'There is no police here': Maharashtra Congress chief slams state government over Pune violence
Maharashtra Congress criticizes the state government over deteriorating law and order after tensions erupted in Pune's Yavat village due to an offensive social media post. Chief Minister Fadnavis appealed for peace, assuring that the situation is under control, while Deputy CM Pawar imposed Section 144 for 48 hours to maintain calm and prevent further unrest.
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Business Standard
an hour ago
- Business Standard
6 years of abrogation of Article 370: Why it matters and what has changed?
On August 5, 2019, India's Parliament witnessed a moment of historic consequence. Home Minister Amit Shah rose in the Rajya Sabha to introduce a resolution to abrogate Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) of its special constitutional status under Article 370. Moving the resolution, Shah had then said, 'There should not be a delay of even a second to remove Article 370 from the Constitution.' Simultaneously, the government imposed a complete communication blackout in Kashmir — shutting down the internet and telephone services. There was a heavy deployment of security forces, political leaders were detained, and Section 144 was imposed. Tracing the origins of Article 370 Article 370 originated from the special circumstances after India's partition in 1947. J&K acceded to India by signing the Instrument of Accession, with Maharaja Hari Singh as ruler. At that time, Sheikh Abdullah was appointed as the head of an interim government. Later, intense discussions between Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Sheikh Abdullah led to Article 370, which entered the Constitution in October 1949. What changed on August 5, 2019 On August 5, 2019, the government revoked Article 370 through a Presidential order and reorganised the state. J&K was split into two Union Territories (UTs): J&K (with legislature) and Ladakh (without legislature), effective October 31, 2019. The region was put under a strict security lockdown, with leaders from major political parties detained and communication suspended. As J&K was under President's Rule, the Centre acted through the Governor in the absence of an elected Assembly. Govt's justification for abrogation of Article 370 The union government justified the act on several grounds: • Security: To curb terrorism and separatism that plagued the valley. • The government believed Article 370 hindered Jammu and Kashmir's integration with the rest of India and limited its development. • Supporters argued its abrogation would promote socio-economic development. • They said it would help ensure equal rights and opportunities for the people of the region. • Better governance was another expected benefit cited by supporters. • The move was also seen as a way to apply national laws and programs that were earlier not fully enforceable in Jammu and Kashmir. Reactions and political fallout of the decision • Domestic: The ruling BJP and its allies celebrated the move as 'historic', while Congress, National Conference (NC), People's Democratic Party (PDP), and Left parties called it undemocratic. • International: Pakistan immediately condemned the move, calling it illegal and a violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions. The country argued that India's actions had 'no legal value' under international law, and insisted that Kashmir is an internationally recognised dispute, whose final status should be determined in accordance with UN resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people. China expressed its 'serious concern', particularly regarding the reorganisation of Ladakh as a Union Territory, saying that it undermined China's territorial sovereignty claims over parts of Ladakh. Legal challenges to abrogation of Article 370 Over 20 petitions challenged the Centre's move in the Supreme Court, raising critical questions: Can Article 370 be removed unilaterally by Parliament? Is the process under the President's Rule constitutional? The matter went to a five-judge Constitution Bench, which ultimately upheld the abrogation in December 2023, calling Article 370 a temporary provision. On the ground: What has changed? There have been both positive and negative developments. While the government claims improved law and order, incidents like targeted attacks in Pahalgam highlight ongoing security concerns. However, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said that the region's infrastructure development is not connected to the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019. Speaking to India Today TV, he urged people not to politicise development, adding, 'Let's not link the infrastructure projects in Jammu and Kashmir to the politics surrounding Article 370.' He clarified that these initiatives were planned earlier and would have progressed regardless of the constitutional change. On security, Abdullah acknowledged a drop in terrorism and stone-pelting but attributed it partly to strict government actions, which he said, 'go against the principles of natural justice". The road ahead for J&K Restoration of J&K's statehood remains a major demand. The Modi government has promised to restore it 'at the right time', but petitions in the Supreme Court urge faster action for statehood restoration, emphasising the need to uphold federal principles. Article 370's abrogation marked a turning point in India's constitutional history, with its full impact still unfolding across J&K.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Fadnavis Sets Deadline for 5,000 MW Solar Push Under Flagship Agri Feeder Plan
