Raj, Uddhav alliance needed to give new direction to Maharashtra: Sanjay Raut
Sanjay Raut
on Sunday said it is necessary that his party chief
Uddhav Thackeray
and
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena
head
Raj Thackeray
form an alliance, claiming it will give a "new direction to the state".
In his weekly column Rok Thok in the Sena (UBT) mouthpiece Saamana, Raut also claimed the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has nothing to do with the fight for Maharashtra's unity and Marathi "asmita" (pride).
"The BJP's policy is to first loot Mumbai, then make Mumbai a union territory and play game for a separate Vidarbha and finish the existence of Maharashtra," he alleged.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Bargain Prices on Unsold Container Houses in National Capital Region - Check Them Out!
Shipping Container Homes | Search Ads
Search Now
Undo
Raut said people have not forgotten Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in the past carrying placards with the message: 'Vidarbha is my only state', during agitations in Nagpur.
If the unity of Thackeray cousins and their leadership does not remain intact, then Mumbai will be swallowed by "Adani-Lodha" and one day it will not be part of Maharashtra, the Rajya Sabha member alleged.
Live Events
In April, MNS leader Raj Thackeray sparked speculation about a potential political rapprochement with his cousin Uddhav Thackeray, noting their past differences were "trivial" and uniting for the greater good of "Marathi manoos" (Marathi people) is not a difficult task.
The buzz strengthened when Uddhav Thackeray said he was ready to put aside trivial fights provided that those working against Maharashtra's interests will not be entertained, a veiled reference to Raj hosting Shiv Sena head and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde at his residence.
On July 5, Uddhav Thackeray said he and his cousin Raj Thackeray have "come together to stay together", while sharing the political stage with the MNS chief for the first time in almost 20 years, after the BJP-led state government withdrew two GRs on the introduction of Hindi language for students from Class 1.
Raut claimed the coming together of cousins Raj and Uddhav on July 5 gave confidence to 'Marathi manoos'.
"This does not mean all issues of Marathi manoos have been resolved. The issues troubling the Marathi manoos remain as it is. Thackeray brothers came together against the imposition of Hindi but the political alliance (between the two parties) is yet to be announced. It is necessary that there is an alliance. Only then Maharashtra will get a new direction," he said.
If anyone has an illusion that Thackerays will succumb to any kind of pressure, then they are fools, he asserted.
Raut claimed the unity of Thackeray brothers has rattled the rulers in Delhi and in Maharashtra, a reference to the BJP.
CM Fadnavis heats up the political atmosphere by meeting Raj, the Sena (UBT) leader said, adding the MNS president will speak on this and clear the confusion.
Fadnavis and Raj Thackeray had met at a hotel in Mumbai last month.
Raut said 'Marathi manoos' must first fight a battle for Mumbai and Thane, an oblique reference to retaining power in the civic bodies of the two neighbouring cities the polls for which are likely to be held later this year.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NDTV
29 minutes ago
- NDTV
Mosul Airport Reopens Years After ISIS Devastation
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani inaugurated Wednesday the city of Mosul's newly restored airport, years after it was destroyed in the battle to dislodge the Islamic State group. Sudani's flight landed at the airport, which is expected to become fully operational for domestic and international flights in two months. "The airport will serve as an additional link between Mosul and other Iraqi cities and regional destinations," the media office of the PM said in a statement. In June 2014, the Islamic State group seized Mosul, declaring its "caliphate" from the city after capturing large swathes of Iraq and neighbouring Syria. After years of fierce battles, Iraqi forces backed by a US-led international coalition dislodged the group from the city in July 2017, before declaring its defeat across the country at the end of that year. The airport, which was heavily damaged in the battle, has not been operational since the jihadists seized Mosul. In August 2022, then-prime minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi laid the foundation stone for the airport's reconstruction. Airport director Amar al-Bayati told AFP that the "airport is now ready for domestic and international flights," but no date has been announced for their resumption. He added that the airport previously offered international flights, mostly to Turkey and Jordan. The airport now includes a main terminal, a VIP lounge and an advanced radar surveillance system, Sudani's office said. Its expected to handle 630,000 passengers annually.
