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Maharashtra

Shiv Sena(UBT) mouthpiece praises CM Fadnavis, targets Dy CM Shinde

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Mumbai, Feb 26: Shiv Sena(UBT) on Wednesday showered praise on Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis while congratulating him for his strong measures to bring discipline in the state administration, especially by taking stern action against fixers and brokers.

The Thackeray camp in the party mouthpiece Saamana’s editorial has thereby targeted former Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, saying that during his tenure the fixers and brokers had a free run.

“Due to rampant corruption, state politics has become rotten. Financial indiscipline has reached its peak. The money needed to buy and then feed MLAs, MPs, corporators and real Shiv Sena office-bearers was collected by looting roads, construction contractors, various state undertakings such as MMRDA, MSRDC, MHADA, SRA, and the Urban Development Department. Many switched parties to get the money from that loot,” the editorial read.

“Where did this flow of money come from? This money was accumulated through illegal tenders, fake works, commissions in fund allocation, plot scams and brokerage in housing construction. The latest news is that Shinde’s Chief Collector has fled to Dubai with ten thousand crore rupees,” claims the Saamana editorial.

“The Shinde faction has been nervous due to Fadnavis’ cleanliness movement. The tender of Rs 500 crore was increased to Rs 3,000 crore and in between Rs 1,000 crore was taken even before the commencement of the work. Out of which Rs 100 to 200 crore were to be distributed among the followers (Shinde) and all of the money is being used by taking them for a holy dip in Ganga at Prayagraj,” the edit piece says

“Fadnavis has started the sacred work of putting an end to all these manipulators. It would be surprising if Shinde and his people have not been angered by this! Fadnavis did another important work as Chief Minister. He took away the power to appoint the ‘PA’ and ‘OSD’ of the ministers. Out of the names sent by the ministers as ‘PA’ and ‘OSD’ to the Chief Minister for approval, 16 names were directly rejected by the Chief Minister. This was because these 16 people were engaged in fixing and brokerage by becoming OSD (officer on special duty) in the previous Shinde (Mindhe) led government. Chief Minister Fadnavis rejected all these ‘fixers’. The Chief Minister’s stance that he will not give the posts to ‘fixers’ is correct,” reads the editorial. It has further come to light that the 16 rejected, 12 were suggested by the Ministers from the Shinde camp to be their OSDs.

“During the Eknath Shinde era, the Ministry was a ‘fair’ for brokers and fixers. Anyone could come, deposit a percentage of the total contract and approve the funds and works. The works were given when the treasury was in a state of turmoil. Development works were approved in a hurry on the eve of the elections. The contractors did the work, but since the work was not properly approved, the contractors’ bills were delayed. Contractors’ associations have said that there is an arrear of about Rs 90,000 crore for various government works. Out of this, Rs 25,000 crore has already been taken as ‘brokerage’.”

“To keep the MLAs and MPs (Shinde-Ajit group) happy, they signed the papers. On the strength of those signed papers, these people took crores from the contractors. Now, with Devendra Fadnavis’ move to reconsider these works, the Shinde group’s calculations have gone haywire as they are reeling under the financial crisis…The people, who are going to the Shinde group, are either contractors or direct beneficiaries… if the Chief Minister has decided to destroy all these corrupt hoarders, then what will happen to all these fixers and hoarders?”, the editorial says.

“Many tricks of loot have come to light in three years. A French company accused MMRDA of ‘commission’ extortion. This company is involved in the construction of the Metro. The bills for regular work done by this company are being deliberately delayed. Foreign companies are told that the bills will not be cleared unless the ‘master’s’ commission is received. This is only defaming our country,” the edit piece reads.

“Deputy Chief Minister Shinde had recently met Union Minister Amit Shah and complained that CM Fadnavis is hitting them on the stomach … If the stomachs of MLAs and MPs remain empty, your party will not survive, Shinde told Shah. On the contrary, PM Modi’s role is to end corruption. Prime Minister Modi recently announced, ‘Just tell me the names of those who are taking money, and I will straighten them out one by one’. Then in such a situation, Fadnavis would not have any objection to telling Prime Minister Modi the names of Shinde and his fixers,” the Saamana editorial says.

