Language row hits Maharashtra Assembly after Marathi group denied rally permission
On Tuesday, the MNS staged street protests against the denial of permission to Marathi group Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES), while Pratap Sarnaik, a minister from the Shinde Sena and local MLA, expressed his objections in the Assembly.Sarnaik questioned why traders were granted permission for a similar rally earlier, suspecting political motives behind the denial to the Marathi group. Sarnaik criticised the late-night detentions and vowed to escalate the matter to the home ministry, urging the police to maintain impartiality.In response to these apprehensions, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis clarified that permission had been denied due to protestors demanding a route which might have caused inconvenience to common people, adding that it might have triggered a stampede-like situation.Meanwhile, BJP MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar defended his party's commitment to the Marathi language, highlighting its classical status and its inclusion in medical and engineering education. He advised Sarnaik to address his concerns within the cabinet.Industries Minister Uday Samant, representing Shinde Sena, supported the police's authority to approve or deny rallies, expressing trust in their fairness. Contradicting him was NCP (Sharad Pawar) MLA Rohit Pawar, who accused the police of unfairly targeting Marathi protesters and noted that prior permissions were granted to non-Marathi groups, alleging politicisation by the government.THE HINDI-MARATHI LANGUAGE ROWAs Maharashtra prepares for civic body elections, the controversy over linguistic identity and perceived administrative bias could significantly impact voter sentiment.Parties like the MNS and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena are actively positioning themselves as champions of the Marathi cause in key urban areas like Mira-Bhayander to secure electoral advantage.Last Saturday, Raj Thackeray shared the stage with Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray after over two decades, celebrating their "victory" over "Hindi imposition" in the state, after the state government rolled back the three-language policy, which provisioned learning Hindi in schools and colleges.During the MNS's tirade against Hindi and Hindi-speaking people in Maharashtra, videos have also emerged where Raj Thackeray's party workers were seen assaulting vendors of North Indian origins over their inability to converse in Marathi.Observers are closely watching how these linguistic and political narratives unfold, as they could herald significant shifts in Maharashtra's political alliances and strategies in the coming months.- EndsMust Watch
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Hindustan Times
25 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Yes SIR or no? Bihar electoral roll revision row explained in 10 simple points
Political temperatures are soaring as the Bihar elections draw closer, with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accusing the ruling side of vote 'chori' (theft) and demanding answers from the Election Commission. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in turn, has defended the poll body, framing Gandhi's very allegations as proof of the need to clean up the voter list under the state's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi claimed on Wednesday he had tea with 'dead voters' from the Bihar voter list. (AICC) The SIR exercise in Bihar has emerged as a major flashpoint between the Congress and the BJP in the run-up to the polls in the state, which has 243 assembly seats and is currently governed by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led primarily by the Janata Dal (United) and the BJP. Bihar SIR row explained in 10 points – Bihar SIR exercise: In June, the Election Commission of India initiated a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in Bihar ahead of the assembly elections. In a letter dated June 24, the ECI said the last intensive revision in Bihar was done in 2003, adding voters not in this list had to submit one of 11 specific documents – excluding Aadhar, voter ID, or ration cards – by July 25. -Why EC launched the SIR exercise: The EC cited concerns about bogus, duplicate, and ineligible voters – including deceased individuals and 'illegal immigrants' – being present on the electoral rolls. The SIR was launched to remove these entries and ensure the list