Fashion now to label those with opposing ideology as Naxals, says Sharad Pawar
Pawar was responding to Shiv Sena's Manisha Kayande, who claimed in the legislative council on Wednesday that 'urban Naxals' have infiltrated the annual 'wari' pilgrimage to Pandharpur and are attempting to mislead 'warkaris', or devotees of Lord Vitthal.
"I do not have full information about it. But one of the two organisations whose names have been reported in the media is Lokayat. I have seen the work of Lokayat.
The outfit is modern in its outlook and has been trying to create a general consensus against orthodoxy for the last several years. They are not Naxals. There is a growing fashion of labelling someone as a Naxal if their work or ideology is not accepted," Pawar asserted on Thursday.
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Indian Express
25 minutes ago
- Indian Express
How Akhilesh push for Shiva temple in home turf is fuelling SP, BJP battle before 2027 polls
After a 28-km ride on an open tractor-trolley, about 30 women get down near the under-construction Kedareshwar Mahadev Temple in Etawah city in Uttar Pradesh's Etawah district — the home turf of Samajwadi Party (SP) president and ex-chief minister Akhilesh Yadav. The temple is already attracting more than a thousand devotees each day. The temple is spread across about 11 acres of land in the heart of the Yadav belt, where many devotees of Shiva are looking to offer prayers before the upcoming Sawan month. It is being built by a trust headed by Akhilesh Yadav. The temple's foundation was laid by Akhilesh in 2021, seven months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi did the same for the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. The consecration ceremony of the Kedareshwar Mahadev Temple was led by SP MP Dimple Yadav, wife of Akhilesh, around the same time PM Modi inaugurated the Ram Temple in January 2024. Now, both temples are nearing completion within the next six months, ahead of the 2027 UP Assembly polls. Among various similarities between the two temples is the 'Krishnapurush Shila', the granite stone used to sculpt idols, sourced from Tamil Nadu Kanyakumari, which provided the stone for the Ram Lalla idol in the Ram Temple and is being used for the entirety of the Kedareshwar Mahadev Temple. Like the Ram Temple, the construction of the Etawah temple did not use cement or iron, instead using the ancient 'tribandhan' technique of joining stones with a mixture of limestone, banana, honey and jaggery. With Akhilesh continuing to face attacks from BJP leaders, particularly UP CM Yogi Adityanath, for not attending the Ram Temple consecration event, and for his party's alleged 'minority appeasement', the SP is using the Etawah temple construction to counter such allegations. 'The rumours that the SP is anti-Hindu is being spread by the BJP, which believes more in propaganda. Anyone who has been to Etawah knows about the grand idol of Hanuman ji installed by (SP founder) Mulayam Singh Yadav ji and how even today, before every big occasion, prayers are performed there first. Moreover, a grand statue of Krishna is also under construction in Saifai and will be inaugurated soon,' said Gopal Yadav, SP general secretary, who hails from Etawah and held a prasad distribution event at the Kedareshwar Mahadev Temple on July 1 to mark Akhilesh's birthday. Gopal also said, 'Only few know that Akhilesh ji keeps a nine-day fast during Navratri but we do not spread propaganda on the rituals we follow. Our rituals include everyone and are not caste-specific. Thus, with the construction of the Kedareshwar Mahadev Temple, people would know without anyone saying what is a lie and what is the truth.' The BJP, however, claims that the Etawah temple would not change perception about the SP. 'They (SP leadership) did not visit the Ram Temple and stopped their leaders from visiting it too. If they do not believe in the 'ishta deva (chosen deity)' of Hindus and the temple, then we do not think that the construction of this (Etawah) temple would change anything in the mind of people towards them,' said the BJP's Etawah district president Arun Kumar Gupta. 'For them, PDA actually means only Yadavs and no one else and this everyone knows. No construction of any temple would change that,' Gupta added, referring to the SP's PDA — Pichda (backward), Dalit, Alpsankhyak (minority)' — plank. Months after the consecration of the Ram Temple, the BJP had lost the Ayodhya (Faizabad) seat in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, to the SP. On its part, the SP leadership seems to be moving cautiously on promoting the Kedareshwar Mahadev Temple. Beyond the temple politics or the timing of its construction, several residents of Etawah seem to be mainly concerned about the development of a 'centre of faith' and the economic boost it might bring to the belt, much like the Ram Temple did in Ayodhya. Hukum Singh, who runs a small tea shop outside the temple, said, 'I have not visited the Ram Temple and do not know anything about the politics, but this (Etawah) temple has given me employment. My fields are here and I decided to open this shop about two years ago, when the temple's construction picked up speed. The temple is not yet complete but I see the number of pilgrims rising.' 