Maharashtra
YEAREND INTERVIEW: Cong seats won’t grow like Rahul’s beard: Ramdas Athawale

With the nation set to go to the polls in 2024, political parties have already started preparing for the all-important Lok Sabha elections.
While the Congress is covering the length and breadth of the country with its ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’, the BJP too is in action mode to ensure painting the nation with saffron colour for the third successive term.
Speaking exclusively with IANS, Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Ramdas Athawale, claimed that the BJP will will win 350 seats in 2024, while the NDA’s tally will touch the 400-mark.
Also targeting Rahul Gandhi and his Bharat Jodo Yatra, the President of the Republican Party of India said that he (Rahul Gandhi) might have grown his beard, but that won’t help the Congress grow the number of seats in 2024, as the Yatra will make no difference.
Here are excerpts from the interview:
Q: The year 2022 is nearing its end. How did the year go for your ministry? What were the achievements?
A: This year, we introduced many policies for the SC, OBC and De-notified Tribes (DNTs). We also introduced policies under the Accessible India Campaign or Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan, which is a programme for the differently-able community of the country.
Similarly, we have pension policies for the elderly. We have three commissions under our ministry — for the Schedule Caste, Other Backward Class and Safai Mazdoor. We keep working on such policies so that people can get benefits from them.
Q: What are the major plans of the ministry for 2023?
A: We have appointed the Rohini Commission under which there is 27 per cent reservation for OBCs, but the DNTs are demanding separate reservation. Though this falls under the OBC category, the DNT community is not getting any benefits from the commission. So there are talks regarding categorisation of this 27 per cent reservation system.
Also, we have given 10 per cent reservation to economically weaker sections in jobs and admission, whose annual family income is below Rs 8 lakh and who don’t fall under SC/ST/OBC categories. Any family from any caste falls in this category and can avail benefits of this policy.
We have also appointed a three-member commission, headed by former Chief Justice of India, K.G. Balakrishnan, to consider the possibility of granting SC status to ‘new persons who have historically belonged to the Scheduled Castes’, but have converted to religions other than Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism. He has also been given the responsibility to study Dalit Muslims and Dalit Christians and submit a report within six months.
Q: India is hosting the G20 meet next year. What will be the contribution of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment?
A: We are in the process of chalking out new programmes for the G20 meet. We will come up with new ideas.
Besides, we have a scheme of overseas scholarship under which we give scholarships to Schedule Caste students to go aboard and study. This year, we sent 125 students abroad and we are targeting to ramp up the numbers next year.
Q: The 2024 Lok Sabha elections are not far away, and the Republican Party of India is in alliance with the BJP. What are you thoughts about the upcoming general elections?
A: In 2024, we are targeting 350+ seats for the BJP, while the NDA should win 400+ seats. In 2019, BJP had got 303 seats alone, so the target is more this time. The Republican Party of India is fully with the BJP. Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds good thoughts about Babasaheb Ambedkar. He has vowed to strengthen the Constitution framed by Ambedkar. His ideology of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayaas’ is appreciable.
The Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Aatamnirbhar Bharat’ is incomparable. He is a global leader. He has taken the country’s economy to a new level. Leaders like Rahul Gandhi cannot even face Modi in 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Q: The opposition parties seem to be coming together for the next general elections, just like like they formed the Mahagathbandhan in 2019. What is your take on this?
A: It is hard for all the opposition parties to come together. Also, every party wants the PM candidate to be from their party. Even if they come together, facing PM Modi will be tough for them. The Prime Minister not only has the support of the NDA, he also enjoys the support of the common people. He is running a good government.
Q: Rahul Gandhi’s popularity seems to be growing with the Bharat Jodo Yatra that his drawing good crowd. Do you think it will make any difference in 2024?
A: This is not Bharat Jodo Yatra, but ‘Bharat Todo Yatra’. If Congress wanted to do Bharat Jodo, they could have done it during its 70-year rule. But what they did was ‘Bharat Todo’.
Also, Rahul Gandhi should first work on ‘Congress Jodo’ instead. Yes, the Yatra is drawing large crowds, but that will not translate into votes in favour of the Congress. Rahul Gandhi has grown his beard, but Congress’ seats will not grow.
Maharashtra
Order to close non-aided schools in Mumbai and Thane… Future of lakhs of children in danger, Abu Asim Azmi demands the government to withdraw the order

