Latest news with #Thackeray
The Print
6 hours ago
- Business
- The Print
Marathi manoos wishes to see Thackeray cousins come together, says Sena (UBT) leader
'Even the wish of the Marathi 'manoos' is that both the cousins come together. Both the (cousins) brothers will decide on this,' Prabhu said. Talking to reporters here, Prabhu said his party sincerely wishes that both the cousins unite. Kolhapur, Jun 3 (PTI) Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sunil Prabhu on Tuesday said it is the wish of the Marathi-speaking people to see the Thackeray cousins – Uddhav and Raj – come together. He said the charisma of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray is such that the party will rise from the ashes like phoenix. The Shiv Sena (UBT) contested 97 seats in the 2024 Maharashtra assembly polls but could win only 20. Recently, the Thackeray cousins sparked speculation about a possible reconciliation with statements indicating that they could ignore 'trivial issues' and join hands nearly two decades after a bitter parting of ways. While the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray said uniting in the interests of Marathi manoos is not difficult, former CM Uddhav Thackeray maintained that he was ready to put aside trivial fights provided that those working against Maharashtra's interests were not entertained. Raj left the undivided Shiv Sena in 2005 after Bal Thackeray announced Uddhav as his successor. He formed the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) the next year. In its initial days, the MNS achieved political success, winning 13 seats in the assembly polls in 2009. However, that success started dwindling. Following the 2019 assembly elections, Uddhav Thackeray became the chief minister after his undivided Shiv Sena joined hands with NCP and Congress as part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance. However, the government collapsed in June 2022 after Eknath Shinde rebelled against him. The rebellion led to a split in the party. PTI PR NP This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
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India.com
2 days ago
- Politics
- India.com
Uddhav Thackerays Saamana Slams Shinde Faction Minister, Demands Dismissal For Marathi Insult
The Shiv Sena(UBT) in a scathing attack against the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena following its Minister Pratap Sarnaik's statement that Hindi has become a dialect or a spoken language in Mumbai, said on Monday that this is "humiliation" to the Marathi language and the minister should be dismissed. Minister Pratap Sarnaik, while addressing an event organised on the occasion of Hindi Patrakarita Diwas in Mumbai on Saturday, said, 'Hindi has become the language of speaking in Mumbai'. He also said that Marathi is his mother tongue, while Hindi is 'ladki bahin' (beloved sister), who helped secure 237 seats in the Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha. The statement has been criticised by the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT). In its hard-hitting editorial in the party mouthpiece 'Saamana', the Thackeray group claimed the Shinde faction, which considers itself the heirs of Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray, has become the pawns of the BJP. 'The BJP people do not leave a single opportunity to weaken Maharashtra, humiliate the Marathi language and the Marathi people. Therefore, the Shinde camp, a dependent of the BJP, is also repeating the BJP's anti-Marathi stance.' 'The ministers concerned should be dismissed for insulting the Marathi language and Maharashtra like this. Did 107 martyrs sacrifice their lives in the Samyukta Maharashtra struggle just to hear that Mumbai's language is not Marathi? But Mumbai and Maharashtra are currently ruled by traders and builders, and our Marathi language is being crushed under their bulldozers," said the editorial. 'When I come to Mira-Bhayander areas, Hindi automatically comes out of my mouth. Because the language of this area is Hindi, and you all vote for me," said the minister of the Marathi state. Does this Marathi fit into the official language policy? The official language of Maharashtra is Marathi, and now Marathi has been made mandatory in the central establishments in Maharashtra as well. This is not a policy for Maharashtra only. Those living in Bengal will have to learn Bengali, those living in Gujarat will have to learn Gujarati, and those living in the North will have to learn Hindi and deal with that language in that state. Being proud of our mother tongue or official language does not mean that we hate other language sisters. As soon as Pratap Sarnaik showered love on Hindi, BJP President Bawankule came to his aid. "Don't forget that we have given Marathi the status of a classical language," he said. Have your ministers been given the licence to insult Marathi by giving this status?" asked the Thackeray camp. "Have you been given permission to accommodate foreigners under the Marathi umbrella? Answer this