Tag: Maharashtra

Milind Deora Eknath Shinde

Say Vande Mataram On Calls: M’rashtra Govt Directs Officials

By LokMarg

The Maharashtra government led by Eknath Shinde on Saturday issued a government resolution (GR) making it mandatory for all government employees to say ‘Vande Mataram’ instead of ‘Hello’ while receiving telephone or mobile phone calls, saying that the word ‘hello’ is an imitation of Western culture.

The employees working in the government or in government-funded institutions would use “Vande Mataram’ instead of “hello” while receiving telephone or mobile phone calls from citizens or government officials, as per the government order.
The GR issued by the General Administration Department said that officials should also create awareness among the people who meet them to do the same.

“The word ‘hello’ is an imitation of Western culture and just a “greeting without any specific meaning and does not evoke any affection,” GR said.

Hitting back at the government over the decision, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) MLA Waris Pathan said that the Shinde government is creating new drama just to distract the public from the real issues.

“What will you do, if we do not say Vande Mataram? Will people get jobs by uttering Vande Mataram? Will farmers’ loans be forgiven? Inflation will come down?” Waris Pathan’s questioned the government. (ANI)

PFI Islamic Nation

PFI Planed To Turn India Into Islamic Nation: M’rashtra ATS Chief

By LokMarg

Emphasizing the urgent need to ban the Popular Front of India (PFI), Maharashtra ATS chief Vineet Agarwal on Thursday said that the outfit was planning to turn India into an Islamic nation by 2047 and big leaders of the country including from Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) were their target.
Speaking to ANI, Agarwal said that it was very important to ban PFI because they were slow poison for the country.

“PFI was banned in time. Maharashtra ATS raided many places and arrested a total of 21 people and many electronic gadgets were also confiscated. Post the ban the organisation has been dissolved. Now, they don’t have any right to regroup or protest on any platform except on the legal platform,” said the ATS chief.

Agarwal said that the big leaders of the country and the people of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) were on the target of PFI.

He further said that the PFI members used to portray themselves as persons associated with social development and physical education to give lectures to incite people.

“PFI had opened training centers in many places of the state and used to do anti-national work. PFI used to tell people in their coaching center by referring to old videos and incidents that your people have been subjected to a lot of atrocities, Mughals will not come to save you, you have to save yourself. PFI used to tell participants to keep items for self-defence like stones, knives, swords, bricks, sharp objects and other things on their terraces,” he said.

The ATS Chief said that till now more than 2,000 people were trained in Maharashtra.

“We are using tools to recover their data, they had planned to make India an Islamic country by 2047 by motivating people to commit hate crimes when India will complete 100 years of independence. but the government’s decision has toppled their plan. Every 5 years an agenda was prepared for the same but they have been stopped in the middle and the right steps have been taken,” said Agarwal.

“Target killing was their modus operandi by identifying the target,” he added.

He further said that the ATS has also seized the bank accounts of the arrested PFI members and terror funding is also being investigated.

“There are lakhs of rupees in the seized bank accounts of the PFI members and the money was being spent in the name of the outfit. After verifying the information from where the money was coming into the PFI fund, the ATS came to know that the money was coming from different places,” he added.

Earlier, Maharashtra Home Department has issued an order using powers under Section 42 of UAPA authorizing the Police commissioners and District magistrates to exercise their powers against the Popular Front of India (PFI).

“Maharashtra government home department has issued an order using powers under section 42 of UAPA and with the previous approval of MHA Central government. All the Powers under Sections 7 and 8 of UAPA will be exercised by Police commissioners and District magistrates against the PFI and other related associations,” said the sources from the Home Department.

The move comes a day after the Union Home Ministry imposed a ban on the Popular Front of India for “terror links”.

Other states including Kerala and Tamil Nadu have passed such orders declaring the PFI as an unlawful association.

“The power which has been directed to be exercised by the State Government under section 7 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, stands delegated to the District Magistrate/ Commissioner of Police/ Superintendent of Police concerned, within their jurisdiction,” the order by the Kerala government dated September 28 stated.

“The power which has been directed to be exercised by the State Government under section 8 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, stands delegated to the District Magistrate/Commissioner of Police/ Superintendent of Police concerned, within their jurisdiction,” it further added.

