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Air of anticipation
Now that the government has scrapped the decision making Hindi a mandatory third language, will Uddhav and Raj Thackeray come together? The proposed July 5 joint rally was cancelled and is being turned into a victory rally.
Leaders from both Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS who are in favour of reunion of the two cousins think the 'fight for Marathi' is a perfect platform for the Thackerays to come together. In anticipation of the reunion, the ground level cadre and even second rung leaders of both the parties had started mingling together at several places. Senior Sena (UBT) leader Anil Parab and senior MNS leader Bala Nandgaonkar appeared together at a programme organised by Marathi TV channel ABP Majha on Saturday. When they were asked how it felt to sit together after years, Parab replied: 'Who says we were not meeting?'
He then explained to the surprised audience: 'We still have a case against us which was lodged when we staged protests after Narayan Rane quit the party (in 1995). We have to attend court hearings together. These are old relations and they never broke.'
Royal arrangement
The national level conference of estimates committees of state legislatures held in Mumbai last week was in the news for controversies. It began in the backdrop of the Dhule episode when police seized ₹ 1.8 crore cash at a state government guest house from an official attached to the estimates committee of the state legislature. The estimates committee monitors the work being done with the exchequer's money.
Shiv Sena (UBT) demanded a probe into whether the money was a bribe paid by contractors and meant for members of the estimates committee. The committee chairman Arjun Khotkar denied any connection with the cash. Towards the end of the two-day conference, images of guests being served meals in silverware went viral.
The silverware was said to be rented for ₹ 550 a piece, according to reports. Several legislators felt if the extravaganza was needed, especially when Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in his speech insisted on spending each rupee of the exchequer carefully.
Crorepati driver of a Sena MP
Eyebrows are being raised over three acres of prime land in Sambhajinagar city gifted to Javed Rasul Shaikh, a driver of Shiv Sena's Sambhajinagar MP Sandipan Bhumre. Mujahid Khan, a lawyer who claims to have contested a case for Mir Mohammad Ali Khan, an heir of Salarjung who served as the Nizam's prime minister, has said that he was promised three acres of land by Mir Mohammad in exchange for fighting the latter's case for a disputed property. When he went to claim the land, he was told it was gifted to Javed Shaikh who is also Bhumre's driver. The lawyer has now lodged a complaint with the police and Economic Offences Wing is probing it. Meanwhile, Bhumre has distanced himself from the episode, saying what his driver does in his personal life is not his concern. Many are now wondering why a person who owns land worth crores chooses to work as a driver.
NCP's Nitesh Rane
Ajit Pawar led NCP's Ahilyanagar MLA Sangram Jagtap is in the news for his communal remarks. He seems to have taken a leaf out of BJP minister Nitesh Rane's book. His remarks came at a time when his boss Ajit Pawar was trying to reaffirm his secular credentials by intervening in the issues faced by Muslim community ahead of Bakr Id. An irked Pawar told mediapersons that what Jagtap said was not in line with the party's ideology. Pawar summoned Jagtap on Tuesday but the latter did not rush to Mumbai immediately citing he was busy with wari (annual procession) of Warkari sect. There are speculations that Jagtap is building bridges with BJP. But does Fadnavis want a Nitesh Rane clone?
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Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
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MUMBAI: A day after declaring that he did not know Marathi despite living in Mumbai for three decades and would not learn the language, entrepreneur and investment analyst Sushil Kedia apologised for his remarks, which he termed as an 'overreaction'. Saying that he had realised his mistake and withdrawn his comments, he went on to shower praise on Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray. Kedia's apology was tendered soon after MNS workers tried to vandalise his Worli office on Saturday morning. Sushil Kedia (X / @sushilkedia) In a video that went viral on social media, a few MNS workers, sporting scarves with the party name and symbol, could be seen gathered outside Kedia's office and trying to smash the glass door with coconuts. A security guard made unsuccessful attempts to stop them, and after a few moments, a person who was inside the office brought down the shutters to prevent further damage. 'We registered an offence and arrested five MNS workers,' said an official from Worli police station. Soon after, Kedia posted a four-minute video statement on X. 'My tweet happened in the wrong state of mind under duress and stress and now it is being manipulated to serve the interest of those who are looking to gain from this (language) controversy,' he said. 'Having come under pressure over the violence inflicted on those who do not know Marathi, I ended up overreacting. I realised that I must take back my over-reactions and withdraw…' (Sic) Kedia said that even after living for over 30 years in Mumbai, people like him could not hope to achieve the level of fluency of native Marathi persons, a fact that needed to be understood. 'I accept my mistake and hope that they will change the environment so that we can learn and accept the Marathi language with ease,' he said. On Friday, the entrepreneur had lanced a challenge at Raj in a social media post. 'Do note @RajThackeray, I don't know Marathi properly even after living for 30 years in Mumbai & with your gross misconduct I have made it a resolve that until such people as you are allowed to pretend to be taking care of Marathi Manus (Marathi people) I take pratigya (pledge) I won't learn Marathi. Kya karna hai bol? (What can you do?)' (Sic) Kedia's response was in retaliation to the June 29 attack on Babulal Khimaji Chaudhary (48), the owner of Jodhpur Sweet Mart in Mira Road. Chaudhary was slapped for not speaking in Marathi and particularly after he demanded to know what government rule required people to speak in Marathi. The incident reignited the debate on language that was triggered after the state government mandated Hindi as a third language in primary schools. On Monday, the government had to scrap the two government resolutions issued to this effect after a movement was launched opposing its move, which got support not only from political parties but also from civil society and litterateurs. After his initial defiant post, Kedia had sought protection from the police, claiming that he was being threatened by MNS workers. On Saturday, however, he did a complete turnaround and praised Raj Thackeray, saying that he had always had 'appreciation' for and 'gratitude' to the MNS chief. He hailed Raj for taking up 'strong issues', and added that he had the strength 'to stand up for issues concerning everyone'.
