Maharashtra
RTI: Maharashtra LoP Devendra Fadnavis is a ‘Man of Letters’, 230-plus
The Bharatiya Janata Party’s Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis — whose political bark is considered worse than his bite — also uses the pen, literally, to bulldoze the Maha Vikas Aghadi ‘auto rickshaw’ government, no-holds-barred.
Not content with regular jibes at the ruling Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress alliance in general and Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in particular, Fadnavis also regularly pens his pricks and pains, at the MVA — quite frequently.
As per an RTI reply from the Maharashtra Chief Minister’s Office CMO, in around 22 months Fadnavis has shot off — on record — various issues to the CMO vide a whopping 231 letters.
“In the 22 month period from November 2019 – September 2021, this comes to roughly 10 letters every month or nearly three for a working week…” said RTI activist Prafful Sarda.
Sarda had penned the RTI query to the CMO, seeking, among other things, the number of letters sent by the Leader of Opposition (Fadnavis) to the Chief Minister (Thackeray), and got the revealing letter-in-reply.
“This is more than 7 times the number of published letters that Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru had penned to his doting minor daughter Indira (Priyadarshini) Nehru while he was incarcerated in jails during the Independence Movement, later published as a literary masterpiece, ‘Letters From A Father To His Daughter’ (1929),” Sarda pointed out.
Sources say that usually Fadnavis writes about mostly state-related or political issues to the Chief Minister, and in the initial days, his letters rattled the fledgling MVA ministers and officials.
Later, the old economic theory came into play — ‘the more you have of something, the less you want, the more of it’, with Fadnavis’ letters averaging one-to-three pagers, becoming less awesome, plus the government’s response is not known.
With time Fadnavis’ painstakingly printed letters, both in email and hardcopy on the glittering ‘Leader of Opposition’ letterhead — where his name is proclaimed in larger size than the august post he holds — came to be treated as ‘routine’, not ruffling the officialdom.
Official sources wonder, if the Honourable Leader of Opposition has indeed written so many letters in such a short period, “it may be a record of sorts”, with each letter winking — “Mee Punha Yaeen (I will return)” – a la Fadnavis!
“In the past, at best we recall barely a handful of letters from any Hon.’ Leader of Opposition to the reigning Hon.’ CM… Usually a phone-call or a mere word was enough to get things moving… So many letters are unheard of… makes one wonder about the possible intentions,” said a senior former officer.
To Fadnavis’ credit, some of the letters he penned, mostly in Marathi, few even in English and Marathi for the larger audiences, many posted on social media, raised pertinent current issues and even garnered huge media publicity, ensuring he remained in the spotlight.
But, in some dark moments, he grabbed the limelight by unilaterally proclaiming – “I feel I’m still the CM” — to drive the entire state into splits, with MVA leaders urging the BJP to ensure proper treatment for mental problems, hallucinations, or trauma of his defeat two years ago which he still cannot digest, etc.
Maharashtra
Online Gaming Ban: Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis Mulls Shutdown Of Online Gaming Due To Rise In Suicide, Scams, And Crimes

