Maharshtra, October 3: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis launched a scathing attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi following the latter’s remarks on democracy during his interaction with students at Columbia University. Fadnavis alleged that Gandhi does not believe in the power of the Indian Constitution and accused him of spreading misinformation abroad.

“Rahul Gandhi does not believe in the power of the Indian Constitution at all. One reason for this is that he is unfamiliar with India’s history. He has a tendency against our Constitution in his mind. That is why I say again and again that he is a serial liar,” Fadnavis said in Mumbai on Thursday.

He further reminded that Gandhi’s grandmother, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, had imposed the Emergency in 1975, which was strongly resisted by the Indian people.

At the EIA University in Columbia, Gandhi addressed engineering students and warned that India’s democracy was “under attack”. “India has many religions, traditions, and languages. A democratic system provides a place for everyone. But right now, the democratic system is under attack from all sides,” he said.

He described India as a “conversation between its people” and said democracy was the best way to give space to diverse traditions, languages, and ideas. “Currently, there is a wholesale attack on the democratic system in India,” Gandhi asserted.

Responding to a question on India’s position in the global order, Gandhi contrasted India’s decentralised system with China’s centralised model. He added that India could not adopt an authoritarian design like China’s, given its diversity.

Gandhi also linked global power shifts to energy transitions, citing the British Empire’s rise through coal and steam, America’s dominance via oil and the internal combustion engine, and the ongoing competition between the US and China over electric mobility. He remarked, “The Chinese are winning so far.”

The BJP reacted sharply, branding Gandhi the “Leader of Propaganda” and accusing him of targeting Indian democracy on foreign soil. Party leaders, including Fadnavis, said his statements undermine India internationally, while the Congress has defended his remarks as a defence of democratic values.

Navi Mumbai: On the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, Lal Bahadur Shastri Jayanti, and Vijayadashami, the Environment Life Foundation organized a waterfall cleanup drive at Vana Laxmi Waterfall in Khadyachapada, near Vangani, Karjat Taluka of Raigad dustrict. The initiative, which drew six volunteers and two local villagers, resulted in the collection of nearly 250 kg of non-biodegradable waste, filling 11 large garbage bags.

The litter comprised liquor bottles, packaged water bottles, soft drink cans, food wrappers, disposable plates, baby diapers, footwear, and plastic cutlery—underscoring the persistent problem of irresponsible tourism in the ecologically sensitive Sahyadri range.

This was the foundation’s first waterfall cleanup of 2025 and also marked its 25th waterfall cleanup since 2016, when the campaign began.

“It pains me to see such natural beauty spoiled by carelessness. Civic sense doesn’t require money—it requires awareness,” said Dharmesh Barai, founder of Environment Life Foundation, widely known as The Man of Waterfalls. “When we find heaps of liquor bottles and plastic waste at such pristine spots, it raises serious concerns. If people continue this way, how will we ever keep our country clean and beautiful?”

Participants included Nitin Mhatre, a cyclist from Dombivli, Colonel Yuvraj Nandayal from Kopar Khairane, Sanjay Ainkar from Neral who has been joining the drives since 2016 and Rohan and Sohan Bhosale, who dedicated their holiday to serving the nature, said Barai.

The drive was also part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, with volunteers urging visitors to natural sites to carry back their waste and follow basic civic norms.

Mumbai: Mumbai’s political circles were left stunned on Thursday after senior Shinde camp leader Ramdas Kadam made an explosive allegation during the faction’s Dussehra rally at NESCO Centre in Goregaon. While much attention was on the speeches of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Uddhav Thackeray at their respective rallies, it was Kadam who stole the spotlight with a sensational claim linked to the death of Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray.

Kadam alleged that after Balasaheb’s death in 2012, his body was kept at Matoshree for two days to take fingerprints. The senior leader went a step further by questioning the circumstances of Balasaheb’s final days and his will. “Why was Balasaheb’s body kept for two days? What was happening inside? People said handprints were taken, for what purpose? When was his will prepared and who signed it? All these details must come out,” Kadam demanded.

Speaking to the media after the rally, Kadam reiterated the claim, saying, “Balasaheb’s death took place two days earlier, but his body was kept inside Matoshree for taking hand impressions. This is what the doctors who treated him had told me. Even inside Matoshree, people were discussing it.”

When asked who gave him the information, Kadam responded, “I was told directly by Dr Parker, who was treating Balasaheb at that time. There was talk at Matoshree too. This is just the beginning, a lot more will come out if they keep targeting us. If my son is attacked politically, I will reveal everything step by step.”

Kadam further accused Uddhav Thackeray of acting out of vengeance and targeting his son, Yogesh Kadam. “You are asking for my son’s resignation, singling him out. I spent 55 years at Matoshree. I know how many times you packed your bags to leave. We built Shiv Sena, not Uddhav Thackeray,” he said, adding, “This is revenge politics.”

His comments have sparked sharp debate in political circles, with many describing them as the most sensational claim made in recent years regarding Balasaheb’s death. While the Shinde camp remained silent on Kadam’s remarks, the Uddhav-led Sena UBT is expected to respond strongly in the coming days.