After declaring private non-aided schools in Mumbai and Thane illegal and issuing orders to close them, the supply of electricity and water to the schools should be stopped immediately and cases should be registered and the process of closing these schools should be postponed, this demand was made by Maharashtra Samajwadi Party leader and MLA Abu Asim Azmi today during a meeting with Education Minister Dadbhasha here along with a delegation of teachers and school administration.
Abu Asim Azmi said that there are many schools in Thane and Govandi which are providing English medium education to poor children at a low and reasonable fee of Rs 400 to 500, but now their electricity and water connections are being cut to close these schools. Police is being sent to these schools. Due to the closure of these schools, thousands of children will be deprived of education. First, arrangements should be made for the education of these children and then a decision should be taken in this regard. Abu Asim Azmi handed over a memorandum to the Education Minister and told that 81 corporation schools in Thane district have been declared illegal and notice has been given to close them. Where will the lakhs of poor children here go? He told that the conditions of 5000 square feet of land and FD of Rs 1.5 lakh along with a lease agreement of 30 years should be fulfilled. Fees of Rs 20 to 25 lakh for private schools should also be abolished. He said that similarly, in Govind Shivaji Nagar, many private schools providing education to children at low fees are also being declared illegal and action is being taken. If these schools are closed, teachers will become unemployed and the future of children will also become dark. He said that first of all arrangements should be made for the education of these children and then some steps should be taken to provide education to everyone. Education Minister Dadabhai has assured necessary action on Abu Asim Azmi’s demand and said that a decision will be taken after considering the matter.
Maharashtra
Maloney Ram Navami: Violence at Jama Masjid, demand for action from police, attempt to spoil the atmosphere

Mumbai: Ram Navami procession in Mumbai concluded peacefully. In view of the procession, the police had made special security arrangements. Along with this, the police had also issued a high alert in sensitive areas including Malad Maloni. Till late night, no untoward incident or communal violence was reported in the procession and Ram Navami concluded peacefully. Ram Navami was a challenge for Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Pansalkar, but the Police Commissioner performed his duty well and got it concluded peacefully.
During the Ram Navami procession in Mumbai, miscreants in Maloni created a ruckus by raising mischievous slogans at Gate No. 7 of Anjuman Jama Masjid for 40 minutes, due to which tension spread in the area, but Muslims showed patience and restraint and maintained peace and order. After this mischief outside the mosque, now Muslims have expressed their displeasure and have also complained to the police. Local Muslims and social activists have said that objectionable slogans as well as poisonous slogans were raised against Muslims during the Ram Navami Shobha Yatra in the presence of the police. Not only this, the procession was deliberately stopped outside the mosque and a DJ was played. This DJ was played for one hour 40 minutes, but the police did not remove these miscreants from here.
Muslims maintained order by showing patience and restraint in this matter. Muslims alleged that when the procession was brought to the mosque route, Namaz was going on in the mosque and the miscreants tried to provoke and mislead Muslims and Namazis by stopping the procession in the mosque. However, the police had already held a meeting of the mosque committee and prohibited anyone from coming out of the mosque during the procession, so the Muslims followed it. Local Muslims said that some miscreants want to spoil the atmosphere of the area, that is why such mischief is being done outside the mosques. The police had earlier also explained to the miscreants not to make noise and other things outside religious places and mosques, but deliberately in this procession of Vishwa Hindu Parishad Bajrang, open nuisance was demonstrated outside the mosques. Therefore, now Anjuman Jamia Masjid has decided to complain to the police about this and has also requested the police to register a case against the procession committee in this matter as it has violated the permit and also tried to disturb the peace. Muslims have said that such tactics are being adopted by communal organizations to spoil the communal harmony in Malad Maloni and create division between Hindus and Muslims, while Hindus and Muslims live together in this area.
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Maharashtra
Mumbai Police equipped with modern laboratories and technology: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis

Mumbai: Mumbai Police has equipped itself with modern technology to curb cyber crime and cyber fraud. Accordingly, Mumbai Police inaugurated three cyber labs including a forensic lab, a special van, an intercept van and other modern equipment at the hands of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Speaking on the occasion, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the police has been modernized to curb cyber fraud and online fraud and the police will use these modern equipment to solve crimes ranging from cyber fraud to other crimes.
Fadnavis said that the way incidents like digital arrests are happening today by fooling people online, the police has brought significant revolution in the investigation methods and other things to curb these incidents. He said that special help rooms have also been set up in police stations to help women, in which women will get immediate help. He said that a special van has also been prepared for women so that they can get immediate help. Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Pansalkar, Special Police Commissioner Devin Bharti, Joint Police Commissioner Satyanarayan Chaudhary and senior officers were present at the event.
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