Siddu stands as as a 'rock, while trouble brews over over Dalai Lama's successor
Special Intensive Revision in Bihar
Dalai Lama's successor
Hindi imposition in Maharashtra
Kolkata gangrape case
No mention of Pahalgam terror attack in SCO doc
Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' passed
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Mint
26 minutes ago
- Mint
'Slap, but don't make video': Raj Thackeray's blunt advice to MNS workers after Marathi 'slapgate' case
Uddhav Thackeray patched up with cousin Raj Thackeray nearly two decades after breakup over Shiv Sena succession. The previously estranged Thackeray brothers appeared emphatic while addressing the audience during the rally in Mumbai on Saturday. Speaking in Marathi, Raj Thackeray said: 'Be it a Gujarati or anyone else here, must know Marathi, but there is no need to beat people for that if they don't speak Marathi. Yet, if someone does some drama, you must hit them below their eardrums.' 'If you beat someone, don't make a video of the incident. Let the person beaten up tell that he has been beaten up; you don't need to tell everyone," Raj added. Mumbai, Jul 05 (ANI): Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray along with Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray during a joint rally after the Maharashtra government scrapped two GRs to introduce Hindi as the third language, at Worli Dome in Mumbai on Saturday. NCP-SP MP Supriya Sule also present. (Shiv Sena-UBT/ANI Video Grab) The MNS Chief was apparently addressing criticism about the Thackerays' men slapping and intimidating people, including street vendors, over their not speaking in Marathi. The much discussed Thackeray reunion unfolded against the backdrop of 'Marathi pride' sparked by the BJP-led Maharashtra government's move to introduce Hindi as a third language in schools – a decision that was later rolled back following intense backlash. Initially announced as a protest against the original move, Raj and Uddhav Thackeray's rally in Mumbai was converted to a celebration of the rollback. Raj Thackeray's assertion of 'Marathi pride' was followed by Uddhav Thackeray's speech, echoing the same sentiments. The Shiv Sena (UBT) chief also spoke in Marathi, stating: 'Yes, we are goons; if we have to be goons to get justice, we will do goondagiri.' At the much-hyped Mumbai rally, MNS Chief Raj Thackeray delivered a sharp, ironic jab — praising Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis. Raj claimed Fadnavis managed to do what even Shiv Sena patriarch Bal Thackeray could not. "Uddhav and I are coming together after 20 years… What Balasaheb Thackeray could not do that Devendra Fadnavis managed to do," Raj Thackeray claimed at the massive event in Worli. Uddhav Thackeray's split with Raj Thackeray happened when Bal Thackeray was alive, as he preferred son Uddhav over nephew Raj to hand over the Shiv Sena reins. Uddhav also criticised the BJP - in power in Maharashtra and the Centre - for allegedly imposing the agenda of 'Hindi, Hindu, Hindustan' on India. 'We will protect the ideology of Hindutva, in Marathi language,' he further said. Following the Thackeray brothers' cousins at the reunion rally, senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan stated that the introduction of Hindi as a third language from class 1 evoked statewide opposition. "It's fine if Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray claim credit for the withdrawal of the GRs. If they come together politically, our best wishes," Chavan told PTI. The Congress leader asserted that celebrating the withdrawal of Hindi language GRs and a potential political alliance between the two cousins are two separate issues.
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First Post
34 minutes ago
- First Post
Dalai Lama dismisses succession buzz, vows to serve for 30-40 more years at 90
Amid swirling speculation about the future of Tibetan spiritual leadership and China's potential role in choosing his successor, the Dalai Lama remains steadfast read more Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama greets devotees as he arrives at the Tsuglakhang temple in Dharmsala, India, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017. (Photo: AP) The Dalai Lama has quashed the rumours about his succession, vowing to serve people for another three to four decades. While speaking during a long-life prayer ceremony at Tsuglagkhang, the main Dalai Lama temple in McLeodganj, the Dalai Lama said Saturday (July 5) he felt reassured by divine signs. 'Looking at the many prophecies, I feel I have blessings of the Avalokiteshvara. I have done my best so far. I hope to still live for 30-40 years more. Your prayers have borne fruit so far,' the spiritual leader told the crowd on the eve of his 90th birthday. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Amid swirling speculation about the future of Tibetan spiritual leadership and China's potential role in choosing his successor, the Dalai Lama remains steadfast. Showing no signs of stepping back, he expressed deep gratitude for his life's journey, despite the challenges of leading Tibetans in exile. 'Though we have lost our country and we are living in exile in India, that's where I have been able to benefit beings quite a lot. Those living here in Dharamshala. I intend to benefit and serve beings as much as I can,' he said. As McLeodganj gears up for his 90th birthday celebrations, with dignitaries like Indian union minister Kiren Rijiju expected to attend, the Dalai Lama's message highlighted his unwavering commitment to his spiritual mission and his determination to continue guiding his followers for years to come. Earlier on Wednesday, the 14th Dalai Lama stated that the centuries-old institution of the Dalai Lama would continue and that the Gaden Phodrang Trust– a non-profit body set up by his office in 2011– would have the 'sole authority' to recognise his reincarnation. China responded swiftly and critically. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning reiterated Beijing's long-standing position that any reincarnation of the Tibetan spiritual leader must comply with what it calls 'domestic recognition' and receive official approval. Despite China's criticism, India has backed the traditional process for selecting the next Dalai Lama. 'Reincarnation has to be decided by the established conventions and the desire of the present Dalai Lama. No one else has the right to decide on the next Dalai Lama. It is the most important defining institution for all the Tibetans and all those who follow the Nalanda tradition of Buddhism,' Rijiju said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
India.com
36 minutes ago
- India.com
Two Thackerays, One Stage: Is Maharashtra Politics Witnessing A Reset?