'We could not go to the Kedarnath Temple in Uttarakhand. We don't know if we will be able to go at all, but at least here in Etawah we will be able to see Kedarnath,' says 28-year-old Priya Soni, who has come to visit the temple. 'Kedarnath Temple is open just three months a year.' While the Kedarnath Temple in Uttarakhand is one of the popular Char Dham pilgrimage sites, the Etawah temple is being compared to it owing to their similar structures. The 72-foot main structure of the Kedareshwar Mahadev Temple is modelled on the Kedarnath Temple, but has been built an inch short as a 'mark of respect' to the Char Dham temple. Built by a team of engineers, architects and researchers from Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, other parts of the Kedareshwar Mahadev Temple, including the 50-foot tall main entrance, are also inspired by temples in South India like the Vaitheeswaran Temple in Tamil Nadu's Thanjavur. 'The intention is to show that this temple is for all. It is an amalgamation of North and South. It should be looked at without a political lens. This temple falls on the pious Shiva Aksha Rekha, the straight line on which eight Shiva temples right from Kedarnath in Uttarakhand to Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu fall, and this would be ninth. Once completed, it would be a major centre of faith,' said Gopal Yadav. In 2018, an Andhra Pradesh-based construction company was tapped to build the Etawah temple. The company's director Madhu Botta said, 'Between 2019 and 2021, we did a lot of homework for this construction and visited temples all across Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Uttarakhand. We must have visited 30-40 temples in Andhra and Tamil Nadu alone, after which the final drawing was prepared.' According to those involved in the project, the estimated cost of the temple is Rs 40-50 crore.
Hindustan Times
8 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Plot to kill MLA Sunil Shelke foiled in Pimpri-Chinchwad, SIT to be formed
The Pimpri-Chinchwad police have uncovered a conspiracy to murder Sunil Shelke, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA from Maval constituency. During a discussion in the state assembly on Friday, Shelke raised serious concerns through a calling attention motion, prompting the state government to take immediate action. The conspiracy came to light on July 26, 2023, when the anti-dacoity cell of the Pimpri-Chinchwad police carried out a major operation in Talegaon Dabhade based on a tipoff. (HT) Responding to the motion the same day, minister of state for home affairs Yogesh Kadam assured the House that a special investigation team (SIT) will be constituted to conduct an in-depth probe into the matter. Also Read | 'Treated like family': Lajpat Nagar double murder by helper shocks neighbours, co-workers The conspiracy came to light on July 26, 2023, when the anti-dacoity cell of the Pimpri-Chinchwad police carried out a major operation in Talegaon Dabhade based on a tipoff. Initially, two persons were arrested whereas a further probe led to the arrest of seven persons in total. All accused have a criminal history involving murder, attempt to murder, extortion, arson, and possession of illegal arms. The police recovered nine pistols, 42 live cartridges, machetes, and other deadly weapons from them. During interrogation, the accused revealed that the seized weapons were meant to be used in the planned murder of Shelke. The accused hail from Madhya Pradesh, Jalna, Vadgaon and Kalewadi and reportedly have no personal enmity with Shelke, raising suspicions of a powerful mastermind operating behind the scenes. Also Read | Meghalaya honeymoon murder accused Sonam Raghuvanshi's brother says won't hire a lawyer till... 'These accused come from poor backgrounds, yet they had access to expensive weapons and could afford top legal representation. Who is funding them? Who is the real mastermind behind the murder plot?' Shelke questioned in the assembly, pointing to a larger, more sinister conspiracy. Kadam informed the House that the accused had been in prison for a year-and-a-half and were later externed from Pune district for two years. Notwithstanding, they were found hiding in the district which Shelke highlighted as a serious lapse in enforcement. Also Read | Tandoor murder: 30 years on, echoes of a killing that shook Delhi's conscience Kadam assured that the matter is being taken seriously and if required, an SIT will be constituted to unearth the conspiracy. He said that information about a Madhya Pradesh-based arms supplier named 'Devaraj' has been shared with the concerned state government. However, after Shelke once again highlighted the serious nature of the conspiracy, Kadam assured that an SIT would be constituted to investigate the matter in detail. Kadam also asked Shelke to share whatever information the latter might have with the police so as to help take necessary action.
