Families of Air India crash victims allege compensation coercion, Shobhaa De exclusive and more
The second story addresses the escalating Marathi language conflict in Mumbai, triggered by a video of MNS workers assaulting a shopkeeper for not speaking Marathi. This incident has sparked reactions from various political figures in Maharashtra and criticism from those opposing the use of violence to enforce language. The MNS defends the action as a 'fight between youngsters,' while author Shobhaa De condemns the violence and warns against using language as a political tool. The debate has also led to discussions on Mumbai's changing demographics, the status of Marathi speakers, and the implications of language vigilantism on the city's multicultural fabric.
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Hindustan Times
19 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
More remains of 16 victims of Air India crash recovered in Gujarat
The charred remains of 16 victims of the June 12 Air India crash have been recovered and identified, officials said on Friday, adding that these have been returned to families of six of the victims. More remains of 16 victims of Air India crash recovered in Gujarat The toll from the crash remains unchanged at 260, the officials said, with 241 passengers and crew and the victims on the ground where the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed. 'Of the 16 recently recovered mortal remains, families of six victims have accepted the bodies for final rites. Nine families have requested hospital authorities to conduct the final ceremonies on their behalf. We are still attempting to contact one family regarding the handover process,' said an official at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital. While authorities handed over the remains of the 260 victims to their families after DNA identification, the recovery operation at the site on continued over the last three weeks. 'The identification of the body parts recently recovered, mainly bones, is being done at Ahmedabad FSL and it takes about 48 to 72 hours for successful DNA matching,' a second official said. A London-bound Air India flight crashed into a hostel complex in the Meghaninagar area moments after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport here on June 12, killing 241 on board and several others on the ground. One passenger, Viswashkumar Ramesh, miraculously survived.
Hindustan Times
20 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Shinde chants 'Jai Gujarat', draws flak from Oppn
Mumbai: Deputy chief minister and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde on Friday ended a speech at an event in Pune attended by union home minister Amit Shah with the slogan 'Jai Gujarat', setting off a controversy with opposition parties slamming him and alleging that his real face had been revealed as he had shown his loyalty to Shah who hails from Gujarat. Shinde, however, defended the action in the evening, saying he had simply hailed the Gujarati community as he was attending their function. Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurates the newly constructed Jairaj Sports and Convention Centre in Pune on Friday. Maharashtra deputy chief ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar also present. (ANI) Shinde, while addressing a gathering during the inauguration of the Jairaj Sports and Convention Centre in Pune, built by the Gujarati community, ended his speech saying, 'Jai Hind, Jai Maharashtra, Jai Gujarat.' His remarks came amid a row in Maharashtra over the imposition of Hindi in schools and violent incidents in Bhayandar and Pune, wherein shopkeepers and traders were attacked for refusing to speak in Marathi. After videos of Shinde's speech surfaced on social media, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut referred to the Shinde-led Shiv Sena as (Amit) Shah Sena, and said, 'It is not surprising. Shinde's Sena was born in Gujarat with Shah's blessings.' Raut was referring to events during the split in the Shiv Sena in 2022, when Shinde and MLAs from his faction were holed up in Surat. The Shiv Sena (UBT) MP also posted two separate videos of Shinde's speech in Pune on social media, saying, 'Shah Sena! Amit Shah's duplicate's Shiv Sena's true face was exposed today. In Pune this man (Eknath Shinde) gave the slogan 'Jai Gujarat'! What to do? How can this man remain in the Maharashtra cabinet.' NCP (SP) national spokesperson Clyde Crasto said though the Shiv Sena claimed to represent the Marathi manoos, they were lusting for power and trying to please Amit Shah. 'When Eknath Shinde was made chief minister, many projects meant for Maharashtra went to Gujarat. Now, it is proved that Shinde was working for the benefit of Gujarat,' Crasto said. State Congress chief spokesperson Atul Londhe said Shinde was only saluting his master Amit Shah as he wants to become chief minister again. Shinde, who reached Mumbai in the evening, clarified his stand in a hurriedly convened press conference. The function had been organised by the Gujarati community and he was only appreciating them for building a sports complex which could be used by all, the deputy chief minister said. 'The Gujarati community has been living here for decades and contributed to the progress of Maharashtra,' Shinde said. He also showed a video of Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray purportedly speaking at a function in Gujarat, where he too said 'Jai Gujarat'. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis supported Shinde, saying leaders make remarks at functions they attend according to the sentiments of people in front of them. Hailing Gujarat was not the same as hating Maharashtra, he clarified. 'If Shinde has said so, it does not mean that he has no love for Marathi. Leaders speak according to the sentiments of people sitting in front of them. It is a narrow minded thought to criticise him for it,' Fadnavis said. Even Sharad Pawar had said 'Jai Karnataka' while inaugurating the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Chikodi in Karnataka in the past, he noted, adding, 'That does not mean that he loves Karnataka more than Maharashtra.' Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut responded to Fadnavis' remarks, saying Thackeray and Pawar had hailed Gujarat and Karnataka respectively when they were speaking in those states. 'In the case of Shinde, he spoke in Pune which is in Maharashtra. What was the need to utter the slogan except to appease someone,' he said. Meanwhile, NCP – the third major partner in the ruling alliance – said the controversy should have been avoided. 'Eknath Shinde is a responsible politician. It would have been better if he had avoided this,' said NCP spokesperson Sanjay Tatkare.