The order issued by the Tamil Nadu government dated September 28, it read, “The Governor of Tamil Nadu hereby directs that all the powers which are exercisable by the Government of Tamil Nadu under sections 7 and 8 of the said Act in relation to the aforesaid unlawful association, namely “Popular Front of India (PEI) and its associates or affiliates or fronts including Rehab India Foundation (RIF), Campus Front of India (CFI), All India Imams Council (AIIC), National Confederation of Human Rights Organization (NCHRO), National Women’s Front, Junior Front, Empower India Foundation and Rehab Foundation, Kerala” shall also be exercised by the Commissioners of Police in the Cities and by the District Collectors elsewhere.”

Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had made the announcement through a notification issued late on Tuesday night, declaring “the PFI and its associates or affiliates or fronts as an unlawful association with immediate effect”.

Along with PFI, the ban is also imposed on its fronts, including Rehab India Foundation (RIF). Campus Front of India (CFI), All India Imams Council (AIIC), National Confederation of Human Rights Organization (NCHRO), National Women’s Front, Junior Front, Empower India Foundation and Rehab Foundation, Kerala as an “unlawful association”.

The notification clearly mentioned that the ban has been imposed against PFI and its associates, affiliates or fronts for “indulging in unlawful activities, which are prejudicial to the integrity, sovereignty, and security of the country and have the potential of disturbing public peace and communal harmony of the country and supporting militancy in the country.” (ANI)

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Muslim Organisations Support PFI Ban

By LokMarg

After the central government banned the Popular Front of India (PFI) and its affiliates for a period of five years, many Muslim organizations across the country have come out in support of the ban.

All India Sufi Sajjadanashin Councils’ Chairman Sayyed Naseeruddin on Wednesday welcomed the ban on PFI on behalf of the organization.
“The organization believes that if the step has been taken to adhere to the law and prevent terrorism, everyone should show patience towards the ban.” “The governments and investigative agencies should welcome the decision,” said a statement by the Council.

The statement added, “If the country is safe, then we are safe.” A country is bigger than any organization or ideology. If anyone talks about dividing the nation, breaking its unity, and destroying the peace, then that person should not be allowed to live in the country. “

“All India Sufi Sajjadanashin Council is committed to the unity, peace, and sovereignty of the nation and will raise its voice in future against those opposed to the country,” as per the statement.

Meanwhile, the Muslim Student Organisation of India termed the ban on PFA “reasonable”.

“The ban on PFA is reasonable. The time has come for the youth of India to leave the ideology of extremism and adopt the true meaning of Islam,” said a statement by MSO.

“Barelvi Muslims support PFI ban by the Modi government,” said Maulana Shahabuddin Rizvi.

Sufi Islamic Board’s national spokesperson Kashish Warsi supported the ban on PFI.

MLA MK Muneer welcomed the decision on behalf of the party and said, “We welcome PFI ban, if reasonable. We’ve to fight against RSS in a secular way too. The ban may not solve all problems. Earlier SIMI (Students Islamic Movement of India) was banned, but NDF (National Development Front), and PFI emerged later.”

Many political leaders across the country have welcomed the ban

On Tuesday, the Home Ministry issued a notification, banning PFI and its associates for five years. It said these outfits operate openly as socio-economic, educational, and political organizations, “but, they have been pursuing a secret agenda to radicalize a particular section of the society working to undermine the concept of democracy.”

It said some of PFI’s founding members are the leaders of the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and PFI has linkages with Jamat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), both of which are proscribed organizations.

The ban was imposed after two rounds of nationwide raids, including in Maharashtra, on PFI earlier this month. More than 100 people linked to these outfits have been detained by authorities during these raids. (ANI)

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Uddhav Dig at shinde

SC Allows EC To Decide Which Faction Is The Real Shiv Sena

By LokMarg

The Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to decide on rival claims made by groups led by Uddhav Thackeray and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on which faction is the real Shiv Sena.

A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud declined to stay proceedings before the Election Commission on the Shinde group’s claim for recognition as the ‘real’ Shiv Sena.
The bench also comprising Justices MR Shah, Krishna Murari, Hima Kohli and PS Narasimha rejected the plea of the Uddhav Thackeray group seeking a stay on proceedings before the EC till the Supreme Court decides on the main issue pending before it.

“We direct that there would be no stay of the proceedings before the Election Commission of India. Accordingly, the Interlocutory Application is dismissed,” the bench stated in its order after a day-long hearing.

The ECI will now also look at the issue of allotment of Shiv Sena’s traditional bow and arrow symbol of the party.

Earlier, the apex court had verbally asked the poll panel to not take any precipitative action on the issue.

Thackeray group had filed an application before the top court seeking direction to restrain the Election Commission from deciding the claim raised by the Shinde faction for recognition as the official Shiv Sena party.

