

Notable individuals like Sarika Nikam, Purnima Dhodi, and Ghanshyam More became members of the BJP at an event with state president Ravindra Chavan. The BJP’s enlistment of individuals from the Shinde and Thackeray factions, as well as the Nationalist Congress Party, has heightened the regional political atmosphere. By incorporating six members from the Gram Panchayat, the BJP is likely to take control of Saravali Gram Panchayat, which is strategically located near the Tarapur Industrial Estate.

The roster of individuals defecting to the BJP features: Prakash Nikam, Sarika Nikam, Yuva Sena coordinator Ricky Ratnakar, Anand Dhodi, Purnima Dhodi, Ghanshyam More, Kamlakar Dalvi, and Virendra Patil, whose daughter previously worked in the municipal sector. Prakash Nikam conveyed his discontent with the Shiv Sena, pointing out disrespect and exclusion from party events, while Anand Dhodi voiced comparable feelings of being overlooked at district meeting.

Both mentioned unresolved issues and continuous insults as reasons for their exit. Under the guidance of Chavan and Rajput, the BJP is gearing up to focus on strengthening its hold in the district in anticipation of forthcoming elections, utilizing the dissatisfaction among Shiv Sena to amplify its presence in Palghar.

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