Hindustan Times
20 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
LED screens, banners up across city ahead of Thackeray cousins' victory rally
Two decades after they parted ways, following a power tussle, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray will be seen in a joint rally in Worli today. The victory rally titled, 'Awaj Marathicha' (voice of Marathi) was planned by the two parties together after the ruling Mahayuti government rolled back its decision to make Hindi mandatory as a third language in the state's primary schools recently, following a strong opposition both from Raj and Uddhav, and intellectuals from civil society. Thane, India - July -02, 2025: On the 5th july Saturday , the joint victory meeting of MNS and ShivSena (UBT) (Raj Thackray and uddhav Thackray ) will be held in Warali Mumbai (due to the withdrawal of the Hindi language compulsory GR), therefore, MNS and ShivSena UBT banners have been put up together in Wagle Estate Thane city ,in Thane,in Mumbai, India, on, Wednesday, July -02, 2025. ( Praful Gangurde / HT Photo ) (praful Gangurde) It has been observed in political circles that the Thackeray cousins uniting over a common cause could also set the stage for their political reunion, especially with an eye on the local body elections later in the year. Both parties have pulled out all the stops to put up a strong show of strength for the rally, which is being held at the NSCI Dome, Worli. A leader from Sena (UBT) told HT that while the auditorium's capacity is 8,000, the audience turnout is likely to be far more. However, those that are unable to reach the venue can watch the event on LED screens which have been set up outside the auditorium. Marathi director-producer Ajit Bhure will anchor the event. 'We have erected a grand stage with the map of Maharashtra in the background, headlined 'Awaj Marathicha'. We have arranged nearly 6000 chairs. Tents have been set up on all sides of the NSCI Dome, and screens propped up high on footpaths. We expect people to come spontaneously. Traffic on Annie Besant Road may have to be stopped,' said MNS leader Yashwant Killedar. Earlier, senior leaders such as Anil Parab from Shiv Sena (UBT) and Bala Nandgaonkar from MNS were assigned to oversee the planning and arrangements, which they have been executing with the help of their respective leaders through the week. The duo also held a meeting of functionaries to ensure everything goes according to plan. Local leaders have also been asked to set up LED screens in their areas. Teasers showing both brothers as lions fighting a cackle of hyenas are doing the rounds on social media and banners showing the cousins with Shiv Sena founder, the late Bal Thackeray, have been placed at several places across Mumbai, particularly Lalbaug, Parel, Dadar and Worli, and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The messages writ large are: 'Who brings down the government to its knees? Marathi manoos' and 'Unity of the Marathi people is the need of the time and real strength for us.' Kunal Manikar, MNS's western Mumbai chief, said: 'The Marathi mandals have heeded our call. A Jai Jawan Govinda Mandal will form a human pyramid at the venue.' Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Kishori Pednekar said, 'Though the rally is for the cause of Marathi, it could be the beginning of a renewed alliance between the cousins ahead of the local body polls.' Another leader from the party, Vinayak Raut, said, 'People will come from across Maharashtra to see the two brothers together. Leaders from allied parties such as Jayant Patil of NCP (SP), and CPI and CPM will join us.' HT has learnt that the heads of Sena (UBT) allies in the Opposition – NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal – will not attend the rally, although their representatives will participate