is accurate and updated, according to EC. There were unverified complaints about illegal immigrants from Nepal, Bangladesh, and Myanmar being registered as voters. – The 11 documents for SIR: The 11 documents that the ECI said were allowed to applying for inclusion in the electoral roll are: 1. Any Identity card/Pension Payment Order issued to regular employee/pensioner of any Central Govt./State Govt./PSU; 2. Any Identity Card/Certificate/Document issued in India by Government/local authorities/Banks/Post Office/LIC/PSUs prior to 01.07.1987; 3. Birth Certificate issued by the competent authority; 4. Passport; 5. Matriculation/Educational certificate issued by recognised Boards/universities; 6. Permanent Residence certificate issued by competent State authority; 7. Forest Right Certificate; 8. OBC/SC/ST or any caste certificate issued by the Competent authority; 9. National Register of Citizens (wherever it exists); 10. Family Register, prepared by State/Local authorities; 11. Any land/house allotment certificate by Government. –Why SIR was objected to by some: This move drew criticism from civil society, with petitioners—including Association for Democratic Reforms ('ADR'), People's Union for Civil Liberties, TMC MP Mahua Moitra, RJD MP Manoj Jha, and activist Yogendra Yadav – arguing that the directive excludes widely held documents like Aadhaar and ration cards, disproportionately affecting poor and rural voters. – Supreme Court intervenes: The Supreme Court intervened and on July 10 refused to stay the ongoing SIR process, but issued an interim directive urging the Election Commission (EC) to consider Aadhaar, EPIC (voter ID), and ration card as valid documentation. It also set deadlines for parties to file counter-affidavits and rejoinders. – Latest SC hearing: During the latest hearings in the case on August 12 and 13, the Supreme Court reiterated that it retains the power to nullify the entire SIR process if widespread irregularities are found. It also described the EC's list of 11 acceptable documents as 'actually voter‑friendly' and said the EC's exclusive authority over revision timing and method. – EC says no to include Aadhar: Days after the Supreme Court asked EC to consider inclusion of Aadhar and other commonly held documents, the poll body defended its told the top court that these cannot be accepted as proof of voter eligibility and asserted its constitutional authority to demand evidence of citizenship. – Rahul Gandhi's vote chori charge: The SIR row gained steam with Rahul Gandhi leading the opposition in accusing the Election Commission of a facilitating 'vote chori' (vote theft). In a press briefing on August 7, Rahul Gandhi, citing some Lok Sabha constituencies, claimed before the media that an analysis of the voter data showed that elections were rigged by the Election Commission at the behest of the BJP to help the saffron party 'steal' votes and win the seat in the 2024 general elections. Rahul led symbolic protests, including having 'tea with dead voters', mocking the EC for marking live people as dead on rolls. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi along with INDIA bloc leaders in Bihar will embark on a 'Vote Adhikar Yatra' across the state starting August 17, while the party planned a countrywide 'vote chor, gaddi chhorh' rally on August 14. – Why is Opposition against SIR despite fake voter charge: While Rahul Gandhi, the Congress and other opposition parties like Rashtriya Janata Dal have repeatedly flagged concerns about 'vote chori' (vote theft) and the presence of bogus or fake voters, they remain opposed SIR because they allege the process itself is being weaponised for political end and is not a genuine clean-up, but instead a targeted exercise aimed at disenfranchising real voters – particularly Dalits, OBCs, minorities, and migrant workers, who are less likely to have the specific documents demanded. While Rahul Gandhi had "tea with dead voters" of Bihar on Wednesday, the BJP has accused Congress of trying to save 'infiltrator' vote bank. – Latest update by EC: The Election Commission of India on Thursday said it has received a total of 23,557 claims and objections over the draft voter list after the SIR of the electoral roll in Bihar, out of which 741 complaints have been disposed. According to the press note by ECI on Thursday, after 14 days, no claim or objection has been submitted by any political party. The EC has previously asked Rahul Gandhi to acknowledge his allegations under oath or apologise publically.
