Page 33 - Maharashtra

Remove Aurangzeb tomb's protected tag to prevent riots: UBT Sena

Violence erupted in Nagpur on Monday after stones were hurled at police amid rumours that the holy book of a community was burnt during an agitation by a right-wing body

Cabinet approves 6-lane highway project connecting JNPT at Rs 4,500 crore

According to an official statement, the project will be developed on build, operate and transfer (BOT) mode at a total cost of Rs 4,500.62 crore

Nagpur situation under control, curfew remains in sensitive areas: Police

The law and order situation in Nagpur, which was rocked by violence on Monday night, is under control but a curfew continues in many sensitive areas of the city, a senior official said on Wednesday. Police Commissioner Ravinder Kumar Singal said the situation will be reviewed in the afternoon. Another official said that more than 2,000 armed police personnel have been deployed in the sensitive areas. Similarly, the QRT (quick response team) and RCP (riot control police) are conducting patrolling led by a DCP-rank officer, he said. Violence erupted in central Nagpur's Chitnis Park in the Mahal area on Monday, with stones hurled at police amid rumours that the holy book of a community was burnt during an agitation by a right-wing body demanding the removal of Aurangzeb's tomb in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district. As many as 34 police personnel were injured in the violence. A curfew, restricting the movement of people and vehicles, was subsequently imposed in sensitive areas in the .

Nagpur violence premeditated; film Chhaava reignited emotions: CM Fadnavis

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday said the violence in Nagpur appears to be premeditated and the mob had targeted specific houses, and stated that the film "Chhaava" reignited people's emotions against Aurangzeb. Speaking in the legislative assembly, Fadnavis said the Vicky Kaushal-starrer "Chhaava", based on the life of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, brought before the people the true history of the Maratha king. Chhatrapati Sambhaji, son of Maratha Empire founder Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, was tortured and killed by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. "After that (the movie), people's emotions have been reignited. The anger against Aurangzeb is being exhibited in a big way," he said. Curfew has been imposed in several areas of Nagpur city after a protest against Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's tomb on Monday triggered violence during which several houses and vehicles were vandalised. Fadnavis, who holds the Home portfolio, said 33 police personnel, including three deputy

Eknath Shinde labels those praising Aurangzeb as 'traitors' on Shiv Jayanti

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has said the people still praising Aurangzeb are "traitors", noting the Mughal emperor had sought to conquer the state and committed various atrocities. On the other hand, Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was the "divine force" who stood for valour, sacrifice and the spirit of Hindutva, Shinde said on Monday night on the occasion of 'Shiv Jayanti'. The Shiv Sena head was speaking at the unveiling of an equestrian statue of Shivaji Maharaj at Gharda Chowk in Dombivli area of Thane district, installed to honour the legacy of the Maratha king, his courage and leadership. His remarks come amid demands from some right-wing outfits for the removal of Aurangzeb's tomb located in the state's Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district. Notably, violence erupted in central Nagpur on Monday following rumours that the holy book of a community was burnt during an agitation by a right-wing body for the removal of Aurangzeb's tomb. Speaking at the

Aurangzeb row leads to violent clashes, curfew in Nagpur: What we know so far

Tensions flared in Nagpur over the Aurangzeb row, leading to violent clashes, injuries, and arson. Authorities imposed curfew as security forces worked to restore order

Nagpur Violence: Clashes erupt in Hansapuri after earlier unrest in Mahal

An eyewitness from Hansapuri described the chaos caused by a masked group

Nagpur violence: Curfew imposed after protest over Aurangzeb's grave

The curfew applies to police station limits in Kotwali, Ganeshpeth, Tehsil, Lakadganj, Pachpaoli, Shantinagar, Sakkardara, Nandanvan, Imamwada, Yashodharanagar, and Kapilnagar

Nagpur violence: BJP's Bawankule calls for peace as police detain over 20

Bawankule stressed the need to prevent misinformation from spreading and assured that an investigation would reveal the cause of the unrest

Fadnavis urges peace amid Nagpur violence over rumours of burning holy book

Tension gripped central Nagpur on Monday when stones were hurled at police amid rumours that the holy book of the Muslim community was burnt during an agitation by a right-wing body for the removal of Aurangzeb's tomb, leaving four persons injured, officials said. Police fired tear gas shells and resorted to cane-charge to disperse the mob in Chitnis Park and Mahal areas. Violence also reportedly spread to Kotwali and Ganeshpeth in the late afternoon, officials said. Officials said the Chitnish Park to Shukrawari Talao road belt was most affected by violence as per the preliminary information, where some four-wheelers were set afire by rioters. Stones were also thrown at the homes of residents. Police are trying to disperse mobs believed to be in thousands. The trouble began late afternoon shortly after Bajrang Dal members demonstrated near the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue in Mahal area. According to police, rumours spread that the Quran was burnt during the agitation. Video

Birla Estates targets Rs 2,700 cr revenue from housing project in Pune

Birla Estates, a subsidiary of Aditya Birla Real Estate Ltd, is expecting a revenue of Rs 2,700 crore from its first housing project in Pune. In a regulatory filing, Aditya Birla Real Estate informed that its subsidiary Birla Estates has launched its first project in Pune 'Birla Punya' with an estimated revenue potential value of Rs 2,700 crore. The project is spread over 5.76 acres and will feature 1.6 million (16 lakh) sq ft of saleable area including 1,000 flats. The project will be developed in phases, with Phase 1 offering two towers and 500 units. K T Jithendran, MD & CEO of Birla Estates, said, "As Pune's real estate market continues to be on the rise, driven by its thriving IT ecosystem and strong infrastructure development, we see that there is a growing demand for premium homes." Birla Estates has projects in Mumbai, Pune, Delhi-NCR and Bengaluru.

