PM begins 5-nation tour with Ghana visit, Dalai Lama defies China, announces succession plan
This episode of Newstrack focusses on a viral video from Thane, Maharashtra, showing Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers assaulting a shopkeeper for not speaking Marathi. The incident has sparked outrage and debates on linguistic chauvinism.
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Hindustan Times
8 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
BEST credit society served notices ahead of polls
MUMBAI: The BEST Employees' Credit Society, touted as a symbol of the much-hyped, recent alliance between the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), has been served notices by the state government and the police over alleged irregularities in the cooperative. Raj Thackeray, Chief of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), and Uddhav Thackeray, Chief of Shiv Sena (UBT). (Raju Shinde/ HT Photo) The BEST Kamgar Sena, a wing of the Sena (UBT) currently in control of the credit society, says the move is a ploy by the BJP-led Mahayuti government to muddy the waters ahead of the August 18 elections in the credit cooperative. The poll will pit the Sena (UBT)-MNS alliance against Mahayuti coalition partners, the BJP and Shiv Sena, both on the back foot in these elections. More critically, the BEST Kamgar Sena sees the move as an attempt to undermine Sena (UBT)-MNS unity, the first formal alliance between the two political parties led by the Thackeray cousins, Uddhav and Raj, leaders of the Sena (UBT) and MNS, respectively. For the upcoming polls, the Sena (UBT) will contest 18 of the 21 seats up for grabs, the MNS two seats, and the BEST SC/ST Employees Welfare Association one seat. If the alliance wins the election, the MNS will bag one more post, that of a nominated director. In contrast, the BJP and Shiv Sena led by deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde will be contesting the election as opposition parties. Now, less than a week before the polls, the credit cooperative has been served notices by the state cooperation department and the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai Police. The first notice, dated August 13, has been served by the divisional joint registrar of co-operative societies in Mumbai. It states, 'As per the complaint application by Vivekanand Ghag and Rajendra Gore, under section 89 A of Maharashtra Cooperation Department, deputy registrar Rajendra Gaikwad has been appointed as investigation officer to conduct inquiry of records of society of year 2024-25. Jitendra Chavan will assist him and they will submit an inquiry report by August 29.' The credit society has also received a notice from the EOW, initiating an inquiry into an alleged ₹24-crore irregularity in the cooperative, on a complaint filed by Ghag. Suhas Samant, president of the BEST Kamgar Sena, slammed the Mahayuti government and BJP leaders, alleging that BJP MLC Prasad Lad has instigated the inquiry. 'For years, the BEST Kamgar Sena has been in power in the credit society. This time, however, the Sena (UBT) and MNS have entered into an alliance for the elections, which has upset Mahayuti leaders. Now the society's office-bearers have received notices. BJP MLC Prasad Lad is behind this. They want to create confusion among voters,' he said. 'But in the last audit conducted by a government auditor, the BEST Employees Credit Society received an 'A' grade and this is in the public domain. How can a credit society assigned an A grade be accused of irregularities,' asked Samant. Responding to the allegation, Prasad Lad said an inquiry will be conducted as there were irregularities in the credit cooperative. Government agencies have initiated an inquiry on the basis of a complaint filed by Ghag. The cooperation department is conducting a separate inquiry and the EOW is looking into irregularities of ₹24 crore in the credit society. If there are complaints of irregularities, how can we keep quiet, asked Lad.
Indian Express
12 hours ago
- Indian Express
Bombay High Court refuses permission to hold Dahi Handi at Bhandup (West)
The Bombay High Court on Thursday dismissed a plea from a leader of the Shinde Sena which sought permission to organise Dahi Handi festival function on August 16 at Ashok Kedare Chowk on 90 feet road at Bhandup (West). The court cited apprehensions raised by Police that granting a nod to either the petitioner or his earlier party Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) will lead to a 'serious law and order situation'. A division bench of Justices Girish S Kulkarni and Arif S Doctor was hearing a plea by Sandip Jalgaonkar, a former MNS leader who has now joined the Shiv Sena led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, which sought to direct BMC's Assistant Commissioner of S Ward to grant permission to his 'Shri Swami Samarth Samajik Pratishthan' to organise Dahi Handi festival between 10 am to 10 pm on Saturday at Bhandup (West). Jalgaonkar, through advocate Suresh Sabrad, claimed that he had been organising the festival at the venue for several years and despite availing a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from traffic police and fire department, the BMC had kept his application pending 'without justifiable cause', which is why the plea was raised before the HC. On the other hand, MNS, through advocate Anand Pai claimed that its local leader too had applied to organise festivities. However, advocate Kejali Mastakar for submitted that the civic body had received a letter on August 13 from the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Bhandup division, stating that if such a permission is granted to any of the applicant organisations, it is likely to create 'serious law and order situation,' therefore, the BMC rejected the permission to both the organisers. The bench observed that it 'cannot question the wisdom of the Police Department in taking this decision which is in the larger public interest of maintaining law and order, during the festivities' and that the same was 'paramount'. Dismissing the plea, the HC clarified that it has not examined the legality of the August 13 communication as the same was not challenged. The court said that the dismissal 'would not prevent the parties from reconsidering and reconciling their respective positions so that the festival can be celebrated', and in such an event, the authorities can take an appropriate decision as per law.
The Hindu
12 hours ago
- The Hindu
Bombay High Court to hear plea alleging threats to north Indians by Raj Thackeray, MNS
A criminal writ petition has been filed on Thursday in the Bombay High Court against the Maharashtra government, the Mumbai Commissioner of Police, the Election Commission, and MNS chief Raj Thackeray. The petition filed by Sunil Shukla, national president of the Uttar Bhartiya Vikas Sena, a political party, alleges that he and the north Indian community in Maharashtra have been subjected to repeated incidents of hate speech, targeted violence, and serious threats to their lives and liberty. 'Over the past few months, the petitioner has been subjected to grave threats, harassment, and physical intimidation, purely because of his political identity and advocacy for north Indian rights. The situation has reached an alarming stage, with public calls to violence and actual physical assaults following thereafter,' the plea read. He cites multiple instances, including an October 6, 2024, attack at his office in Andheri, allegedly by 30 MNS supporters, and a Gudi Padwa rally on March 30, 2025, where Mr. Thackeray allegedly incited violence against Hindi-speaking residents. Following the Gudi Padwa speech, the petition documents multiple incidents of violence against Hindi-speaking individuals, including a bank manager, a security guard, and bank staff, which were reported by various news outlets in early April 2025. Mr. Shukla states that he has received numerous threats, including phone calls and messages, to 'eliminate' him. The petition also mentions threats received through phone calls and messages in April 2025 by two MNS associates, Mahindra Manji Bhanushali and Avinash Anant Jadhav. The petition includes a timeline of complaints filed by him with various authorities, alleging a lack of action. He has sent email complaints to the DGP, the Commissioner of Police-Mumbai, the Home Minister, and the Governor of Maharashtra on October 9 and 16, 2024, the petition said. He has also submitted a written complaint to the Chief Minister on October 17, 2024. He also sent a complaint to the Governor, Union Home Minister, the Election Commission, the Maharashtra government, and the Commissioner of Police on July 10, 2025, expressing frustration over the lack of action. The petition states that after exhausting all remedies and not receiving a reply, Mr. Shukla filed a Special Leave Petition before the Supreme Court on April 15, 2025. The Supreme Court, in an order dated August 4, 2025, directed Mr. Shukla to approach the Bombay High Court, leading to the filing of the present petition. The petition seeks police protection for the petitioner and his family and the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against Mr. Thackeray.