Time of India
29 minutes ago
- Time of India
Minister: Govt will amend law to curb unregulated school fee hikes, charges
Mumbai: Govt is planning to amend Maharashtra Education Institutions (Regulation of Fee) Act, 2011, to curb unregulated fee hikes in schools, said state education minister Dada Bhuse in the assembly on Wednesday. He said govt also plans to introduce legislation to crack down on the nexus between private coaching classes and colleges in the state. This was in response to questions about colleges charging fees but coaching classes undertaking the job of teaching. Bhuse also said that it was wrong for schools to insist that uniforms and school material be purchased from a specific shop. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai The issue of steep and unregulated fee hikes was raised by BJP MLA Yogesh Sagar, who said schools were supposed to raise their fees by only 15% every two years. "However, the PTA (parent-teacher association) is empowered to push for fee hikes. As a result, 10-12 parents on the PTA can work towards a fee hike decision which will impact 10,000-12,000 children. There should be a rule that 50% of the children should be represented by their parents on the PTA," he said. Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Varun Sardesai said schools had also adopted a strategy of keeping the official fees low but charging for other items. "There is a new racket. The fee is kept low, but the schools charge for infrastructure, picnics and so on," he alleged. In response, Bhuse said the fee regulation Act would be amended. "We have received many complaints, even though school fees are supposed to be hiked only by 15% every two years. Please send all your suggestions to us," he said. The issue of the nexus between coaching classes and colleges was raised by MLA Hiraman Khoskar. He said this had resulted in a situation where the fees for courses had shot up from Rs 15,000-20,000 to Rs 2.5 lakh. "The nexus between colleges and coaching classes has been seen in Nashik. Colleges are misusing the benefits they have been given by the state," he alleged.
Time of India
44 minutes ago
- Time of India
Bengali migrant workers join rally, recount tales of detention horror
Kolkata: Singur resident Jhantu Mondal (47), who was rounded up from near his work site in Odisha and confined to a small room for nearly a week on suspicion of being a Bangladeshi, on Wednesday walked along with chief minister Mamata Banerjee , who took to the street to protest against the illegal detention of Bengali-speaking migrant labourers across BJP-govt states. Mondal, who had over the past decade worked at several construction sites outside Bengal, such as Vanarasi and the Andamans, went to Jharsuguda in Odisha to work at a construction site of a commercial building. "Five of us stayed about 1 km from the site. In our free time, we would roam around. One evening, we were talking among ourselves, when some unknown people accosted us and called us Bangladeshis. As we protested, a scuffle broke out," Mondal recounted. Their ordeal did not end there. "The next morning, cops hauled us to the police station, where we were asked to show identity documents to prove we were not from Bangladesh. Though I showed them my Aadhaar card, they kept asking for papers to prove my parents were Indians. They confined us to a small room and gave us food twice a day. After almost a week in the detention camp, I returned home two days ago. I have decided never to go back there." Apart from Mondal, several migrant workers, who were illegally detained in other states, also joined the protest march from College Square to Dorina Crossing. Among them was Islam Sheikh (48), a resident of Bankura, who was detained by Odisha cops. "Upon my release from the detention camp, I returned home, swearing never to go back to that state to work. They singled out Bengali-speaking workers and tortured them on suspicion of being illegal immigrants. I was confined to a detention camp though my Aadhaar card mentioned I was from Bankura. Such atrocities must stop," Sheikh said. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata Gulias Shah, a mason from Purulia, was among the workers detained and abused in Maharashtra. "Why are atrocities being meted out to poor workers like us? I had gone there for better pay. We from Bengal stayed together and spoke with each other in our mother tongue. Why did they (cops) take offence to it? They refused to accept our Indian identity, called us Bangladeshis and detained us," Shah said. Among the rally participants were migrant workers, who had "fled back home", after hearing horror stories about the torture being faced by hundreds of labourers. Samar Dutta, a resident of Belgachhia, said, "I went to Rajasthan last month in search of a job. But I came back about 10 days ago as my family was scared for me after getting news of the atrocities being meted out to Bengali-speaking workers outside the state. " Naresh Kumar Gupta from Maniktala, who worked in a hosiery factory, joined the rally with a big poster hung around his shoulder. "I sympathise with those who were detained wrongfully and abused. In Delhi, electricity was snapped in a slum where Bengali workers live, and they are afraid that their houses may be pulled down. I am here to protest against such atrocity," said Gupta.