first. Maharashtra has a population of 11.5 crore, and about nine crore of them speak Marathi. They do business in Marathi. Don't the ministers of the Shinde group know that there is a law that says that Marathi is the only official language of the state of Maharashtra, and everyone living here must know Marathi?" asked the editorial. "Marathi language is the language of Chhatrapati Shivaji, Veer Savarkar, Lokmanya Tilak and the Hindu Hrudaysamrat Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray," said the editorial. A few days ago, a leader of the RSS leader Bhaiyaji Joshi, visited Ghatkopar and mutually declared that the language of Ghatkopar is Gujarati. "When there was an uproar in Mumbai over this, Joshi clarified. Sarnaik and his leaders did not even show that much courtesy," claimed the editorial. "Shiv Sena was formed so that the Marathi people of Mumbai can live with dignity, and the Marathi language remains respected. Shiv Sena has been fighting many Marathi battles for 50 years. The Shinde faction has been working to tarnish Balasaheb Thackeray's struggle for the growth of the Marathi language, which is the language of the farmers of Maharashtra, the working people of Mumbai and the mill workers,' said the editorial. "Someone should tell all these BJP supporters that Marathi pride cannot be bought with corruption and contractors' money. Marathi is the language of every corner of Maharashtra. Ghatkopar and Mira-Bhayander have not been torn apart and thrown out of Maharashtra, and private builders have not made them independent, autonomous states. Maharashtra is and will remain intact. No matter how many raids the BJP conducts and no matter how much the Shinde faction people try to force Mumbai down the throats of the builders, every particle of Marathi soil will erupt like a volcano. The BJP's East India Company (Surat) has already sold Mumbai. The hypocrites, who call themselves the heirs of Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray, will definitely expel Marathi people from Mumbai when they become partners of this East India Company. Saying that the language of Mumbai is not Marathi is just the beginning. Marathi people will have to fight," said the editorial.
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Notification awaited, Aaditya lists party's agenda for BMC elections
Raising apprehensions about whether the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections will be held this year, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray said he hoped for a transparent and fair process were they to be held. Also Read | Aaditya Thackeray demands probe into scrapped MMRDA tenders He listed three priorities of the party for the municipal polls. 'The biggest priority is fixing BEST (Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport Undertaking), which is the city's second biggest lifeline after the local trains. Then, fixing the schools and the healthcare system, and thereafter working on the roads and footpaths, the connectivity,' the Sena (UBT) leader told The Hindu in an interview. During a week when the arrival of monsoon brought Mumbai to its knees, he accused the BMC of 'wilful apathy'. 'The mechanisms didn't fail. I observed that none of the pre-monsoon meetings with the 17 agencies were held this year,' he said. The corporation is currently being run by a Maharashtra government-appointed administrator, the Mumbai Municipal Commissioner, with municipal elections pending for the last three years. The Supreme Court recently directed the Maharashtra State Election Commission to hold all pending local body elections within the next four months. The elections haven't been notified as yet. 'For the last three years, the BMC has been running like a headless chicken and this headless chicken is laying golden eggs for the government,' Mr. Thackeray said, adding that the corporation, which once had a surplus of over ₹90,000 crore, now has a liability of almost ₹2 lakh crore. (The interview can be watched on the show 'Pulse Maharashtra' on The Hindu's YouTube channel)
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Aaditya Thackeray demands probe into scrapped MMRDA tenders
Aaditya Thackeray, who represents the Worli constituency in the State Legislative Assembly, on Saturday (May 31, 2025) called upon Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to initiate a probe against Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, following the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority's (MMRDA) decision to cancel the tender process for two major infrastructure projects in Mumbai. The two projects in question are the ₹6,000-crore Mumbai Elevated Road Project, involving a 9.8-kilometre bridge along the Vasai Creek, and the ₹8,000-crore Road Tunnel Project, which includes the construction of five-kilometre twin tunnels from Gaimukh to the Fountain Hotel Junction on Thane's Ghodbunder Road. 'Why should the government back down? No contractor goes against the government for one tender. This is only a scam. Cancelling the tender does not mean everything is clean. You [the MMRDA] had a hanging sword which is why you had to cancel the tender,' Mr. Thackeray said. 