Raut hits out at CM, calls him ‘madari'
(UBT) MP
alleged that the CM has "power, money, builder lobby, and can do corruption and can make everyone dance". In his weekly column 'Rok Thok' in Saamna, Raut criticised Fadnavis over his meeting with
chief Raj Thackeray last week, stating that the 'madari ka khel' has begun ahead of the BMC polls. He also claimed that the CM is an open supporter of Adani, who wants to expel Marathi people from Mumbai. Raut asserted that the Thackeray brand is "invincible". tnn
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Indian Express
3 hours ago
- Indian Express
Such measures do not unite people…': Raj Thackeray slams August 15 meat sale ban, backs HC's pigeon-feeding order
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Thursday criticised the BJP-led state government over its decision to ban the sale of meat on Independence Day and also endorsed the Bombay High Court's order banning pigeon feeding, accusing the police of not acting during the recent protests at the Dadar Kabutarkhana. 'On a day we celebrate freedom, people's freedom is being taken away. The government should not decide who should eat what. These rights are neither with the government nor the municipal corporation,' Thackeray said, reacting to the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation order to close slaughterhouses and stop meat sales on August 15. Thackeray said he had instructed MNS workers to ensure that meat sales go ahead on Thursday. While KDMC Commissioner Abhinav Goyal clarified that the order applied only to the sale of meat, and not consumption, similar restrictions have been announced by civic bodies in Nagpur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Ichalkaranji. Thackeray linked the meat ban to what he called divisive policies by the BJP, citing the state government's encouragement of pigeon feeding and its bid to introduce compulsory Hindi at the primary level. 'Such measures do not unite people, they divide them,' he said. On the closure of the Dadar Kabutarkhana following a high court directive, Thackeray said the order was binding on all communities. 'Jain monks must also understand the dangers posed by pigeons. Doctors have explained the diseases they cause. If anyone violates the ban on feeding them, the police should take action. Those who protested against the closure at Dadar should also have faced police action,' he said. The MNS chief also targeted state minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha, who had suggested alternatives to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on the issue. 'Lodha is not a minister for one community; he is a minister for the state. He must also respect the court's decision,' Thackeray said. Accusing the police of selective enforcement, Thackeray alleged that while members of the Marathi Ekikaran Committee were booked for a protest earlier this week, no action was taken against those who 'came with knives and sharp objects' to damage the tarpaulin put up by the BMC to prevent pigeons from gathering at the kabutarkhana. 'Police cannot act against one group and spare another. Those who took the law into their own hands should be booked,' he said. Meanwhile, Jain monk Nileshchandra Vijay appealed to Thackeray to help ease tensions between the Marathi and Marwari communities, praising him as a 'Marathi Hinduhriday Samrat' and pledging the Marwari community's support for his stand on protecting the Marathi language. 'Take a stand against anyone who insults Marathi or refuses to respect it, and we will stand by you,' he said. The monk also apologised to the Marathi community, saying there had been a misunderstanding involving the Marathi Ekikaran Samiti. Meanwhile, Thackeray on Thursday held a meeting of MNS workers during which he instructed them to start preparing for the upcoming civic polls and also instructed the cadre and party office bearers to scrutinise the voters' list. Thackeray also asserted that in Mumbai, only MNS and Shiv Sena (UBT) have a strong grassroots presence, and the MNS will emerge victorious in the upcoming polls. The statement came amid speculation of an alliance between the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the MNS.
Indian Express
7 hours ago
- Indian Express
‘Are all vegetarians impotent?': BJP hits out at Sanjay Raut for criticism of Independence Day meat sales ban
The BJP Thursday attacked Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut over his remarks on the decision by several civic bodies in Maharashtra to close slaughterhouses and ban meat sales on Independence Day and sought an apology from him for allegedly calling vegetarians impotent. Accusing Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis of curbing individual freedom over the choice of food, Raut had said, 'How can the government stop people from eating non-vegetarian food? Why are such restrictions imposed? Do they want to make people impotent?' Responding to Raut's comments, Fadnavis Wednesday said, 'Some people have started calling those eating vegetarian food as impotent. This foolishness must stop. Every individual has the right to decide what to eat and not eat. The Constitution has given the right to live to Everybody.' BJP media cell incharge Navnath Ban, in a press conference in Mumbai Thursday, demanded an unconditional apology from Raut. 'He has insulted Warkari, Dharkari, Malkari, Nath Sampradaya, and Bhagwat, who have strictly observed vegetarianism for centuries. Now, does Raut imply that all vegetarians are impotent?' asked Ban. The terms Warkari, Darakari, and Malkari are associated with the Varkari devotional movement, which centres on the worship of the presiding deity of the Pandharpur temple, Lord Vitthal. The BJP spokesperson said, 'Everybody has the right to do politics. They can attack the government. But when you blatantly call vegetarians impotent, it is disgusting. This is highly derogatory and insulting to these communities who have given immense contributions to society both spiritually as well as in battles.' 'Nath Sampradaya is known for its valour. They waged and won many battles against the invaders. If someone were to question vegetarian communities and call them impotent, the BJP will not tolerate it,' Ban added. 'Raut should issue an apology to all these communities immediately. Or else we will be forced to take to the streets,' Ban warned. He also criticised the Shiv Sena (UBT) MP for questioning the state government's development work. 'From Atal Detu, Coastal Road, BDD Chawl, Dharavi, Metro, Samruddhi Expressway… The list runs long. And these developments have transformed the face of Maharashtra,' he added. Nagpur, Kalyan-Dombivli, Malegaon and Jalgaon are some of the civic bodies in Maharashtra that have ordered closure of slaughterhouses and meat shops for 24 hours on August 15. The Kalyan-Dombivli civic body, the first to issue the notification, said the restriction will apply to all licensed butchers dealing in goats, sheep, chicken, and large animals, and would come into force from midnight on August 14.
Time of India
9 hours 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.
