Page 30 - Devendra Fadnavis

Trying to get speedy presidential assent for Shakti Bill, says Fadnavis

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday said the state government will make all efforts to get the presidential assent speedily for the Shakti Bill that provides for stringent punishment for crimes against women. Replying to a debate in the Legislative Council, he said the state government had sent the Shakti Criminal Laws (Maharashtra Amendment) Bill, 2020, to the President for assent earlier this year. The bill, inspired by the Disha Act of Andhra Pradesh and other similar laws, was passed by the state legislature in December 2021. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs asked for some information pertaining to the bill and the state Director General of Police will soon submit a report, Fadnavis said. While enacting special laws, some central laws are changed, hence such legislations are sent to eight central departments and scrutinized by the Law and Justice department to check whether they conform with Supreme Court and High Courts judgements, he said. I will

Wrong, unjust to felicitate accused in 2002 Bilkis Bano case: Fadnavis

The 11 convicts undergoing life sentences in the two decades old cases were set free on August 15, after spending 14 years in jail following an apex court order.

Current Maharashtra CM doesn't sit at home: Fadnavis' swipe at Uddhav

In a veiled swipe at Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said the current chief minister does not sit at home but tours the state and meets people. He also said the alliance of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will win the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation polls. Thackeray was often accused by the BJP of not stepping out of Mumbai during his tenure as the chief minister (November 2019- June 2022) and mostly using his residence for meetings. Fadnavis said MLA Ashish Shelar was asked to take up the post of Mumbai BJP to ensure victory in the BMC polls and exuded confidence the latter will win the "match". "When the BMC polls took place last time with Shelar was Mumbai BJP president, the party won 82 seats (in the 227-member civic body in 2017). We were ready to install our mayor but took two steps back for our ally (Shiv Sena) and allowed them to have their ..

Would burst 'Handi' of corruption in BMC, says Devendra Fadnavis

Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday said the BJP would soon "burst the Handi of corruption" in Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The BJP leader was speaking at a Dahi Handi event in the city. The Mumbai civic body was controlled by the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena before its term ended. The Sena has been in power in the BMC for more than 30 years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has started breaking the Handi of corruption. We will also burst the Handi of corruption in the BMC," Fadnavis said. Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar on this occasion took a swipe at Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray who won the 2017 Assembly election from Worli in the city. I want to thank Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and deputy CM Fadnavis for relaxing all the restrictions on the celebration of Hindu festivals....not only in Worli, but in many parts of Mumbai you (Shiv Sena) have won elections because of our support," he said. This time the BJP's lotus will bloom on the BMC, .

Yacht found off Raigad coast belongs to Australian, no terror angle: Govt

A 16-feet-long yacht owned by an Australian woman drifted to Raigad coast near Mumbai, officials said on Thursday, but ruled out a terror angle after three AK-47 rifles were found aboard. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the Home portfolio, informed the State Assembly that the vessel owner is an Australian woman whose husband was its captain. "As of now, there is no terror angle. But investigation is going on. We can't rule out any angle as of now. I am just sharing primary information, he added. Local police and the Anti-terror Squad are investigating the matter, he added. The yacht, which is four metres wide, was on way to Europe from Muscat in June when it drifted to inclement weather, he said. The Australian couple abandoned it after engine trouble, he added. Prima facie, there is no terror angle, but it is unclear why it was carrying arms, Fadnavis said, after Raigad legislator Aditi Tatkare sought a probe into the issue. A police official

Boat found with weapons off Raigad coast belongs to Australian: Fadnavis

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said the boat found with some semi-automatic weapons off the Raigad coast was owned by an Australian woman. The boat drifted due to the inclement weather and came to the Raigad coast, Fadnavis informed the state Assembly. The state home minister made the statement after NCP legislator Aditi Tatkare raised the issue in the House. "The boat found drifted off the Raigad coast is owned by an Australian woman. Some semi-automatic weapons have been found on it," he said. "Central agencies and the state police have started an investigation into the matter, he added. Earlier, a Coast Guard official said there was no security threat. According to officials, the crew members of this boat had been rescued in June this year near the Oman coast. It later drifted and grounded ashore, a Coast Guard official said. Some locals spotted the boat, having no crew member, in Shrivardhan area, located more than 190 km from Mumbai, and al

Everyone knows who the 'real CM' is: Aaditya Thackeray's dig at Shinde

In a searing attack on the Eknath Shinde-led government in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray on Wednesday said everyone knows who is the "real chief minister", apparently alluding to the clout of Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis of the BJP in the new dispensation. Taking a dig at the cabinet expansion, Aaditya Thackeray said the ministerial team has neither heard Mumbai's voice nor the voice of women or Independent MLAs. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde last week expanded his Cabinet, inducting nine MLAs each of the rebel Shiv Sena camp and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is supporting his government. No woman legislator or Independent was inducted in the Cabinet whose strength is now 20. The first 14 to 15 MLAs who aligned with Shinde when he revolted against the Shiv Sena leadership in June have not found a place in the Cabinet. So there is no place for loyalty, Aaditya Thackeray, a former minister, mocked while talking to reporters outside the state ...