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is calling for a complete ban on online gaming within the state, citing alarming spikes in addiction, financial ruin, crimes, and suicides linked to real-money gaming. Fadnavis confirmed to the assembly that he has written to Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and is working closely with the Centre, stressing that current IT rules are insufficient to curb harm.
In the Assembly, Fadnavis said that he has written to the Centre, urging it to regulate or ban online real money gaming. “The Centre has jurisdiction over online gaming regulation because the majority of these platforms are hosted outside of India. We are committed to working closely with the Union government to combat this growing threat,” he was quoted as saying in reports.
In recent years, online gaming has spawned a web of distressing cases. In one gut-wrenching example, a man in Dharashiv allegedly sold his land, poisoned his pregnant wife and 2-year-old, and then took his own life after falling into crippling losses from online rummy.
Another tragedy from Pimpri‑Chinchwad involved a 16‑year‑old boy who leapt from a 14th‑floor balcony after succumbing to gambling addiction.
Cyber fraud tied to gaming is also soaring. In Mohali, police uncovered an Rs. 18 crore online-gaming fraud syndicate that entrapped people through fake WhatsApp pitches, with eight arrested . In Mumbai’s Navi Mumbai, a businessman lost Rs. 2.74 crore to online betting over two years—prompting a police FIR.
Fadnavis warned that unchecked gaming platforms are “a new-age addiction” fuelling mental health crises and criminal activity, calling for a crackdown on celebrity endorsements that glamourise gambling
With nearly 97 illegal betting cases since 2023—including dozens in Mumbai—the state’s cyber police have intensified searches, training 3,000 officers, opening 50 cyber labs, and launching helpline services 1945/1930, though admits only central legislation can truly shut down offshore platforms.
Maharashtra
Mumbai Road Accident: 36-Year-Old Kurla Biker Killed In Sion Flyover Crash As Car Comes From Wrong Side

Mumbai: A 36-year-old resident of Kurla, Suhel Shakil Ansari, lost his life on Sunday morning after the motorcycle he was riding pillion on was struck by a car allegedly driving on the wrong side of the Sion flyover. The vehicle was being driven by a 75-year-old senior citizen, who was later served a notice by the police and allowed to leave the scene.
According to officials, the incident occurred around 10:45 am while Suhel and his friend Abu Faizan Ehsaanhul Haq Ansari were returning home from Marine Drive. Abu was riding the bike, as reported by Hindustan Times.
According to the report, a police officer mentioned that, “When they reached the Sion flyover, their motorcycle collided with a car being driven on the wrong side of the road. The flyover doesn’t have a divider, and the car suddenly came into their lane and hit them.”
Suhel sustained severe injuries and was bleeding from the nose and mouth. He was rushed to Sion Civic Hospital, where doctors declared him dead. Abu suffered leg injuries, according to the officials.
The police identified the car driver as Chandulal Jain, 75, a Byculla resident. He has been booked under Sections 106(1) (causing death by negligence), 125(b) (endangering life or personal safety of others), and 281 (rash or negligent driving) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with Section 184 (dangerous driving) of the Motor Vehicles Act. A notice was served to him, and he was permitted to go, said the officer.
Maharashtra
Mumbai: Ola, Uber Strike To Resume On Wednesday Noon As Cab Drivers’ Demands Remain Unaddressed

Mumbai: The Ola and Uber driver strike in Mumbai, suspended until Tuesday, is set to resume on Wednesday if the Maharashtra government fails to address their demands.
The strike was initially called off on Saturday, allowing the government to respond to issues like fare rationalisation, the establishment of a welfare board for drivers, and restrictions on new permits. The Maharashtra Gig Kamgar Manch confirmed that the strike is merely suspended and will restart if demands remain unmet.
Key driver demands include:
Drivers advocate for fare alignment with traditional taxis.
A financial and legal support board for app-based cab drivers is requested.
There’s a push to limit new cab and auto-rickshaw permit issuance.
Protections under the Maharashtra Gig Workers’ Act for taxi workers are sought.
A review of aggregator platform operations regarding surge pricing and driver ID blocking is desired.
If unresolved by the deadline, drivers plan an escalated protest on Wednesday. According to a report, passengers have been asked to de-board in various locations across Mumbai due to the impending strike. A cab driver from Navi Mumbai highlighted their demand for a fixed rate per kilometre, contrasting current inconsistent rates with a previously established government-fixed rate of Rs 32 per km for AC taxis.
Cab unions have discussed these concerns with Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik, who has promised a solution within 15 days. Nevertheless, drivers remain skeptical, recalling previous unfulfilled promises. Sarnaik acknowledged the reasonableness of the demands and assured adjustments in policy would be made.
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