'Will CM Fadnavis get the matter probed by EOW, IT or ED? The CM should himself take charge of the MMRDA,' he continued. 'Shinde's corruption is proved. Will you sack him from the cabinet till the probe gets over? He has to face action,' Mr. Thackeray added. The statement gains significance as the MMRDA, which operates under the Urban Development Department led by Mr. Shinde, informed the Supreme Court that it was cancelling two tenders linked to the Gaimukh-Ghodbunder-Bhayander project. The authority said it would issue fresh tenders 'to safeguard larger public interest'. Further, the MMRDA stated that it was actively considering a downward revision of the base cost by ₹3,000 crore, based on financial bids disclosed during ongoing litigation. The Supreme Court, while hearing a petition filed by infrastructure major Larsen & Toubro (L&T) challenging its disqualification from the tender process, also expressed criticism over the MMRDA's handling of the matter. Mr. Thackeray noted that the original tender was floated on September 13, 2024, with a bid submission deadline of October 3, 2024 — a window typically reserved for emergency projects. 'Such short notice is not appropriate for large-scale infrastructure works,' he said, adding that the deadline was only extended to 60 days after he raised objections. He further alleged that the terms of the tender were crafted in a manner that would favour 'preferred contractors.'
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Business Standard
3 days ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Aaditya Thackeray seeks Dy CM Shinde's ouster over scrapped MMRDA tenders
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Saturday called for the removal of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde after the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) informed the Supreme Court on Friday that it had cancelled the tender process for two major infrastructure projects in Mumbai. Speaking at a press conference, Thackeray urged Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to initiate an investigation against Shinde through the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), the Enforcement Directorate (ED), or the Income Tax Department. Tender cancellation and SC hearing Earlier on Friday, the MMRDA, chaired by Shinde who also holds the Urban Development portfolio, told the Supreme Court that it was withdrawing two tenders linked to the Gaimukh-Ghodbunder-Bhayander project. Engineering and construction major Larsen & Toubro had challenged the award of the contract to Megha Engineering, and questioned why it had been disqualified. The authority stated it would restart the bidding process "to safeguard larger public interest". The MMRDA said this step was being taken voluntarily to strengthen public confidence and ensure better use of taxpayers' money. It also noted that a reduction in the base cost by about Rs 3,000 crore was being considered, based on financial bids submitted during the court proceedings. Thackeray questioned the move, saying, "Why should the government back down? No contractor goes against the government for one tender. This is only a scam. Cancelling the tender does not mean everything is clean. You (the MMRDA) had a hanging sword which is why you had to cancel the tender." He added, "Will CM Fadnavis get the matter probed by EOW, IT or ED? The CM should himself take charge of the MMDRA." Allegations of corruption Continuing his criticism, Thackeray said, "Shinde's corruption is proved. Will you sack him from the cabinet till the probe gets over? He has to face action." The Supreme Court also criticised the MMRDA during its hearing of a plea filed by infrastructure firm Larsen & Toubro (L&T), which was challenging its disqualification from the bidding process. The two projects under scrutiny include the Rs 6,000-crore Mumbai Elevated Road Project, which involves a 9.8-kilometre bridge over Vasai Creek, and the Rs 8,000-crore Road Tunnel Project, consisting of twin 5-km tunnels from Gaimukh to the Fountain Hotel Junction on Ghodbunder Road in Thane. Concerns over tender conditions Thackeray also referred to concerns he had raised earlier. He pointed out that when the tender was first floated on September 13, 2024, bidders were given only 20 days to submit their proposals, or by October 3, 2024. He stated that such short deadlines are typically reserved for urgent works and not large-scale projects. According to him, after he raised objections, the deadline was extended to 60 days. He also highlighted that a bank guarantee came from a financial institution based in St Louis, a Caribbean nation, and said the MMRDA rolled back its decision only after he raised the issue. Thackeray claimed the tender rules were created to benefit select contractors. According to him, "The tender conditions were designed in such a way that some 'favourite contractors' could bag it.
