In a veiled attack on the ruling BJP, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray has claimed efforts are being made to diminish the importance of Mumbai and Maharashtra. He also urged the Supreme Court to hear his party's plea against the Maharashtra assembly speaker's decision to allot the 'bow and arrow' symbol to the ruling Shiv Sena, and claimed democracy would die if justice is not delivered. Speaking on Wednesday at the 65th foundation day of 'Marmik', a magazine started by Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray and his brother Shrikant Thackeray, Uddhav Thackeray said "Marathi manoos" ensured they get Mumbai. "Marathi manoos was treated as an outsider (before the undivided Shiv Sena was formed in 1966). Efforts are being made to create such circumstances again, to see whether a bite can be taken out of Mumbai and Maharashtra - be it the imposition of Hindi or reducing the importance of Mumbai and Maharashtra. These efforts have not stopped," the former CM claimed. "The work of Shiv Sen
Shiv Sena (UBT) head Uddhav Thackeray on Monday accused Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis of "shielding corrupt" ministers in his cabinet, and claimed the ruling Mahayuti has relegated the state to last position in development and top in corruption. Speaking at a protest organised here to demand the sacking of "corrupt" ministers, primarily from the rival Shiv Sena, which is a constituent of the Mahayuti along with the BJP and NCP, Thackeray said the agitation will continue until those ministers are shown the door. The Sena (UBT) said it has carried out similar agitation across the state. Thackeray asked the party workers to inform the public about "corrupt" actions of the Mahayuti ministers. "We gave them (government) evidence (against ministers) and yet there is no action on them. Someone is running a dance bar, another has a bag full of notes. There is no need of even any probe now, yet the CM does not sack the ministers," Thackeray said. The Shiv Sena (UBT) has bee
In a veiled attack on Shiv Sena-UBT, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said that "some treated Mumbai as a golden goose" and forced people to travel through potholed and congested roads, which will be a key issue in the upcoming local bodies elections in the state. In a video interview with PTI, Shinde said he and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis were busy giving Mumbai an image makeover, and the financial capital of the nation will get "pothole-free roads" and better sanitation facilities in the next 18 months. He also asserted that the BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP MahaYuti alliance will contest the upcoming local bodies elections together and expressed confidence about emerging victorious. "We contested the Lok Sabha elections together and won. The BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP MahaYuti won the Maharashtra elections. We will win the local bodies elections as MahaYuti alliance," Shinde said. The rapid development of infrastructure across the state and particularly in Mumbai and suburban ar
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Wednesday denied making any remarks on forging an alliance with the Shiv Sena (UBT) led by his cousin Uddhav Thackeray, and claimed that the words that he did not utter were wrongly attributed to him in a section of media. In a post on X, Thackeray said if he wants to make any political statement, he will do so by holding a press conference. He said the party organised a conclave for selected office-bearers at Igatpuri in Nashik on July 14 and 15, where he held an informal interaction with journalists. "When there was an informal chat with journalists, I was asked about the July 5 victory celebration rally in Mumbai. I said the event was to celebrate the victory of Marathi manoos and that it was not political. Then they (the journalists) asked what about the alliance (with the Shiv Sena-UBT). To this I responded, saying - Should I discuss the alliance matters with you now?" Thackeray said. "Words, which I did not utter, were .
The Supreme Court on Monday set August to hear a plea of Uddhav Thackeray-led faction against the Maharashtra assembly speaker's decision to give the "bow and arrow" party symbol to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi said the issue had been pending for long and the uncertainty cannot be allowed to continue. "We will be fixing the matter in August for final disposal of the main case," the bench told senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the Uddhav faction. Sibal said they wanted an expeditious disposal of the case in view of the local body elections in the state. Senior advocate Neeraj Kishan Kaul, appearing for the Shinde faction, said the court had previously refused an urgent hearing on the issue. Sibal said the assembly speaker's decision to hand over the symbol to the opposite party in 2023 based on the legislative majority was contrary to a Constitution bench verdict of the top court. Justice Kant then said, "We w
A viral video shows a group of people, allegedly from Shiv Sena (UBT), slapping the driver and making him publicly apologise for his 'anti-marathi' remarks
The Shiv Sena (UBT) lawmakers on Friday demanded that 20 per cent houses in buildings in Mumbai be reserved for native Marathi speakers. Leader of Opposition in the legislative council Ambadas Danve and Milind Narvekar gave a letter with this demand to minister Shambhuraj Desai, who belongs to the rival Shiv Sena. "We demand 20 per cent of houses in buildings in Mumbai for Marathi Manoos," Nareveak said in a post on X. On Thursday, Narvekar had asked in the legislative council whether a social organisation had demanded that 50 per cent housing units in the city be reserved for the Marathi people, and if the government had taken any decision on it. In a written reply, deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who is also the Housing Minister, said his department had not received any such letter. Replying on behalf of Shinde, Mines Minister Shambhuraj Desai had said when the Maha Vikas Aghadi government led by Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray was in power during 2019-2022, it did not br
