Latest news with #ShaktipeethExpressway
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Opposition Boycotts Assembly over Farmers' Insult, Demands Apology from Chief Minister
1 2 Nagpur: Opposition MLAs, led by the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), boycotted the Maharashtra Assembly for the entire day on Tuesday, demanding a public apology from chief minister Devendra Fadnavis over controversial remarks made by the agriculture minister and a BJP MLA. The opposition accused minister Manikrao Kokate and MLA Babanrao Lonikar of insulting farmers and demanded strict action. "The government is complicit in humiliating farmers. This arrogance of power will not be tolerated," said Congress legislature party leader Vijay Wadettiwar. He further alleged that ministers speak with contempt, and MLAs talk of charity when referring to farmers. "If this is not an insult, what is?" he asked. The dispute erupted during the morning session when Wadettiwar and Nana Patole questioned speaker Rahul Narwekar near the podium, citing Lonikar's comment that "farmers survive on our money" and Kokate's earlier remark comparing farmers to beggars. The House was briefly adjourned for five minutes amid sloganeering by opposition legislators. When proceedings resumed, opposition MLAs led by Patole continued chanting "CM must apologise," prompting Narwekar to suspend Patole for a day. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Açúcar alto no sangue pode trazer riscos a visão, entenda planta que tem ajudado Saúde Nacional Undo In response, MVA legislators staged a walkout and announced a complete boycott of the day's legislative business. "There is a clear pattern. Opposition voices are being silenced while those speaking against farmers go unpunished. We will continue to raise our voice for farmers, even if we are jailed," Wadettiwar told the media. The boycott coincided with widespread farmer protests across twelve districts opposing the Shaktipeeth Expressway project. Wadettiwar added, "While farmers are on the streets, ruling leaders are mocking them. The chief minister's silence amounts to endorsement." Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Doctor's Day 2025 , messages and quotes!
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Farmers demonstrate against land survey for Shaktipeeth expressway project
Farmers in various districts of Marathwada demonstrated on the streets on Tuesday (July 1, 2025) opposing the land survey for the proposed Nagpur-Goa Shaktipeeth Expressway project. Agitating farmers expressed concerns over the acquisition of their fertile land for the 802-kilometre greenfield, access-controlled, six-lane corridor that will connect central and western Maharashtra to Goa. The protests were renewed after the Maharashtra Cabinet on June 24 approved the acquisition of land for the project. Also Read | Maharashtra Cabinet clears ₹20,787 crore for Shaktipeeth Expressway amid farmers' opposition The expressway will pass through Nanded, Hingoli, Parbhani, Beed, Latur and Dharashiv districts in the Marathwada region, an official said. Farmers staged a sit-in protest on a road at Malegaon in Ardhapur taluka of Nanded district, vowing not to part with their land. "The government has ignored agriculturists while surveying for the Shaktipeeth project. We will oppose the survey," Nanded MP Ravindra Chavan told PTI. Also Read | Farmers march to Mumbai, demand scrapping of Shaktipeeth project Farmers sat on the Nanded-Washim Road in Hingoli district, briefly disrupting the vehicular traffic. "I am opposing this project as my orchard will be acquired, rendering me landless," a protester said. Another farmer said the compensation for the acquisition of land won't last forever. "I hold two acres of land which will be acquired for the expressway project. What's the use of compensation? It will not last forever. As a farmer, I am dependent on land", he said. Similar agitations were staged in parts of Beed and Dharashiv districts. Named after the revered Shakti Peethas or important Hindu pilgrimage sites, the expressway is envisioned to improve connectivity to religious sites and boost regional development. The expressway will link 18 major pilgrimage sites, including Shaktipeeths such as those dedicated to goddesses Renuka Devi in Mahur, Tulja Bhavani in Tuljapur, Mahalakshmi in Kolhapur, and Patradevi in Goa. Originating from Pavnar in Wardha district in eastern Maharashtra to Patradevi in Sindhudurg on the Maharashtra-Goa border, the expressway will pass through 12 districts.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Despite retraction on Hindi, monsoon session expected to be rocky
MUMBAI: Even though the Mahayuti government has taken the wind out of the opposition's sails by scrapping the controversial decision to make Hindi a third language in primary school, the monsoon session of the state legislature is still likely to be rocky. The opposition parties have geared up to corner the government on issues ranging from corruption charges against Mahayuti leaders and irregularities in the infrastructure tender process to the government's dilly-dallying on the promised loan waiver to farmers and the controversial Shaktipeeth Expressway. Mumbai_June 25_ Mantralaya was renovated in four days after fire in Mumbai,India, on Monday, June 25, 2012. (Photo by Kunal Patil / Hindustan Times) On Sunday, opposition parties boycotted the customary tea party, protesting against 'government failure' on multiple fronts, including corruption, education policies, agricultural distress, the law-and-order situation and rising state debt. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray dubbed the BJP-led government 'anti-Maharashtra', citing the shifting of the International Finance Centre to Gujarat, and the flight of investment such as the Vedanta-Foxconn semiconductor project, the Tata Airbus project and a bulk drug park to the neighbouring state. 'Besides, Marathis were attacked for eating non-vegetarian food, and they now are doing injustice to the Marathi language by forcing Hindi in schools,' he said at a meeting of opposition leaders. Dubbing the Thane-Ghodbunder twin tunnels and the Bhayander-Ghodbunder elevated bridge as ' ₹ 3,000-crore corruption cases', Ambadas Danve, leader of the opposition in the legislative council, reminded reporters on Sunday that these projects were scrapped after the Supreme Court rebuked the government. The issue of the Nagpur-Goa Shaktipeeth Expressway, which is being strongly opposed by farmers, was also raised. Congress leader Satej Patil said the project would burden the state exchequer unnecessarily. 'The state's debt is expected to increase to ₹ 9,32,242 crore by next year,' he said. 'Despite this, the government took another loan of ₹ 20,000 crore to complete the Shaktipeeth land acquisition process. It took this decision, disregarding the fact that the debt-to-GSDP (gross state domestic product) ratio will reach 25% in the next four years.' The other issues expected to be raised during the monsoon session include corruption cases against Mahayuti ministers and leaders such as Sanjay Shirsat and Sandipan Bhumre (both Shiv Sena), controversies related to statements made by agriculture minister Manikrao Kokate, and irregularities in other infrastructure projects such as the Virar-Alibaug Multimodal Corridor. CM Devendra Fadnavis, while addressing the media on the eve of the monsoon session, said that the government was not 'running away' from the debate in the houses, as despite having a thumping majority, the Mahayuti believed the opposition was a vital part of the democratic set-up. 'We are all prepared with enough 'stock',' he said. Fadnavis took a potshot at the opposition parties, saying that their letter rejecting the invitation to the tea party had the same reasons that were listed during the last assembly session. 'But the number of signatures on the letter has shrunk,' he said. 'Besides, Bhaskar Jadhav, the Shiv Sena (UBT) group leader in the assembly, did not turn up for the opposition meeting.' Adding to this, deputy CM Eknath Shinde sneered that the opposition parties had turned into opposition groups and were the 'tukde tukde gang' of the opposition.
