Delhi Confidential: Seed of distrust
Utsav In Moscow
The Manezhnaya Square in Moscow, adjacent to the Kremlin Wall, is bustling with Indian song and dance performances these days as part of the nine-day Bharat Utsav, which kicked off Saturday. Besides Indian Ambassador Vinay Kumar, several senior functionaries from the Capital are participating, including Chief Secretary Dharmendra and Tourism Secretary Niharika Rai. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta recently met Sergei Cheremin, Minister of the Moscow City Government, and exchanged views on enhancing ties between the two cities, in terms of urban management, tourism and transport.
Marathi & MVA
Wading into the Hindi-Marathi language row in Maharashtra, Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale said the attacks on Hindi-speaking people by MNS workers is 'dadagiri (bullying) against Hindus'. Talking about the reunion of the Thackeray cousins — MNS's Raj Thackeray and Sena (UBT)'s Uddhav Thakeray — he said if the two join hands for the upcoming Mumbai civic polls, it will give a political advantage to the ruling Mahayuti alliance. A tie-up between MNS and Sena (UBT) will harm the Opposition's Maha Vikas Aghadi as the Congress and NCP will not join hands with them, said the minister.
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