Time of India
25 minutes ago
- Time of India
The 'Transport Man of India' who put nation on a fast track
India is at the cusp of 79 years of Independence from British rule and the country has been one of the fastest growing economies in the world. The economy has transformed from agrarian to service-based and yet manufacturing remains integral to the growth story. The push today is to make in India and to increase exports. A major sector that has seen India gradually become self-reliant is transport. The nation is aiming to become a giant in country produced nearly 31 million vehicles across categories in FY25 alone. The transport industry was given a head start even before Independence by one man who identified India's massive potential — Walchand Hirachand . Often referred to as the " Transport Man of India ", Walchand pioneered in setting up numerous industries, but none as crucial as establishing the country's first ship, aircraft and car manufacturing units —- the aircraft unit is today known as Hindustan Aeronautical Limited, a car factory that produced the famous Premier Padmini and the shipyard has now become Hindustan Shipping Limited. According to his Marathi biography, Walchand played a pivotal role in laying the foundation for India's massive transport industry, which became the driving force of the industrial sector. At the time when there was little support from the British Indian government, which had its own interest in looting India, Walchand built a name for himself and dared to make in India. Ernest beginnings Walchand was born in a fairly affluent Doshi family in Sholapur in 1882 as the fourth child of Hirachand, who was a cotton trader. He lost his mother only days after his birth and was raised by his aunt. His father moved to Bombay along with his kids and soon turned into a moneylender. Knowing the importance of education, Hirachand enrolled Walchand into B.A in economics and history at St Xavier's College. However, he had to travel frequently to Poona due to multiple plague outbreaks in the island city. A massive tragedy struck in the family when he lost two of his elder brothers to the deadly disease during the final year of his higher studies, which prompted him to drop out and support his father. He quickly learnt his family's trade of cotton but suffered a significant loss in his early days, leading him to never turn to textiles again. Luck struck when Walchand was approached by a contractor who supplied firewood to mills and Wachand realised this could make much more wealth than in his father's lending business. He happened to meet Laxman Balwant Pathak, who was eager to start railway contracts and together, they took up their first contract to lay a regular line between the villages of Yedhi and Tadwal. And thus started a journey that only grew exponentially. Taking a keen interest in understanding the railway line business and engineering, he soon became an expert in managing costs and time effectively. Within no time, Walchand had secured contracts to lay down tracks connecting major harbour areas in Bombay. This included a section of Reay Road to Kurla, which was particularly uneven and sections between Vikhroli and Bhandup, to prove his mettle further. The first World War broke out and the British needed to construct barracks. Sensing an opportunity, Walchand took up construction contracts from the army and made large profits as money was never an issue during this time of conflict. In the five years of war, he gained the confidence of the army and the government alike and rose quickly to become one of the top contractors in Bombay. He later joined the Tatas. Walchand was to become managing director of the Tata Construction Company in the 1930s and headed about 30,000 workers. Sailing in the uncharted waters The war was over and the contractual business was slowing down. A chance meeting with Watson, a close aide of the Gwalior Maharaja, during a train journey to Bombay, opened new avenues for Walchand. The British proposed that Walchand buy a steamer from the Maharaja. He estimated that the capital would be recovered within a year or two. Intrigued by the offer, the contractor took a risk and bought the ship, named 'Loyalty'. Walchand was treading into unknown waters. He knew nothing about the shipping business and his biggest rival would be the British India Steam Navigation Company, which for 60 years had controlled the Indian waters. Its chairman, James McKay, had a stronghold on all major ports in India and Britain. He operated with money and muscle power to kill any sort of competition. Walchand took his ship to England for repairs and managed to overspend by Rs 5 lakh, and the timeline overshot by four during his stay in London, he found out that six cargo ships were up for sale for a million pounds in Liverpool. He knew that to survive in the business, he had to expand his fleet and thus bought the ships after a bureaucratic and legal battle. Now armed with a fleet, Walchand returned to India and within no time went against McKay. He started trading with Burma and Java from smaller ports like Porbandar, making a handsome profit. He operated his ships with an all-Indian crew thus becoming the first Indian to run a shipping company. About 20 years after purchasing his first ship, Walchand set up India's first modern ship manufacturing unit in Visakhapatnam. Like for everything else, he had to fight a hard battle against the British Indian government. The Scindia Shipyard's foundation was laid in 1941 by Rajendra Prasad, who was the Congress chief at the time. The first fully built Indian ship was launched in March 1948 by the first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. The company produced three more ships by 1951, reducing the cost and time with each release. The company was nationalised as Hindustan Shipping Limited in 1961. Giving wings to India's aviation industry While on a trip to the US in 1939 to inquire about setting up a car factory, Walchand came across airplane manufacturing and made his mind to set one up in