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Opposition boycotts high tea event on eve of Monsoon Session; calls Maharashtra Govt dishonest
The opposition parties in Maharashtra on Sunday (June 29, 2025) announced a boycott of the traditional high tea event of the State Government on the eve of the legislature's Monsoon Session citing rampant corruption, unpopular policies and misuse of funds. Confirming the development, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Ambadas Danve of the Shiv Sena (UBT) said the boycott is a mark of protest against a "dishonest Government". "From the forced implementation of the Shaktipeeth Expressway to the failure to provide buses to MSRTC, non-payment of dues to private contractors, and injustice in the Vaishali Hagawane [dowry harassment-suicide] case in Pune, this Government has lost the moral right to seek cooperation. Why should we meet the government that is imposing a third language [Hindi] on Standard I," he said. His colleague and former Minister Aaditya Thackeray attacked the Mahayuti government of Devendra Fadnavis for corruption in school admissions. "The first list for 11th standard admissions appears to be tainted with corruption. There is reason to believe that school education minister Dada Bhuse may be involved," he alleged. Mr. Thackeray also slammed the State Government for "tacitly backing" the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), which he claimed was imposing "unjust" fines to the tune of ₹12.50 crore on motorists using the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. The driver of Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena Lok Sabha MP Sandipan Bhumre has received a huge parcel of land from the descendants of the erstwhile royal Salar Jung family of Hyderabad, which raises suspicion of irregular land deals, Mr. Thackeray further alleged. Leader of Opposition in the Assembly and senior Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar pointed out to former BJP Minister Babanrao Lonikar's objectionable statements at a gathering. Mr. Lonikar had slammed critics of the BJP-led government by claiming the clothes they were wearing and other amenities they were enjoying in life have been handed down to them by the ruling party. "This government is indifferent to people's problems. The three constituents of the Mahayuti are fighting among themselves for funds and to expand their influence. They are more concerned with siphoning off public resources," Mr. Wadettiwar alleged. The Mahayuti comprises the BJP, Mr. Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party. The Congress leader also pointed out to the "inflated cost" of infrastructure projects in the State, citing the cancellation of tenders for a tunnel and road project in Thane-Ghodbunder-Bhayander route after the matter reached the Supreme Court. The MMRDA, which is helming the project, also announced a reduction in the cost of the project subsequently. "Why was the cost inflated in the first place? The intention was to misuse the money to possibly buy MLAs or for other nefarious purposes," he alleged.
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Farmers from 12 districts to hold protest against Shaktipeeth Expressway on July 1
MUMBAI: With the state government approving the entire land acquisition cost for the Nagpur-Goa Shaktipeeth Expressway, farmers from 12 districts have decided to take a tough stand against the project with a simultaneous protest across all the districts on Krishi Din (Agriculture Day) on July 1. The decision was taken in the meeting of the action committee, also known as the Nagpur-Goa Shaktipeeth Highway Virodhi Kruti Samiti. Mumbai, India- March 12, 2025: Thousands of farmers from 12 districts gathered at Azad Maidan to protest against the Nagpur to Goa Shaktipith Mahamarg. Mumbai, India March 12, 2025. (Photo by Raju Shinde/HT Photo) (Hindustan Times) On Thursday, the Dharashiv district collectorate decided to suspend the survey for land acquisition after farmer leader Raju Shetti held a protest with affected farmers. He also met the district collector Keerthi Pujar and asked him not to hold the survey against the will of the farmers. Despite resistance from the agrarian community, the state government approved over ₹ 20,878 crore for completing the land acquisition process of the 802-km greenfield project that will connect Nagpur to Goa via Sindhudurg. The project requires 8,615 hectares of land, of which 8,141 hectares of land need to be acquired from private individuals, most of whom are farmers. 'We have decided to intensify our opposition to the project after the government decided to take the project forward at any cost. On July 1, all the farmers who will be losing their cultivated land will gather in their respective districts and oppose the project,' announced Satej Patil, Congress leader who has been opposing the project from the start. Patil is from Kolhapur, one of the 12 districts through which the expressway is expected to pass. Shetti alleged that the project would not just render farmers landless but was also financially unfeasible. 'The 700-km Pune-Bengaluru Expressway, which is also eight lanes, cost ₹ 50,000 crore, while the cost of the six-lane Shaktipeeth is pegged at ₹ 86,300 crore,' he said. 'This indicates corruption.'