Nagpur: Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis issued a clear directive to the state machinery: complete 5,000 MW of solar power projects under the ambitious 'Mukhyamantri Saur Krushi Vahini Yojana 2.0' by September 2025 . Calling it his 'dream initiative', the CM told officials to treat the issue with urgency and efficiency."No procedural laxity will be tolerated. Districts must adopt a timeline-bound approach and ensure coordinated execution at every level," Fadnavis, also energy minister, said during a high-level review in Mumbai. The meeting, held to address land availability and ancillary concerns for the solar feeder rollout, was attended by revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, renewable energy minister Atul Save, minister of state for energy Meghana Bordikar, chief secretary Rajesh Kumar, and top officials from energy, finance, and forest departments. Fadnavis underscored the need for seamless cooperation between local authorities and private players executing projects on both govt and private land. He urged district collectors to expedite no-objection certificates, land leasing, removal of encroachments, and remeasurement for timely approvals. "Obstacles faced by developers should be resolved on priority," he said. Responding to recurring issues, Fadnavis instructed police to act swiftly in cases of theft from solar project sites. He also directed that care be taken in densely populated areas, and that permissions for power lines crossing forest zones be granted without delay. "Guidelines related to trees must be strictly followed. Forest department must issue clearances on time, including for adjacent private lands," he added. Fadnavis' push comes amid growing emphasis on decentralised renewable energy infrastructure for rural power stability. District task forces have been told to closely monitor project progress. Among those attending were additional chief secretaries OP Gupta (finance) and Milind Mhaiskar (forest), secretary Shrikar Pardeshi, and heads of MahaTransco, MahaGenco, and the state's energy development agency. All district collectors and zilla parishad CEOs joined via video conferencing.
Hindustan Times
5 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Sewri-Worli connector will be completed in a year: Fadnavis
Mumbai: The Sewri-Worli Connector bridge will be completed in a year, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis announced on Monday, after reviewing the status of 33 key infrastructure projects in the state. The chief minister also expressed displeasure over the delay in the metro rail projects and said he has asked the implementing agencies to use state-of-the-art technology to expedite them. Mumbai, India. Jan 30, 2025: The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) will close the Prabhadevi Railway Over Bridge for motorists in February to construct the Worli-Sewree MTHL connector and redevelop the bridge. Mumbai, India. Jan 30, 2025. (Photo by Raju Shinde/HT Photo) (Hindustan Times) Fadnavis on Monday reviewed 33 infrastructure projects in his 'war room,' including various lines of the metro rail network in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), the redevelopment of the BDD chawls, the Thane-Borivali twin tunnel, the Dharavi Redevelopment Project, and various road and electricity projects elsewhere in the state. The chief minister's war room provides strategic input and delivery support to key infrastructure projects in Maharashtra. Fadnavis said the agencies in charge of these projects flagged 132 difficulties and issues in their implementation during a review meeting on April 21. Sixty-three of the issues have been resolved in coordination with the various agencies concerned, and the remaining will be sorted out shortly, he said, while speaking to the media after Monday's review meeting. The Sewri-Worli connector, which is crucial for northbound and southbound traffic in Mumbai, will be completed in a year, Fadnavis said. 'We discussed the issues related to it, and the agencies have apprised us that they will be resolved in one month. We have set the deadline of the next one year to complete the connector,' he added. Building the connector would involve demolishing the British-era Elphinstone Bridge in Parel. Residents of the area had opposed the move for various reasons, including a lack of clarity regarding the rehabilitation of residents in dilapidated buildings near the bridge and the increased traffic congestion in the area once it is demolished. Speaking about other projects, the chief minister said the agencies implementing the metro lines have been asked to set a deadline for their completion. He has also asked the planning authorities to construct housing projects at the last station of each metro line. He added, 'The distribution of the keys for the completed houses in the first phase of the BDD chawl redevelopment will be distributed next week. The construction of the tunnel between Orange Gate and Marine Lines has begun, and MMRDA has been asked to shorten the deadline for its completion. There was an issue related to the land belonging to the Mumbai Port Trust, but we have resolved it by speaking to the officials from the central agency.' Fadnavis also informed that he has directed the various agencies to complete infrastructure projects within three years of their launch with the help of modern technology and resolving the deadlock that's delaying them. The CM has directed the agencies and state departments to upload all their projects to the war room portal instead of monitoring them through independent portals. 'The projects discussed in the war room should be given priority, and the problems discussed should be resolved till the next meeting of the war room. Bringing the related proposals to the cabinet for its nod and discussing the deadlocks in the implementation of the projects should be prioritised,' the CM is said to have told the officials attending the meeting.