Maharashtra: Fadnavis gets Home; Shinde to handle Urban Development

Another important portfolio - the Revenue Dept - has been given to BJP leader Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, who had quit Congress a few months before the 2019 Assembly elections to join the saffron party

Tricolour is symbol of self-awareness: Fadnavis during 'Tiranga Padyatra'

"The tricolour is not just a flag, but a symbol of our 'atmabhan' (self-awareness). Our soldiers get inspiration from the tricolour while fighting for the country," Fadnavis said.

75% of Maharashtra's 'mini cabinet' ministers face criminal cases

The 18-member 'mini-cabinet' expansion of Eknath Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis have thrown up many facts, including 75 per cent of total 20 'crorepati' ministers have criminal cases lodged against them

No women in 20-member cabinet as Maharashtra CM expands 41-day-old ministry

No minister of state was sworn in today. There will be another ministry expansion later, an aide of Shinde said

Women will be inducted in Maharashtra Cabinet in next expansion: Fadnavis

Fadnavis said in Mumbai, There will be women in next cabinet expansion for sure. Earlier, people were critical of us for delay in the cabinet expansion, but now they have come up with something new

Maharashtra cabinet expansion before Aug 15; Fadnavis to get Home Ministry

Eknath Shinde is likely to expand his cabinet by inducting at least 15 ministers and deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis is expected to keep the crucial Home portfolio, sources said on Sunday.

Maharashtra Deputy CM Fadnavis arrives in Delhi amid cabinet expansion buzz

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis arrived here on Thursday amid speculation of the much-delayed expansion of the state council of ministers. Fadnavis was expected to meet top BJP leaders, including Home Minister Amit Shah and party chief J P Nadda, to discuss the political situation in the state even as the Supreme Court continued to hear a bunch of petitions in connection with the change of government in Maharashtra. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who was indisposed and advised rest by doctors, stayed back in Mumbai. Shinde and Fadnavis were sworn in as chief minister and deputy chief minister, respectively on June 30 after the then incumbent Uddhav Thackeray quit the post due to a rebellion in the Shiv Sena ranks. Shinde and Fadnavis have been holding fort as a two-member cabinet, apparently awaiting the decision of the apex court. Speculation has been rife in Mumbai about an impending expansion of the council of ministers either on Friday or early n

Shinde govt completes a month in office, no sign of cabinet expansion yet

Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government, which came to power after high political drama, is completing one month in office but there is still no clarity on when the cabinet expansion will take place

New Maha govt succeeded in restoring OBC quota which MVA couldn't: Fadnavis

"Modi sainiks and Shiv sainiks will take Maharashtra to greater heights," he said.

Fadnavis assures Japanese officials of fast-tracking bullet train, projects

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday assured Consul-General of Japan in Mumbai Fukahori Yasukata of fast-tracking infrastructure projects

Maharashtra: Shiv Sena slams Shinde-Fadnavis over cabinet expansion

Shiv Sena attacked the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis dispensation in Maharashtra saying it was taking arbitrary decisions despite being trapped in a "constitutional dilemma" without a cabinet

Need advanced tech, innovative agronomy to enhance cotton production: Goyal

Union minister Piyush Goyal emphasised the need to introduce "advanced technologies and innovative agronomy" to enhance the productivity of cotton. Addressing an interactive meeting with the Textile Advisory Group in Mumbai on Thursday, the textile minister said supply of good quality seeds is the vital necessity for improving productivity of cotton. He also called for focus on ways to enhance productivity of cotton with specific outcome-oriented actions from all stakeholders including the government, research institutes and the industry. For delivery-based contract and open position limits on commodity exchange MCX, Goyal directed his ministry, textile commissioner, CCI and TAG to engage with MCX/SEBI and find structured solutions on contract front. Any possibilities of manipulations on price front to the disadvantage of cotton textile value chain have to be contained, the minister said. Goyal, on the suggestions of the industry, directed the textile commissioner that the penal .

Fadnavis visits Raj Thackeray's residence, says meeting not political

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis met MNS president Raj Thackeray on Friday. The meeting, which took place at Thackeray's residence in Dadar here, sparked off speculation, especially as it came ahead of civic elections in Mumbai and pending cabinet expansion of the Eknath Shinde-led government in the state. But Fadnavis maintained that it was only a "courtesy visit" for enquiring about Thackeray's health. The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief underwent a hip replacement surgery in June. Speaking to reporters later, the BJP leader said there was no need to read much into the meeting. "In Maharashtra, we have a culture of following political etiquette. He was unwell and I paid him a visit. What is so political about it?" Fadnavis said. MNS leader Bala Nandgaonkar said he and his party colleagues Nitin Sardesai and Sandeep Deshpande were present when the two leaders met, but later Fadnavis and Thackeray had a separate discussion for over an hour. Fadnavis a