Time of India
8 hours ago
- Time of India
Akhilesh's new home in Azamgarh to serve as SP's Purvanchal HQ
1 2 3 Lucknow: On the face of it, Samajwadi Party 's new office in Azamgarh that was inaugurated by Akhilesh Yadav amid much fanfare on Thursday, is described as one in the series of offices that the party is setting up across the state and beyond. But going by the plans that the party leadership has, the premises are sure to assume the dimensions of SP's Purvanchal headquarters by the time the 2027 assembly elections approaches. To begin with, the idea to have a party office-cum-residence for SP chief in Azamgarh, has been in the offing for quite some time now. The party chief had mooted the idea well before the 2022 state polls. No wonder, the first chunk of 38 biswa and 16 kadi land (approx 2.46 acre) was purchased from 11 farmers on Jan 22, 2021. The land was purchased in the name of the party for around Rs 6.5 crore. While Rs 45.90 lakh were paid for the stamp papers, another Rs 6.5 lakh were paid as additional registration charges. The need for a full-fledged party office in the region was felt soon after Akhilesh took over the reins of the party in 2017. This was because the SP chief was then handling Central UP affairs from Lucknow itself, while his Saifai residence served as the party's nucleus for West UP areas. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like An engineer reveals: One simple trick to get internet without a subscription Techno Mag Learn More Undo The Purvanchal belt which consists of 28 districts comprising 164 assembly seats had to be handled from Lucknow and the leadership was keen to keep its ears to the ground in the region. The fact that Purvanchal played the 'make or break' link belt for the SP in terms of putting the numbers on board to form the government in 2017 (14 seats) and 2022 (53) only expedited the process of setting up a party office in the region. The campus of the new SP office is located barely 3 km from the Azamgarh district headquarters and 7 km from the Manduri airstrip, thus making it easy for senior leaders to visit it at regular intervals. If sources are to be believed, the SP chief will monitor party's 2027 election campaign in 168 assembly seats of Purvanchal area from the Azamgarh party office itself. The structure of the party office when completed, promises to offer more than mere ornamental value. Apart from SP chief's office and cabins for his staff including personal assistant and likes, the office a visitor's room, waiting gallery, meeting hall and ante rooms for second rung leaders. When complete, the facility will have a 2000-capacity auditorium as well where party workers will meet the top leaders. The infrastructure promises to be at par with the party headquarters in Lucknow if not better than that. "SP office at Azamgarh also makes a political statement as well because it falls between two important power centres of the main political rival – the BJP. While Gorakhpur – the home district of chief minister Yogi Aditynath is situated in the North of Azamgarh, prime minister's parliamentary constituency of Varanasi falls in the South," said a senior SP leader. The SP strategists are confident that the renewed focus on Azamgarh will help the party push its PDA pitch across the Purvanchal demography which includes Yadavs, Dalits and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) like Kurmis, Rajbhars and Kushwahas, coupled with Muslims. Brahmins and Thakurs are also present in large numbers in Purvanchal and not all of them have got their share of the pie in the BJP government and will vote for the SP in 2027 polls," said a senior party functionary. It is no surprise then that Akhilesh had named the new party office in Azamgarh as 'PDA Bhawan'. In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls the PDA – comprising Pichhade (Backward classes), Dalit and Alpsankhyak (Minorities) – has sided with the SP in UP significantly contributing to put up as tally of 37 seats – party's best ever score in Parliament polls. Choosing Azamgarh had an emotional element to it as well. In 2015, SP founder Mulayam Singh Yadav had said: "Agar Mainpuri mera dil hai to Azamgarh meri dharkan hai (If Mainpuri is my heart, Azamgarh is my heartbeat)." Mulayam's emotions for Azamgarh were not unfounded. The district has been SP's stronghold in elections. In 2012 assembly polls SP bagged all 10 assembly seats in the district. In 2017 the party won 9 and in 2022 it again won all 10 again. The Azamgarh Lok Sabha constituency has so far sent 5 SP MPs to the Parliament including Mulayam Singh (2014), Akhilesh Yadav (2019) and sitting MP Dharmendra Yadav.
