Connect with us
Friday,05-September-2025
Breaking News

Maharashtra

When Balasaheb Thackeray safeguarded the future of a displaced community

Published

on

More than three decades ago, when thousands of Kashmiri Pandits fled the terror nightmare in their homeland in 1990 to seek refuge elsewhere in India, many landed in Mumbai, the City of Dreams, and Pune, the academic capital of Maharashtra.

A majority of the uprooted Kashmiri Pandits, with their parents, wife and children, escaped from certain death with hardly anything more than the clothes they wore, and spent months in agony and uncertainty over how to rebuild their future from scratch in strange surroundings.

Maharashtra was the only state which opened its doors, hearts, wiped their tears and helped the Kashmiri Pandits grow new roots in this state, over a couple of thousand kms away from their birthplace.

“At that time, a group of Kashmiri Pandits met the roaring tiger of Shiv Sena, Balasaheb Thackeray. Led by the late Lt Gen (Retd) P.N. Hoon, the delegation discussed the entire issue of Kashmiri Pandits threadbare with the Sena Pramukh,” said Sanjay Nahar, who runs an NGO, Sarhad, in Pune.

Acclaimed author-journalist Rahul Pandita, a teen then, recalls how the Kashmiri Pandits — though penniless — did not seek monetary aid from Balasaheb Thackeray, but wanted something that could help them stand on their feet and make them independent in the long run.

Nahar said the delegation requested Balasaheb Thackeray to use his good offices and offer the Kashmiri Pandits reservations in technical or engineering courses in various academic institutions here.

Interestingly, the meeting was facilitated by a reserved, young journo — Sanjay Raut — now the stormy petrel of the Sena and its chief spokesperson.

Balasaheb Thackeray readily agreed to the proposal — though some opposition parties then had sniggered — and sowed the seeds for affording a stable future to an entire generation of Kashmiri Pandits.

Amit Wanchoo — the grandson of the legendary H.N. Wanchoo who was assassinated by terrorists in December 1992 — said that it was only Balasaheb Thackeray then “who threw a lifeline to Kashmiri Pandits” when they had nobody to call their own.

“Many had no funds or friends, spent months in dirty cattle-sheds or slums, worrying about their future. We always believed that education is important for children, but educating them away from their homeland was a big challenge,” said Wanchoo.

He is among the few who decided to remain in Kashmir despite the near-total exodus by his fraternity.

With Balasaheb Thackeray throwing open all the higher-technical-engineering institutions for Kashmiri Pandits, thousands took advantage to enrol themselves and encounter the future with confidence, and around 7,000-8,000 have benefitted, said Nahar.

More importantly, Pandita said that the gesture came without any ‘strings attached’, and Balasaheb Thackeray never treated them as any kind of ‘a political vote-bank or a bargaining tool’, and it remained a totally unselfish measure.

Sena MP Raut remembers the days when Balasaheb Thackeray was the sole person who spoke for the Kashmiri Pandits when the rest of the country kept quiet in dread of the terrorists.

“When the delegation met Balasaheb Thackeray, he openly advocated giving arms to the Kashmiri Pandits for their self-defence… Instead, they asked for educational quotas, which he readily agreed to and allowed 5 per cent reservation in the state. Nobody knows the pain of the Kashmiri Pandits more than the Shiv Sena,” Raut said.

Pandita and Wanchoo point out how many Kashmiri Pandits occupying top positions in Indian government or in leading companies worldwide had benefited from Maharashtra’s generosity in their darkest hour.

Wanchoo said that inspired by Balasaheb Thackeray, even Maharashtra proved magnanimous towards Kashmiri Pandits and contributed their mite to wipe the tears of their brethren from the snowy Valley.

“I met him in 1994 and he was surprised to learn that some — like me — still opted to live on in Kashmir. There were many young students living in home-stays, rentals or as paying guests in Maharashtra. But when they couldn’t afford to pay their dues, the local owners/families quietly waived them off,” said Wanchoo.

Nahar recalled the times when many Kashmiris — Pandits, Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs — who became ‘refugees’ overnight, had problems with even basics like food and clothes and many NGOs came forward in Mumbai, Pune, Aurangabad, Nashik and other cities to care for them.

According to Pandita and Wanchoo, “we are indebted to Balasaheb Thackeray and till now, we consider Maharashtra as our ‘second home’ for all practical purposes”.

Years later, Balasaheb Thackeray’s initiative bloomed across the country with other states and even the Centre coming up with various reservations, quotas, grace marks, certain privileges etc. for the Kashmiri Pandits/Muslims/Sikhs, that ensured the displaced persons secured a firm foothold in life.

Crime

Palghar: ₹33 Lakh Jewellery Stolen From Naigaon Bungalow; Thieves Set Fire To Adjacent Shop, Four Arrested Within 8 Hours

Published

on

Maharashtra: In a shocking incident in Chandrapada, Naigaon East, thieves looted jewellery worth Rs 33 lakh from a bungalow and then set fire to an adjacent grocery shop. The Naigaon Police acted swiftly and arrested four accused, including a woman, within just eight hours of the incident.