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
BJP hits out at Uddhav; Raj spared after show of unity
Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday took a veiled swipe at Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray, who held a joint event with his estranged cousin and MNS chief Raj Thackeray, saying the rally was not a victory celebration but a 'rudali darshan' (watching professional mourner in action). Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray with his cousin and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray during a joint rally in Mumbai. (ANI Photo) The Thackeray cousins shared the public stage at a victory rally in Mumbai to celebrate the rollback of two government resolutions issued earlier by the Fadnavis-led government introducing Hindi as a third language from class 1 in state schools. The event was originally planned as a protest against the Mahayuti government's decision. 'The rally was not Vijay utsav but a 'rudali' darshan,' Fadnavis said, while thanking MNS chief Raj Thackeray for crediting him in reuniting the two Thackeray cousins. Addressing the event, Raj Thackeray credited Fadnavis, albeit in a lighter vein, for bringing together the two cousins which even Bal Thackeray could not do. 'Balasaheb Thackeray must be blessing me,' Fadnavis said. The senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said no word was spoken about Marathi at the event and the speech (delivered by Uddhav Thackeray) focused on how his government was toppled and how they can regain power. His remarks come even as the BJP sought to downplay the possible reunion of the Thackeray cousins after nearly two decades, claiming the 'inherent differences' in the Opposition's coalition will not affect the stability of the party-led Mahayuti government, which it shares with the Shiv Sena and the NCP, or impact its future in Maharashtra. Senior BJP leaders, requesting anonymity, however, admitted that the coming together of the estranged Thackeray cousins was precipitated by the protest over the state's emphasis on teaching Hindi as the third language in the state where linguistic hegemony of Marathi plays a central role in politics. 'The state government erred in issuing the circular…although it was not issued by the chief minister, there was lag between the time it was issued on April 16 and its withdrawal on June 29, which gave the Opposition an opportunity to attack the Mahayuti and also a platform to widen the anti-BJP front,' a senior BJP functionary said. The leader, however, asserted that the union should not be read as a 'threat to the Mahayuti' because the Opposition lacks unity and has used the language issue as a platform to widen the anti-BJP front ahead of the municipal polls, which are likely to be announced after the monsoon. 'The opposition's unity will be tested when the elections to the BMC are announced and when each of these alliance partners will fight over seat allocation and other such issues,' the functionary said. A second BJP leader said that besides 'inherent differences' among the Congress, the NCP (SP) and the two outfits led by the Thackeray cousins — to be sure the MNS joining the Opposition front was yet to be announced — that will come to fore over electoral issues, all eyes will be on how the political ambitions that drove a wedge between the cousins will play out. 'When (Shiv Sena founder) Balasaheb Thackeray was alive, Raj was seen as the natural inheritor of his brand of politics… differences between the families were cemented by political ambition and tussle for power, which led to Raj moving out. Today they have come together and with them are political outfits such as the CPI and the CPI(M), which stood for causes antithetical to Balasaheb, so the Marathi Manoos who believed in his brand of politics and Hindutva will not support such an alliance,' the second leader claimed. (With agency inputs)
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Sena's Buldhana MLA sparks row with remarks on Maratha kings
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: On Saturday, Shiv Sena 's Buldhana MLA Sanjay Gaikwad caused a political controversy by making remarks perceived as disrespectful towards Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. During an interaction with reporters in Hadoletti village, Latur, Gaikwad SAID the two Maratha kings were multilingual and questioned Uddhav and Raj Thackeray's opposition to teaching Hindi as a third language in primary schools. Gaikwad visited Hadoletti to meet an elderly farmer who has been manually ploughing his field due to the inability to afford oxen or a tractor. TOI reported the farmer's plight and the govt assistance provided following the news. His comments followed Raj and Uddhav Thackeray sharing the stage in Mumbai for the first time in two decades. "If they had united 15 years ago, it might have made some difference. It is too late now. I don't think Maharashtra will see any real change because have come together." Reaffirming his position on multilingualism, Gaikwad asked, "Will you speak in Marathi when you go to another state?" He said survival in a globalised world requires knowledge of multiple languages. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Why seniors are rushing to get this Internet box – here's why! Techno Mag Learn More Undo While advocating for multilingualism, he also declared that they would not tolerate "any insult of the Marathi language." Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: On Saturday, Shiv Sena's Buldhana MLA Sanjay Gaikwad caused a political controversy by making remarks perceived as disrespectful towards Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. During an interaction with reporters in Hadoletti village, Latur, Gaikwad SAID the two Maratha kings were multilingual and questioned Uddhav and Raj Thackeray's opposition to teaching Hindi as a third language in primary schools. Gaikwad visited Hadoletti to meet an elderly farmer who has been manually ploughing his field due to the inability to afford oxen or a tractor. TOI reported the farmer's plight and the govt assistance provided following the news. His comments followed Raj and Uddhav Thackeray sharing the stage in Mumbai for the first time in two decades. "If they had united 15 years ago, it might have made some difference. It is too late now. I don't think Maharashtra will see any real change because have come together." Reaffirming his position on multilingualism, Gaikwad asked, "Will you speak in Marathi when you go to another state?" He said survival in a globalised world requires knowledge of multiple languages. While advocating for multilingualism, he also declared that they would not tolerate "any insult of the Marathi language."