New Delhi: In what could become a defining moment for Maharashtra's shifting political landscape, rival brothers Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray reunited on-stage on Saturday after two decades, declaring their unity over the cause of the Marathi language, and hinting at something much larger in the making. The rally, officially termed a 'victory rally', held at the NSCI Dome in Worli, was billed as a celebration of the Maharashtra government's rollback of its contentious three-language formula, which proposed Hindi as the default third language in schools. But the real headline was not the policy reversal. It was the public reunion of the Thackeray cousins, long divided by ideology, personality, and political ambition. The Mahayuti government's move to implement Hindi as a default third language under the NEP 2020 had met with strong resistance from Marathi cultural and political groups. The public outcry prompted a hasty retreat by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who clarified that Hindi would not be mandatory. Yet, the damage had been done, and in that backlash, a moment was created, one that the Thackeray cousins seized to full effect and perhaps test the waters for a deeper political alliance ahead of the crucial Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections. For Uddhav, this rally, which came on the heels of weeks of backlash against the Mahayuti government's order, was an opportunity to stake a claim once again as the voice of Marathi pride and Hindutva with a human face. For Raj, it was a strategic moment to reposition himself as a cultural warrior with a more inclusive tone. In a packed auditorium with thunderous applause, Uddhav Thackeray, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief, declared, 'We have come together to stay together." His words, though brief, carried enormous political weight. For observers and party workers alike, the message was unmistakable: the Thackeray split that fractured Maharashtrian politics in 2006 might finally be healing. Raj Thackeray, MNS chief, struck a similar note of reconciliation but added a characteristically sharp edge. 'What Balasaheb could not do, Devendra Fadnavis has done, he brought us together,' he quipped, turning the tables on the BJP, which he implied had unwittingly united the brothers through its missteps on language policy. This line, part sarcasm and part political theatre, drew laughs, but also raised eyebrows. Was this a mere coincidence, or was the BJP's dominance in Maharashtra now giving its opponents a reason to regroup? The rhetoric was familiar, but the tone was collaborative. For once, both Thackerays seemed aligned, not just in the message, but in mission. Both leaders subtly reframed the language controversy into a larger ideological battleground, where Marathi identity, cultural pride, and regional autonomy are now pitted against what they view as Delhi's imposed nationalism. Raj Thackeray did not hold back in his speech. While emphasising that all communities in Maharashtra must respect Marathi, he made it clear that violence in the name of the language was unacceptable. 'There is no need to beat someone if they don't speak Marathi. But if someone does unnecessary drama, then yes, slap them, but don't make a video of it,' he said, half-jokingly, to a crowd that laughed, cheered, and nodded in approval. Uddhav, meanwhile, took on the BJP directly. 'They ask what we did for the Marathi people in Mumbai. We ask them, what have you done in the last 11 years? You are pushing Mumbai's businesses and institutions to Gujarat,' he said. His critique was sharp and nationalistic, contrasting Mumbai's Marathi legacy with what he called the BJP's 'outsourcing' of state pride. He didn't stop there. In a fiery moment, he said, 'Who are you to teach us Hindutva? When riots happened, it was the Marathi people who protected every Hindu here. If fighting for justice makes us goons, then yes, we are goons.' Raj, too, addressed the ongoing language debate, adding a national flavour to his argument, citing that even icons like Balasaheb Thackeray and L.K. Advani were educated in English-medium schools. 'It's not about the medium, it's about your pride in your language,' he said, pointing to how South Indian politicians had embraced their native tongues despite similar backgrounds. The Political Chessboard Set The rally was more than a flash of nostalgia. This reunion isn't merely communicative; it's strategic. With the BMC polls on the horizon, a reunited Thackeray front could threaten the BJP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena's dominance in urban Marathi constituencies. But questions remain. Will this unity extend beyond rhetoric and symbolism? Can two fiercely independent political identities work together in the trenches of civic polls? What would seat-sharing look like? And can egos be managed when votes are at stake? Yet, despite the uncertainty, Saturday's moment in Worli felt like something far bigger than a photo op. It was an emotional reset, a political recalibration, and a reminder that in Maharashtra, identity politics still has the power to unify as much as divide. Uddhav Thackeray strongly said, 'This is just the beginning.' If this is the opening trailer of a larger narrative, Maharashtra's political environment, and particularly the BMC polls, may soon witness a game-changing sequel. But for now, one thing is clear: the Thackeray brand has returned, and it's speaking in unison.