The burglary took place at a bungalow named ‘Bhimai’, owned by Harshad Mhatre (39). Adjacent to the bungalow is a grocery store named Kamini. On Monday, Mhatre had left for Virar to celebrate Ganeshotsav with relatives, leaving the house unoccupied, as reported by Loksatta. Taking advantage of the situation, the accused broke into the bungalow via the terrace on Tuesday night.

The thieves stole jewellery worth Rs 33 lakh from the house and then set fire to the neighbouring grocery shop. The incident came to light when the fire broke out, prompting a response from the municipal fire brigade, which managed to bring the blaze under control.

Following the incident, a case was registered at Naigaon Police Station under Sections 305, 331(4), and 326(G) of the Indian Penal Code.

Police launched an immediate investigation, and within eight hours, arrested four accused: Ajay Yadav (20), Sonu Faizan Khan (20), Deepak Kharat (21), and Fatima Sheikh (25). The arrests were confirmed by Police Inspector (Crime) Abhijit Madke, who stated that further investigation is ongoing, as reported.

In separate news from Palghar, a 25-year-old pregnant woman gave birth to a baby girl in an 108 ambulance in the early hours of Monday, September 1, while being transferred from Saphale Primary Health Centre to Palghar Rural Hospital due to concerns over possible complications during delivery.

The woman, Vidhi Sambre, a resident of the Saphale area, was pregnant with her second child and had been admitted to Saphale Primary Health Centre late on the night of September 1. After assessing the risk of delivery-related complications, the attending medical officer decided to refer her to Palghar Rural Hospital for advanced medical care.

At around 2:50 a.m., an 108 ambulance was called to transport her. However, during the journey, Vidhi went into labour and successfully delivered a baby girl with the assistance of the ambulance medical team.

Continue Reading

Maharashtra

Thane: Two Minor Girls Missing From Sainik Chawl Area In Kalyan; Police Launch Probe

Published

on

Thane: Two minor girls, aged 15 and 16, from Sainik Chawl in Amardeep Vasahati, Kalyan West, have been missing for the past five days, raising serious concerns among their families. A complaint has been filed at Manpada Police Station, where it is suspected that the girls were abducted by an unknown individual.

According to the report, Ashabai Ganpat Kale, the mother of the 15-year-old girl, reported the disappearance and filed a formal complaint under Section 137(2) of the Indian Penal Code, 2023. The girls are residents of Sainik Chawl, and their families are engaged in the small trade of selling lemon and chilli.

The family originally hails from Pardhi Tanda, Pandadhari village in Jat taluka, Sangli district. The disappearance of both girls has caused deep distress within the family. Despite ongoing efforts, their whereabouts remain unknown.

The two girls have been missing since 12 noon on August 30. Initially, the family believed the girls might have gone out to see public Ganpati idols in Kalyan, as part of the Ganeshotsav celebrations. However, when they failed to return even after mealtime, the family grew concerned and began searching for them in the surrounding area, as per the report.

They contacted the girls’ school friends and checked with relatives, but the girls were not found. After an extensive but unsuccessful search throughout Kalyan, the family lodged a police complaint, suspecting they may have been lured and abducted.

Senior Police Inspector Sandipan Shinde has taken serious note of the matter and has formed special teams to trace the missing girls. Additionally, Assistant Police Inspector Rupali Karkade is conducting a parallel investigation to ensure a thorough probe into the incident. Police are actively investigating the case, and efforts are ongoing to locate the minors.

Continue Reading

Maharashtra

Use of DJs prohibited during Eid Milad processions, Joint Police Commissioner appeals to procession participants to abide by law in Khilafat Committee meeting

Published

on

On Eid Milad-un-Nabi, Mumbai Police has claimed strict security arrangements and urged the people involved in the procession to follow the law. Also, DJ has been completely banned in the Muhammadi procession. Therefore, the police have requested the people involved in the procession not to use DJ. Addressing a meeting held in connection with the Muhammadi procession at Khilafat House in Mumbai, Joint Commissioner of Police Satya Narayan Chaudhary has allowed the use of loudspeakers till 12 midnight while announcing the good news of Eid Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH). Along with this, Satya Narayan Chaudhary has requested Muslims that the use of DJ is prohibited during the Muhammadi procession, so the people involved in the procession should avoid using DJ. He said that the people involved in the procession should follow the law and do not violate traffic rules. It is important to keep this in mind. He said that banners and posters should not be put up before the procession on September 8 after Ganpati immersion unless the local police inspector allows it. He said that the immersion of Lalbagh Raja takes place till the morning of the 7th, after which the crowd goes to their homes. In such a situation, no banners or posters should be put on the roads until this process is completed. When all this process is completed, then banners and posters can be put on every area and road. This is allowed and no one will have any problem. To make Eid Milad-un-Nabi (ﷺ) peaceful, the people involved in the procession have been advised to follow the necessary instructions and guidelines. Khilafat Committee Executive President Sarfaraz Arzoo, MLA Amin Patel, Waris Pathan and police officers and public were present in this meeting.

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Advertisement

Trending