Amid BJP's appeasement charge, NCBC seeks details from Bengal govt on OBC list
The BJP has accused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led government of heavily favouring Muslims in preparing the OBC list, undermining the interests of Hindu castes.
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Hindustan Times
42 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Row over dismissal of Muslim workers at Shani Shingnapur temple
MUMBAI: Controversy has erupted over the dismissal of 114 workers from the Muslim community by the Shri Shaneshwar Devasthan, the trust that manages the Shani Shingnapur temple in Ahilyanagar district. The 144 workers are among a total 167 workers who have been dismissed, allegedly on disciplinary grounds, for failure to perform their duties. The temple, in Shani Shingnapur village, in Nevasa tehsil, is patronised by lakhs of devotees from all over the country. The temple trust also runs various public service institutions like hospitals, hostels and solid waste management projects. Last month, a video went viral online, showing Muslim workers performing maintenance work and painting the property. Local BJP workers along with activists of an outfit called the Sakal Hindu Samaj objected, and performed a purification ceremony at the temple. Following protests, the trust dismissed the workers, who had been employed in various departments such as maintenance, solid waste management, agriculture etc. Asked if the action amounted to discrimination based on religion, Tushar Bhosale, who heads the BJP's spiritual cell, said, 'Various organisations are registered with the charity commissioner and we have no objection to Muslims or people from any other religion working there. But the Shani Shingnapur temple is a Hindu shrine running on donations given by Hindus for religious reasons. This money should be used for Hindus only, and we will not allow non-Hindus to work in Hindu shrines.' However, Shri Shaneshwar Devasthan chief executive officer GK Darandale claimed that no one was removed for religious or caste reasons. 'The temple trust employs 2,464 workers but only 900 have been active. We removed the 167 workers for not performing their duties and irregular attendance for the last few months. Along with Muslims, there are Hindus and people from different castes in the list of 167 workers. They were working on a daily-wage basis.'
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Another former minister returns to SAD: Maluka calls it his ‘ghar vapsi'
Bathinda: A two-time former minister in the SAD-BJP govt, Sikandar Singh Maluka, has rejoined the Shiromani Akali Dal . Maluka had earlier joined the Akali Dal Sudhar Lehar, which had formed by dissidents displeased with party president Sukhbir Singh Badal. After rejoining the party, Maluka said he would campaign for the party candidate in the Ludhiana West byelection. Maluka's daughter-in-law, Parampal Kaur Sidhu, contested the 2024 parliamentary elections from Bathinda as a BJP nominee against SAD's Harsimrat Kaur Badal. Maluka, who was elected the MLA from Rampura Phul in 1997 and 2012, was displeased when his request to be fielded from Maur seat for the 2022 assembly polls was not accepted. Speaking to TOI on Saturday, Maluka said, "I have done ghar vapsi (returned home), and now whatever duty the party assigns, I will discharge it with full devotion, including campaigning for the party candidate in Ludhiana West." Maluka was elevated to the minister's rank in the Parkash Singh Badal govt in 1997, despite being a first-time MLA. He was again made a minister in 2012 in the Badal cabinet. Many leaders, including the now-deceased Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, his son Parminder Singh Dhindsa, Prem Singh Chandumajra, Bibi Jagir Kaur, and Surjit Singh Rakhra, had formed Sudhar Lehar after parting ways with SAD. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với mức chênh lệch giá thấp nhất IC Markets Đăng ký Undo Sukhbir, while announcing Maluka's rejoining in a post on X on Saturday, said it gave him "immense pleasure" to welcome the "veteran Akali leader" back to SAD. "Maluka Sahab has significantly contributed to strengthening the party under the leadership of Parkash Singh Badal. His return will further strengthen the party, and he will immediately join the party's campaign in Ludhiana West. With the support of the people of Punjab, Akali Dal is growing stronger with each passing day. I urge all Punjabis to come together to strengthen Punjab's only regional party for the peace and development of the state," he said. Earlier, in an indication of SAD regaining some of its lost ground, former ministers Sohan Singh Thandal and Anil Joshi rejoined the party in recent days. Four-time MLA Thandal, who joined BJP after resigning from SAD in Nov 2024, was nominated by the BJP to unsuccessfully contest the byelection from the Chabbewal assembly segment immediately upon his switching sides. Joshi quit BJP and joined SAD after he voiced support for the farmers' protest in 2021. He left SAD in Nov 2024, but joined back recently. Akali Dal also welcomed Preeti Malhotra, the women's wing head of the Punjab unit of the Aam Aadmi Party, earlier this week. Malhotra was expelled by AAP after she revolted against the party and raised issues about the dominance of Delhi-based leaders in the party's Punjab unit. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Indian Express
Mamata to feature on TMC's July 21 rally posters
TMC has decided that the image of Chief Minister and party supremo Mamata Banerjee will feature on all official posters for the July 21 Martyrs' Day rally. The party's state leadership, during a meeting at the party's Bhabanipur office on Saturday said that they will design the poster for the July 21 rally and send it to every district committees. It, further, directed that the party should follow the poster design across the state. The poster which has already been published in social media only features Mamata Banerjee's face. Senior TMC MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay said, 'The poster for July 21 rally contains only Mamata Banerjee's photo. Abhishek Banerjee himself said his photo should not be there as he was not part of the original movement in 1993,' adding, '…The tradition will continue this year also. '
