Pilot refuses to fly Eknath Shinde: ‘My shift hours have ended'
Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde was delayed at Jalgaon airport for nearly an hour after the pilot of his personal aircraft refused to fly, citing duty hour limits and ill health. Shinde had attended the Sant Muktai Palkhi Yatra in Muktainagar with ministers Girish Mahajan and Gulabrao Patil. After 45 minutes of discussions and obtaining clearance, the flight finally took off for Mumbai. In a compassionate gesture, the team also airlifted a woman needing urgent kidney surgery who had missed her flight.
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India Gazette
an hour ago
- India Gazette
"Trying to spread a fake narrative": Maharashtra Dy CM Shinde hits back at Rahul Gandhi over 'rigging' claim
Thane (Maharashtra) [India], June 7 (ANI): Amid political uproar following Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's recent allegation claiming the November 2024 Maharashtra assembly election was 'rigged', Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday hit back at the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, accusing him of trying to spread a 'fake narrative' about the polls. Speaking to reporters in Thane, Shinde dismissed Rahul Gandhi's claims of electoral rigging and EVM tampering as baseless, pointing out that Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, of which the Congress is a part, was silent during their Lok Sabha 2024 election wins, where they bagged 30 out of the 48 seats in the state. Shinde asserted that the people of Maharashtra were intelligent and would reject such tactics in any upcoming election. 'In the Lok Sabha elections, when Maha Vikas Aghadi won the elections in Maharashtra, they did not say anything. At that time, the EVMs and ECI were right... They are now trying to spread a fake narrative that the voting percentage has been increased, EVMs are rigged, or the EC is wrong,' the Maharashtra Deputy CM said. He added, 'But the people of Maharashtra are intelligent; they understand which government works for them and which government sits at home... The public of Maharashtra will teach them a lesson in the upcoming elections.' Earlier on Saturday, Rahul Gandhi shared an article he authored, alleging the Maharashtra Assembly elections held last year were 'rigged', and claimed that similar tactics could be repeated in the Bihar elections due later this year. 'Maharashtra assembly elections in 2024 were a blueprint for rigging democracy. My article shows how this happened, step by step,' Rahul Gandhi wrote in a post on X. In his article, he outlined a five-point process, claiming: Step 1: Rig the panel for appointing the Election Commission; Step 2: Add fake voters to the roll; Step 3: Inflate voter turnout; Step 4: Target the bogus voting exactly where the BJP needs to win; Step 5: Hide the evidence. Calling it 'match-fixing', Gandhi said that the side cheats might win the game but damage institutions and destroy public faith in the result. 'It's not hard to see why the BJP was so desperate in Maharashtra. But rigging is like match-fixing; the side that cheats might win the game, but will damage institutions and destroy public faith in the result. All concerned Indians must see the evidence. Judge for themselves. Demand answers,' he said. He warned that the 'match-fixing' of Maharashtra would come to Bihar next, where the polls are due later this year, and then 'anywhere' the BJP was losing elections. 'Match-fixed elections are a poison for any democracy,' he added. (ANI)
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
UBT flays Sena over Durgadi temple visit curbs on Eid
Kalyan: Members from both Shiv Sena's Eknath Shinde and UBT factions held separate protests near Durgadi fort in Kalyan on Saturday. The fort houses religious sites for both Hindus and Muslims. During Bakr Eid, Muslim worshippers gather in large numbers to pray at the fort's Idgah section. Consequently, Hindu devotees are restricted from entering the Durga temple located at the fort's front to maintain peace. On Saturday, police prevented both Sena factions from crossing the barricades near the fort. The Sena UBT's up neta Vijay Salvi criticised Shiv Sena, noting that while the Ghanta Naad movement was initiated by Anand Dighe in 1982, with deputy CM Eknath Shinde leading it for many years, the state administration has now been restricting devotee entry despite his positions as CM and deputy CM showing duplicity on Hindutva." Sena MLA Vishwanath Bhoir also criticised the administration for the restrictions on temple entry. — Pradeep Gupta
The Hindu
5 hours ago
- The Hindu
Tension at Durgadi Fort as rival Shiv Sena factions clash during Id-ul-Azha prayers
Tensions escalated in Maharashtra's Thane district on Saturday (June 7, 2025) after members of both the Eknath Shinde-led and Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray-led factions of the Shiv Sena attempted to reach Durgadi Fort while Id-ul-Azha prayers were being offered at its foothill. According to police officials, protestors from both factions tried to ascend to the Durga temple atop the hill during the course of the Id-ul-Azha prayers being held at the base, resulting in chaos in the area. Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC were in effect, and several protestors were subsequently detained for violating the restrictions. Leaders from both sides, including Shinde faction functionary Ravi Patil and Uddhav faction leader Vijay Salvi, led rallies demanding that 'Durgadi Fort should be freed'. Their convoys converged at Shivaji Chowk, near the Durgadi temple, where slogans were raised by supporters of both groups. 'Police took measures to prevent protestors from both factions from reaching the fort. The protestors attempted to breach the barricades, triggering scuffles and a standoff with the police. We detained several members in preventive custody so that it does not escalate,' Deputy Commissioner of Police Atul Zende said. Durgadi Fort has long been at the centre of a communal dispute regarding the control of a mosque located within its premises. Access to the Durga temple is typically restricted during Id-ul-Azha to facilitate prayers at the foothill. Members of the Shiv Sena have criticised the arrangement, alleging discrimination against Hindu devotees and calling for equal access to the site. The Idgah located at the fort has been under litigation since 1976, when the Majlish-e-Mushavreen Majjid Trust filed a suit seeking control. In 2024, the court ruled in favour of the State government.