Maharashtra

‘Our Dreams Are Not A Joke’: Students Flood Social Media As SSC Exam Glitches Trigger Nationwide Outrage

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A storm of protests has erupted online as thousands of SSC aspirants take to social media platforms to voice their frustration under hashtags like #SSCVendorFailure, #SSCMisManagement, and #SSCReform. The uproar follows a series of technical glitches, infrastructure issues, and exam cancellations linked to the new vendor responsible for conducting SSC recruitment exams.

What began as scattered complaints has snowballed into a coordinated digital movement, with aspirants flooding X (formerly Twitter) with testimonies of botched exam experiences, inaccessible centers, and last-minute cancellations. Several students are demanding accountability from the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) and the removal of the current vendor.

Students are alleging that the system crashes during exams, experiences technical glitches, centres 500-1000 km away and has last-minute cancellations. Students are now demanding a thorough investigation, transparent communication, and urgent reforms to restore faith in the SSC recruitment system. The controversy follows widespread technical issues during the SSC Selection Post Phase 13 exams, leaving thousands in distress.

SSC Selection Post Phase 13 Exams Cancelled at Select Centres Due to Technical Issues

The SSC has cancelled the Selection Post Phase 13 exams at specific centres due to technical and administrative problems. The exams, which began on July 24 and are scheduled to continue until August 1, faced disruptions on the first day.

As per the official notice, exams held at Pawan Ganga Educational Centre 2 between July 24 and July 26 have been cancelled for administrative reasons. Affected candidates will now appear for the rescheduled exams starting July 28, with revised details to be shared shortly. Additionally, the first shift at Educasa International, Hubbali, scheduled on July 24 (9:30 AM to 10:30 AM), was cancelled due to a technical glitch.

Netizens’ Reactions

Amid widespread disruptions in the SSC Selection Post Phase 13 exams, students across India have taken to social media to express their frustration, calling out technical failures, poor management, and lack of transparency.

“Dear SSC, our dreams are not a joke!” wrote one aspirant. “Technical failures, paper leaks, and vendor mismanagement are destroying years of our hard work. We deserve justice and transparency.”

Another user questioned the outsourcing of such a critical process to private firms: “We’ve repeatedly said that instead of outsourcing the exams to private vendors, SSC should develop its own software and take full responsibility. The future of millions of youth should not be handed over to profit-driven companies.”

Many candidates shared emotional accounts of traveling long distances, only to face last-minute cancellations: “Is there no value for students’ efforts in this country? First, they gave us centers 500 km away, and then cancelled the exam. Is this some kind of joke?”

Another user said, “An exam isn’t just for one day — it’s years of preparation. Students traveled 500 km, and then were told the exam was cancelled. Why? Does anyone have an answer?”

Poor exam centre conditions were another major concern raised by aspirants: “We faced extreme discomfort — no fans, broken chairs, suffocating rooms, and image-based questions not loading. Is this what India’s competitive exams have come to? We demand accountability.”

A comprehensive list of recurring issues was also highlighted by students:

“SSC cannot ignore these issues any longer:

– Mouse not working

– Invigilators chatting

– Server crash & last-minute cancellations

– Centres 500-1000 km away

– No security checks

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Entertainment

Actress Ruchi Gujjar Hits Actor-Director With Chappal, Protests Against Him At Mumbai Theatre After Filing FIR Over ₹25 Lakh Fraud

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A dramatic scene unfolded at a Mumbai theatre during the screening of So Long Valley when actress Ruchi Gujjar hit the film’s producer and actor Man Singh with a chappal, leading to chaos at Cinepolis. The incident, captured in a now-viral video, came amid an ongoing financial dispute between Ruchi and another producer, Karan Singh Chauhan.

In the video, she is heard screaming while arguing with the producers. She then lost her cool and hit one of the producers with her chappal.

It appears that she arrived at the theatre with the intention of staging a protest. During the special screening, where the producers were present, Ruchi showed up along with a group of protestors. People around her were seen raising slogans against the producers.