India. World War II acted as a catalyst for this industry as the British were being crushed by the German and Japanese rivals. Their planes were being downed and ships being sunk at an alarming rate. Walchand sprung into action upon his India arrival with an aim to manufacture India's civil and defence aircraft. The state of Mysore, in particular, showed interest to support the project and granted 700 acres of land for free about seven miles from Bangalore. The company, registered as Hindustan Aircraft Limited, was founded on December 23, 1940. The construction of the runway and the main building was completed in an astonishing three months and by March 1941, HAL had not only gained the licence to produce planes, but also had sought the technical expertise of William Pawley, a businessman, diplomat and pilot. Within the next six months, the Indian unit had manufactured its first aircraft — the Harlow PC-5 Trainer. As the war spread, the British government was desperate for aircraft to be produced in India to counter its Southeast Asia foe, Japan. The company was nationalised in 1942. Eventually, during the latter years of World War II, the factory was managed by the US Army Air Forces, becoming a major repair base for Allied aircraft in Asia. Post Independence the company was owned by the Indian government since it had evolved into production of military and civil aircraft components. In 1964, the company became Hindustan Aeronautics Limited in 1964, following the merger with Aeronautics India Limited. Today, the company plays a key role in India's defence aviation. The car race Even before the idea of setting up the aircraft factory, Walchand was interested in setting up a car factory in India. He identified the potential and the need for India's own car and visited the US to talk with Chrysler in 1939. There, he also visited production units of Ford and other companies. His aim was to produce 5,000 cars annually to start with and gradually scale the business. However, with the war, American companies had stalled their car production and were focusing on trucks and other military vehicles instead. This, coupled with constant delays from the government and land acquisition issues, delayed the setting up of the factory by four years. Walchand was also in a race against Birla, who wanted to set up a car factory of his own. Upon learning this, Walchand offered a partnership which could not see the light of day. He then wanted to set up the first car factory to produce cars, jeeps and trucks. With the support of the legendary M Viswesraiyya, Walchand set up Premier Automobiles in 1944. The company got the license from Chrysler to build Plymouth cars and Dodge trucks in India. The company started production in 1949 and localised production. Later, it got into a partnership with Fiat to make the Premier Padmini, which became very popular in India during the 1970s and 80s. Walchand retired in 1950 due to deteriorating health and subsequently died in 1953. While legacies of early industrialists like Tatas and Birlas continue, Walchand's name has receded in India's industrial history even though he was a rare pioneer.
News18
34 minutes ago
- News18
Could Have Bought Rolls-Royce If I Had Removed More Kidneys: DMK MLA's Remark Triggers Backlash
Last Updated: DMK MLA Kathiravan's comments on kidney surgeries at his Trichy hospital sparked outrage. BJP's Annamalai and AIADMK's Palanisamy condemned it, alleging a kidney-stealing racket. A statement by DMK MLA Kathiravan has sparked an outrage, with political leaders in Tamil Nadu suggesting a kidney-stealing racket is functional at his Trichy hospital. BJP leader Annamalai and AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palanisamy strongly condemned remarks of DMK MLA from Manachanallur regarding kidney operation of people at his family-run hospital. Criticising the Manachanallur MLA, Annamalai shared a video on X showing Kathiravan discussing the profits made by kidney operations in his hospital and comparing it with the price of a Rolls-Royce car. In the video, Kathiravan said, 'After covering the medical expenses and doctor fees, I will have only 2 to 3 lakhs left (after each kidney operation). Do you know the price of my father's Rolls-Royce car? It is Rs 14.5 crore. The total kidney operations carried out by us is only 252, with the profit of Rs 2 lakh per kidney operation, when can I buy a Rolls-Royce car? I could have bought it only if I had removed all the kidneys from people in Thirupattur. My only concern is that no one realised I saved the lives of 252 people. The BJP leader accused the MLA's hospital of stealing kidney of poor weavers from Namakkal. He said that the DMK-led state government did not take any concrete action against the middleman. 'This is not a joke. Poor weavers from Namakkal were lured, their kidneys stolen, and the MLA himself admits in this video that his hospital made at least Rs 7.5 crore from this trade. Yet, the DMK Govt has taken no concrete action. Has their functionary Dravida Anandan, the middleman in this kidney theft racket, even been arrested?(sic)," he added. While former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palanisamy suggested people to avoid visiting clinics run by DMK members, saying they 'may lose your kidney". 'Don't even visit clinics run by DMK men even by mistake. You may lose your kidney. A group is prevailing which shows money to poor and is stealing organs. DMK government itself constituted a committee which investigated and discovered kidney stealing in a hospital belonging to DMK MLA. Was there action taken? NO," he said. He added that only the license for organ transplant in the hospital was cancelled, with no arrests made. 'The MLA says that for buying a Rolls Royce car, he might have to remove people's kidneys. His car is worth Rs 12 crore. He has admitted how many kidneys he needs to steal to buy the car, which is evident from the speech," Edappadi claimed. view comments First Published: August 14, 2025, 13:46 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