Maharashtra govt arm plans to raise $1.7 billion via local bond sale

The borrowing is part of a push by the Indian government to overhaul road quality and reduce traffic

Sule compares proposed anti-urban Naxal bill to Rowlatt Act, seeks review

NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule has equated the proposed law against urban naxalism in Maharashtra with the colonial Rowlatt Act, which she alleged might be misused against individuals or organisations critical of the government, effectively creating a police raj. Sule demanded that the government review the draft of the bill and ensure that Constitutional values are not violated. The 'Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill, 2024' bill, which will become the first law to tackle naxalism in the state, proposes to give several powers to the government and the police machinery in combating unlawful activities. All offences registered under this Act will be cognisable and non-bailable. While re-introducing the bill during the winter session of the state legislature last December, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had said the law was aimed at closing down the dens of urban Naxals, stressing that the proposed legislation was not against suppressing genuine dissenting voices. Sule on Saturday

Maharashtra farmer suicides worrying, govt needs a policy solution: Pawar

NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar on Saturday expressed concerns about farmer suicides in Marathwada and Vidarbha and said the Centre should come up with a policy to help cultivators. Pawar's statement comes in the backdrop of the data released by the state relief and rehabilitation department that revealed that 2,635 farmers died by suicide in Maharashtra in 2024. "The information which has come from Marathwada and Vidarbha is worrying. We will collect accurate data from different locations. The Centre should prepare a policy to help farmers," he told reporters in Baramati. On speculations about NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil crossing over to the Ajit Pawar-led party faction, the senior politician said Patil had already given his statement to the media. Patil, the state president of NCP (SP), had earlier said nothing about him was certain, sparking the buzz that he could quit the party. On Friday, Patil met the NCP (SP) chief at an event in Baramati and later said he was not upset an

MPSC exams to be conducted in Marathi language, says CM Devendra Fadnavis

All competitive examinations conducted through the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) will be held in Marathi, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said. Fadnavis made the announcement in the state legislative council on Wednesday while responding to a question raised by Shiv Sena (UBT) legislator Milind Narvekar. Narvekar pointed out that some examinations related to agriculture and engineering disciplines were conducted only in English. He asked why the engineering-related exams were not being conducted in Marathi. Addressing the query, CM Fadnavis said, "These exams are already conducted in both Marathi and English. However, court had ruled in certain cases that some exams, particularly those related to agricultural engineering, should be conducted only in English." "When the matter was taken to the court, a discussion was held at the government level, and it was noted that textbooks for these subjects were not available in Marathi. This was brought to the court's ...

Those responsible for flawed MSRTC tender will face action: CM Fadnavis

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday promised a probe into a tender process for leasing buses for MSRTC which is estimated to have caused a loss of Rs 1,700 crore. Speaking in the legislative council, he said work orders were issued at the level of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) through "collusion" with contractors, and action will be taken against those responsible within a month. Fadnavis was responding to a starred question raised by Congress's Rajesh Rathod. "The work orders for the tender process to acquire 1,310 buses were issued when the government formation was underway (after the November 2024 elections), a full cabinet was not in place, and neither the chief minister nor the deputy chief minister had approved it," he said. "This led to an estimated loss of around Rs 1,700 crore to the state exchequer. Following this revelation, the tender process was halted, and an inquiry was ordered under the additional secretary of the ...

Activist Damania seeks reopening of all criminal cases against Walmik Karad

Activist Anjali Damania on Tuesday said she would demand reopening of all criminal cases registered against Walmik Karad, the prime accused in the sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh murder case. Talking to reporters, she said Karad faces multiple criminal cases. "As per my information, there were 16 cases and all of them have been disposed of except two to three cases. Hence, I am going to demand re-opening of all those cases against him," she said. All the disposed cases should be brought before the judicial committee again, she said. "I am going to write to the committee and have also asked (deceased sarpanch's brother) Dhananjay Deshmukh to do the same," Damania said. Santosh Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed district, was kidnapped and tortured to death in December last year, allegedly for thwarting attempts to extort money from a windmill company. NCP leader Dhananjay Munde, who hails from Beed district, resigned as Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Minist

NOC to be made mandatory for liquor vends in housing societies: Ajit Pawar

Ajit Pawar also told the legislative assembly that no permission to open new liquor shops has been given in the state since 1972

Did Maharashtra reduce budget for 'Ladki Bahin' scheme? All we know

While the government's manifesto had promised an increase in the monthly stipend from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,100, the budget has yet to give it a formal nod

Maharashtra govt proposes 6% tax on EVs costing more than Rs 30 lakh

The Maharashtra government on Monday proposed a 6 per cent tax on electric vehicles priced more than Rs 30 lakh in the budget for the fiscal 2025-26. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who also holds the finance portfolio, tabled the budget and announced a 1 per cent hike in the Motor Vehicle Tax on CNG and LPG vehicles. The government has also proposed a 7 per cent tax on vehicles used for construction activities, which will generate additional revenue of approximately Rs 180 crore. The state government has proposed a 6 per cent tax on electric vehicles above Rs 30 lakh and a 1 per cent tax hike on individual-owned non-transport four-wheeler CNG and LPG vehicles. The move will generate an additional revenue of approximately Rs 150 crore in 2025-26. Pawar also announced a 7 per cent tax on light goods vehicles (LGVs) carrying goods up to 7,500 kg, which will earn the state Rs 625 crore. The government has also increased the maximum limit of the Motor Vehicles Tax from Rs 20 lakh t