They held placards with the producers’ photos, marked with red cross signs across their faces. In some of the posters, which can be seen in the video, the producers were depicted sitting on donkeys.

What is the case?

According to Ruchi, Chauhan had approached her last year claiming he was producing a Hindi television serial that would soon air on Sony TV. “He offered to add me as a co-producer and also sent documents related to the project,” she said, according to media reports.

Believing the offer, Ruchi stated that between July 2023 and January 2024, she transferred several payments from her company, SR Event and Entertainment, into accounts linked to Chauhan’s K Studios. However, the promised project never took off.

“Despite repeated contacts, he kept postponing them and lied,” she added in her complaint.

She claims to have discovered that the funds were allegedly used not for the serial, but for the production of So Long Valley. “When I got the information that the film is releasing on July 27, I told him to return my money now, on which he started threatening me,” she alleged.

Mumbai Police has registered an FIR under sections 318(4), 352, and 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against Chauhan, 36, for allegedly cheating actress Ruchiof Rs 25 lakh.

Ruchi has submitted banking records and documents to support her claims. An investigation into the financial transactions and communications is currently underway.

Notably, Ruchi had earlier drawn attention for her Cannes appearance, where she wore a necklace featuring an image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

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Maharashtra

Mumbai 26 July 2005 Floods: When City Was Submerged With 944 mm Of Rain In 24 Hours Leaving 914 Dead, Thousands Displaced

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Every year, the monsoon season disrupts life across Indian cities with heavy rainfall, waterlogging and traffic chaos. But July 26, 2005, stands out as a day that etched itself into Mumbai’s history as one of its darkest and most devastating.

On that day, Mumbai received an unprecedented 944 mm of rain in just 24 hours, nearly half of its annual average. Between 8 am and 8 pm alone, 644 mm poured down. It remains the eighth-highest 24-hour rainfall ever recorded anywhere in the world. The city, unprepared for such intensity, was brought to a grinding halt.

Internet Flooded With Old Visuals, Still Haunting Mumbaikars

Several netizens took to social media to share haunting visuals from the 2005 Mumbai floods, recalling the day when the city came to a complete standstill. Many described it as an unforgettable chapter in Mumbai’s history, marked by chaos, resilience and unity.

While some reflected on the overwhelming scale of the disaster, others remembered how the crisis revealed the undying spirit of Mumbai, with strangers helping each other and communities coming together in the face of adversity.

Mumbai’s Lifeline Took Serious Hit, 52 Local Trains Damaged

As floodwaters rose, roads vanished beneath torrents of water. Local trains, the city’s lifeline, stopped completely, with tracks submerged and 52 trains damaged. Thousands were stranded in stations, schools and offices overnight. Low-lying areas like Dharavi and the Bandra-Kurla Complex were heavily inundated, while vehicles were swept away or immobilised.

The scale of disruption was staggering. Over 37,000 auto-rickshaws, 4,000 taxis, 900 BEST buses and 10,000 trucks and tempos were either damaged or rendered unusable. Even the skies were no refuge. For the first time ever, Mumbai’s airports shut down, with Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport and the Juhu airstrip closed for more than 30 hours. More than 700 flights were cancelled or delayed, creating nationwide ripples in air traffic.

Over 900 Killed, Property Worth ₹5.5 Billion Destroyed

The economic loss was estimated at Rs 5.5 billion (around 100 million USD). But the cost in human lives and suffering was far greater. According to official reports, 914 people lost their lives, many due to drowning, electrocution and landslides. More than 14,000 homes were destroyed, leaving thousands without shelter, food or drinking water.

Communication networks also failed. Around 5 million mobile users and 2.3 million landline connections went dead for several hours, hampering emergency rescue operations. Emergency services were overwhelmed, as the city grappled with a disaster it had never imagined.

The 2005 floods served as a harsh wake-up call, exposing Mumbai’s vulnerability to extreme weather. In the years since, the government has worked on improving disaster preparedness, such as creating specialised disaster management units, upgrading early warning systems and installing floodgates and dewatering pumps at critical points.

Yet, even two decades later, as visuals from 2005 resurface each year, a haunting question persists: Is Mumbai truly prepared to face another flood of that magnitude?

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