During the hearing, Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the Thackeray group, argued that Shinde has incurred disqualification as his various acts amount to voluntary giving up of the party membership under Paragraph 2(1)(a) of the Tenth Schedule and also he has violated the party whip.

He said that allowing the Election Commission to decide Shinde’s claim can result in “irreparable damage” to the Thackeray group.

Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi also appearing for the Thackeray camp contended that “In whatever form the Shiv Sena exists today, they have no claim that they have merged with the BJP. You (Shinde group) have left the Shiv Sena, but you want the goodwill of Shiv Sena and so you won’t merge.”

Senior advocate Neeraj Kishan Kaul, appearing for the Shinde group, claimed that over 1.5 lakh party members had sent their representations to the Election Commission supporting the Shinde group.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Maharashtra Governor, told the bench that the Election Commission should be allowed to discharge its duties.

He said, “This is a political question and it is not the first time that such a split has happened and to decide which faction is the real party. It is the election commission which is equipped to look into this.”

The top court is seized of several petitions filed by rival groups of Shiv Sena in relation to the Maharashtra political crisis.

In August, the top court’s three-judge bench had referred to a five-judge Constitution bench the issues involved in the petition filed by rival groups of Shiv Sena in relation to the Maharashtra political crisis.

Earlier, the Supreme Court three-judge bench had said that some of the issues involved in the Maharashtra political crisis may require a larger Constitutional bench for consideration.

It had also asked the Speaker of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, Rahul Narwekar not to take any action on the new disqualification notices issued against the members of Shiv Sena. There are various petitions pending before the apex court filed by both the factions of Shiv Sena.

Thackeray-led faction had approached the top court challenging the Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari’s decision to invite Eknath Shinde to form the government and also the Speaker’s election and floor test. Later they had challenged the Shinde group approaching poll panel claiming they are ‘real’ Shiv Sena.

They had also challenged the newly appointed Maharashtra Assembly Speaker’s action recognising the whip of the Eknath Shinde group as the whip of Shiv Sena. The plea said the newly appointed Speaker has no jurisdiction to recognise whips nominated by Shinde as Uddhav Thackeray is still the head of the Shiv Sena official party.

Thackeray camp’s Sunil Prabhu had filed a plea seeking suspension from the Maharashtra Assembly of new Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and 15 rebel MLAs against whom disqualification pleas are pending.

Shinde groups challenged the disqualification notices issued by the Deputy Speaker to 16 rebel MLAs as well as the appointment of Ajay Choudhary as Shiv Sena Legislature Party leader, is also pending before the apex court.

On June 29, the top court gave a go-ahead to the floor test in the Maharashtra Assembly on June 30. Refusing to stay the Maharashtra Governor’s direction to the then Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to prove his majority support on the floor of the House on June 30, the bench had issued notice on Prabhu’s plea against floor test.

After the apex court’s order, Uddhav Thackeray announced his resignation as the Chief Minister and Eknath Shinde was later sworn in as the Chief Minister.

On June 27, the top court granted interim relief to Shinde and other rebel MLAs to file their reply to disqualification notices issued to them by Deputy Speaker by July 12, 5.30 pm. Earlier, Deputy Speaker had granted them time to file a reply by June 27, 5.30 pm. (ANI)

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Imam Council's Maharashtra Chief

All India Imam Council’s Maharashtra Chief Arrested In Raids On PFI

By LokMarg

As the raids against the Popular Front of India are underway in various states of the country, including Maharashtra, the Nashik Police Crime Branch on Tuesday arrested the All India Imam Council’s state chief Maulana Irfan Daulat Nadvi along with a member of the organisation.

The raids are underway by the central agency and state anti-terror squad at various locations in the state including Thane, Nashik and Malegaon.
“All India Imams Council state chief Maulana Irfan Daulat Nadvi and PFI member Rashid Shahdain Shaheed Iqbal taken into custody by Nashik Police Crime Branch u/s 151 late last night,” said Police Inspector Hemant Patil on Tuesday.

“Around 40 people linked to PFI have been detained from Aurangabad, Solapur, Amravati, Pune, Thane and Mumbai so far. This entire operation has been carried out by the state’s local police with inputs from a Central Agency. All inquiries are underway,” said Maharashtra Police.

Pune Police officials informed that the police detained six persons with links to SDPI and PFI from the Kondhwa area today morning. Further details are awaited.

The raids are also being conducted in five other states and Union Territories which include Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka.

As many as 25 PFI leaders and members have been arrested so far in the raids in Assam’s Kamrup Rural (5), Goalpara (10), Karimganj (1), Udalguri (1), Darrang (1), Dhubri (3), Barpeta (2), Baksa (2).

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the operation against the organisation will be intensified.

“Today in Assam, we have picked up 25 PFI people. This operation will be intensified,” he said.

Earlier today, in state-wide raids in Karnataka, about 80 to 90 PFI workers of its political wing Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) and leaders were taken into preventive custody, informed a police official.

“About 80 to 90 PFI and SDPI workers and leaders have been taken into preventive custody, including the SDPI Yadgiri district president. The police raids are underway across the state. The cases have been booked under sections 108, 151 CrPC,” said Alok Kumar, ADGP Law and Order, Bengaluru.

According to the Kolar Police, seven PFI and SDPI members and office bearers have been picked up in the early morning raids and will be produced before the executive magistrate under 107 CrPC.

The arrested persons have been identified as Imtiaz Ahmed, PFI district president, Siddiq Pasha, Vasim Pasha, AllaBakash, Nayaz Pasha, Shahabaz Pasha and Noor Pasha.

Speaking to ANI, Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra said, “Police have caught 21 people (associated with PFI) from 8 districts. Links about them were found after the people who were arrested last week were interrogated”.

Today’s raids were in continuation of the crackdown started by the NIA and ED against the PFI on September 22.

The NIA had arrested over 106 members of the PFI during its largest-ever raids spread across 15 states.

Searches were conducted at multiple locations in the largest ever investigation process till date.

The operation started late in the night around 1 am and learnt to be concluded by 5 am involving over 1,500 personnel of state police, Central Armed Police Forces and officers of NIA and ED.

Several incriminating documents, more than 100 mobile phones, laptops and other materials have been seized by the raiding teams.

These searches were conducted at the residential and official premises of persons involved in “funding terrorism, organising training camps and radicalising people to join proscribed organisations”.

The PFI was launched in Kerala in 2006 after merging three Muslim organizations floated after the Babri Masjid demolition in 1992 – the National Development Front of Kerala, Karnataka Forum for Dignity and Manitha Neethi Pasari of Tamil Nadu. After the demolition of the Babri mosque, many fringe outfits had surfaced in south India and PFI was formed after merging some of them. (ANI)

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Congress Wokers

Time For Cong Workers To Spill Blood To Save Govt Against BJP: Khachariyawas

By LokMarg

Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot loyalist and state cabinet Minister Pratap Khachariyawas on Monday said that the Congress workers are attempting to save their party and have to be prepared to “spill blood on the roads” against the BJP which he alleged, wants to “topple” the state government.

The remarks of the Congress leader came amid the ongoing political crisis in the state.
Speaking to ANI, Khachariyawas said, “The BJP wants to topple the Rajasthan government. I have told Ashok Gehlot that it is important to save the government, you have to perform witchcraft. The BJP will eye Rajasthan to divert attention from inflation. They did it in Maharashtra. If we don’t respond with courage, there will be fights on the streets. The Congress workers will have to spill blood on the roads. I had said it earlier to Gehlot that the BJP is prepared and there is a conspiracy underway against the government.”

He claimed that the central agencies will hit the streets of Rajasthan.

“The ED and CBI will hit the streets of Rajasthan. Congress workers will have to hit the roads, then I will also come. We will have an equal fight. If the BJP uses stick, we will respond. If they fire at us, we will respond. But if MLAs want to save government against BJP’s conspiracy then they should be heard,” he said.

The leader, however, denied any factionalism in the Congress party and said that all MLAs have the right to express their opinion.

“There is no factionalism in Congress. Every MLA has the right to put forth his view on democracy. If the MLAs united at the residence of the parliamentary affairs minister and said something, they did not commit any crime. They were the same MLAs who saved the government on the call of Sonia Gandhi. There is no opposition of Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Ashok Gehlot,” the Congress leader said.

Responding to Ajay Maken’s statement on issuing notices to rebel MLAs for their “undisciplined move”, Khachariyawas said, “If any notice is issued, we will respond to it.”

Earlier today, Congress leader and observer for Rajasthan, Ajay Maken dubbed the “unofficial” meeting conducted by state minister Shanti Dhariwal with the rebel MLAs of the Ashok Gehlot camp an “indisciplined move”, while also stating that the party has never allowed “conditional resolutions” to take place, as against the demands by the group.

Maken said that Shanti Dhariwal, Mahesh Joshi and Pratap Singh met them as the representatives of the MLAs and put three conditions which also included not holding a one-on-one meeting with the observers.

A legislative party meeting was scheduled on Sunday evening at the residence of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot in the presence of the observers, which was attended by Sachin Pilot and his camp MLAs, however, the Gehlot loyalists had held a meeting with Cabinet Minister Shanti Dhariwal at his residence, following which over 90 MLAs had submitted their resignations to Speaker CP Joshi.

Pilot, is being seen as the successor of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who is all set to contest the Congress president election scheduled on October 17. The Rajasthan deputy chief minister late last night conducted a second round of meeting with the AICC observers.

The Gehlot loyalists want someone from their own camp to be chosen as the next Chief Minister, instead of Pilot, who, according to them, had revolted against his own party back in 2020. (ANI)

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Bombay HC: Uddhav-Led Sena To Hold Dussehra Rally At Shivaji Park

By LokMarg

After allowing the amendment in the petition, the Bombay High Court on Friday ruled in favor of the Shiv Sena and allowed the Uddhav Thackeray faction to hold the Dussehra rally at Shivaji Park.

The tussle between the Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led faction and former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray-led faction was in full pace for weeks and the decision came only after thorough brawls came to the fore.
Shiv Sena leader Anil Parab confirmed the development and said that the permission was given for a duration of five days starting October 2.

“Today High Court decided that Shiv Sena’s Dussehra rally will be held at Shivaji Park. It’s been happening since 1966. We presented Shiv Sena’s history before the court. The HC rejected law and order situation raised by BMC. Shiv Sena has permission to hold a rally from October 2 to 6,” said Parab.

He also stressed about the ongoing turbulence around the “real Shiv Sena” and highlighted the court’s take on it.

“Sada Sarvankar filed an intervention petition before HC seeking objection on which faction is the real Shiv Sena. HC said it’s not their right (to decide) but the Supreme Court and Election Commission of India’s right,” he added.

He also listed the Sena’s stance to approach the apex court and said, “We’ll see in Supreme Court, will fight there too.”

The BMC had refused to give permission to the two factions for holding the rally, based on the local police’s report which said that the event may cause law and order problems in the area.

Shiv Sena has been holding the rally on Dussehra every year since 1966. The event is significant this year as Sena is now split up into two factions and the rally was not held in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Uddhav Thackeray, in August, took a dig at Shinde, stating the party is not sure whether it will get permission for the event. Thackeray went on to say that whatever happens, he will hold a Dussehra rally at Shivaji Park

“Shiv Sena’s Dussehra rally will be held at Shivaji Park in Mumbai. Shiv Sainiks from all over the state will reach for this rally. We do not know these technical things whether the government will give permission or not. We will hold the rally. It doesn’t matter to us whether others will hold rallies or not. Shiv Sena has grown not by traitors but by the blood of Shiv Sainiks,” Thackeray had said addressing workers of his party.

Thackeray had said that a lot is happening in Maharashtra about which he will speak at the Dussehra rally.

Dussehra will be celebrated on October 5 this year. (ANI)

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Raveena

Raveena Is Wildlife Goodwill Ambassador Of Maharashtra

By LokMarg

Bollywood actor Raveena Tandon, on Thursday, was appointed as the Wildlife Goodwill Ambassador of Maharashtra.

“We have witnessed Ms. Raveena’s passion and love for wildlife and her conservation on many occasions as Wildlife Goodwill Ambassador for Maharashtra,” said Maharashtra Forest Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar.

Tandon described it as an honour to serve as the wildlife goodwill ambassador and said, “Honoured to join hands with Maharashtra Forest Department as the Wildlife Goodwill Ambassador. The mission is to work to sustain the natural world for the benefit of people and nature. I am grateful for this platform and cannot wait to get to work with these dedicated & passionate individuals.”

Meanwhile, on the film front, Raveena was recently seen in a Pan India film ‘KGF- Chapter 2’ alongside south actor Yash and Sanjay Dutt. The ‘Dulhe Raja’ portrayed a negative character and the film was declared a blockbuster hit which collected over Rs 1000 crores at the box office worldwide.

She will be next seen in an upcoming family entertainer film ‘Ghudchadi’ alongside Sanjay Dutt, Parth Samthaan, and Kushalii Kumar in pivotal roles. The film is being directed by Binoy Gandhi and produced by T-series and Keep Dreaming pictures.

Apart from that, she was recently announced as the lead actor of Arbaaz Khan’s upcoming social drama film ‘Patna Shukla. The film also Satish Kaushik, Manav Vij, Chandan Roy Sanyal, Jatin Goswami, and Anushka Kaushik in prominent roles.

Raveena will begin shooting for the project in November 2022. (ANI)

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