Mumbai Police to register assault case against Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad after viral video shows him slapping and punching canteen staff over alleged poor food quality
Govt sources clarify that Srikanth Shinde, son of Maharashtra Deputy CM, has not received an income tax notice. The scrutiny was part of a routine selection
Shiv Sena legislator Sanjay Gaikwad on Thursday said his act of assaulting a staffer at an MLA hostel canteen for serving "stale food" may have been harsh, but it led to a swift action from the government on the food quality issue despite repeated complaints earlier. A viral video footage showing the Buldhana MLA slapping and punching an employee at the Akashwani MLAs' hostel canteen here on Tuesday night for serving "stale food" has drawn widespread condemnation from government and opposition, with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis denouncing the act. The Maharashtra Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) on Wednesday evening suspended the licence of the caterer that operates the canteen, saying violations of the food safety norms were found during an inspection at the facility earlier in the day. Speaking to reporters here on Thursday, Gaikwad said, "There were 200 to 400 complaints in the last four to five years, but the FDA did not act. FDA Minister Narhari Zirwal himsel
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said on Thursday that arrangements like the INDIA bloc or the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) are not necessary for the upcoming local and civic body elections in Maharashtra. The Rajya Sabha member was speaking to reporters here during a routine media interaction. MVA was formed for the Maharashtra assembly elections, and the INDIA bloc for the Lok Sabha polls. There is no need for such alliances when it comes to civic elections, he said. About two dozen parties from across the country are a part of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), while MVA comprises the Congress, Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP). Raut also referred to public sentiment in Mumbai and other cities for a joint contest between the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena (UBT) and Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). There is pressure from people that Sena (UBT) and MNS should contest the civic polls in Mumbai and other cities in the state together. However, since the ...
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his deputy Eknath Shinde, questioning their silence over BJP MP Nishikant Dubey's remarks on the language issue in the state. Speaking to reporters here, Raut said Shiv Sena chief Shinde and his supporters should remove the photographs of the late Bal Thackeray from their offices if they continued to ally with Dubey. Amid an outrage over MNS workers thrashing a shopkeeper for not speaking Marathi, Dubey has courted controversy with his reported "patak patak ke marenge" (will thrash you) remarks targeting party chief Raj Thackeray and his cousin Uddhav Thackeray. "To those beating Hindi speakers in Mumbai, if you have the courage, try beating Urdu speakers in Maharashtra. Even a dog is a tiger in its own home. Decide for yourself who is the dog and who is the tiger," the Godda MP posted on X. Raut slammed Dubey for his remarks, alleging that he was a "middlema
Opposition legislators staged a protest at the Maharashtra Vidhan Bhavan's steps on Thursday against Shiv Sena lawmaker Manisha Kayande's remarks claiming "urban Naxals" have infiltrated the annual wari pilgrimage to Pandharpur. The protesters, including Leader of Opposition in the legislative council Ambadas Danve, Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar and NCP (SP) leader Jitendra Awhad, held copies of the Constitution and shouted slogans criticising the government for allegedly defaming the religious tradition. They accused the government of promoting superstition and dividing the society by targeting devotees who participate in the holy Ashadhi wari annual pilgrimage to the temple town of Pandharpur. Kayande's remarks were unfounded, misleading and an attempt to politicise the spiritual journey undertaken by lakhs of 'warkaris' (devotees of Lord Vitthal) every year, they claimed. The opposition leaders alleged that such remarks were an attempt to create discord and
The SIT submitted its report to the Bombay High Court, stating that no evidence of murder or conspiracy was found in the case
The Uddhav Thackeray-led faction on Wednesday moved the Supreme Court for an urgent hearing on its plea over the contentious Shiv Sena symbol in wake of the upcoming local body elections in Maharashtra. The matter was mentioned before a bench of Justices M M Sundresh and K Vinod Chandran which agreed to list it on July 14. The counsel for the Shiv Sena (UBT) informed the bench that local body polls were likely to be notified soon in the state. The counsel appearing for the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction said a similar request was made on May 7 before a bench headed by Justice Surya Kant, also hearing the symbol row matter, and it was rejected. The Shiv Sena (UBT) counsel argued that Justice Kant-led bench had said the matter could be mentioned during the top court's partial court working days. He argued the matter raised the "question of peoples' choice". He said the plea seeks an interim arrangement similar to the one directed by the apex court in the Nationalist Congress P
Days after the Maharashtra government withdrew orders on three-language policy in schools, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Tuesday said they will hold a rally on July 5 to observe it as "Marathi Vijay Diwas". He also asked the BJP-led Mahayuti government to stop misleading people of the state, in reference to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' claim that Uddhav Thackeray, as the then CM, had accepted recommendations of the Dr Raghunath Mashelkar committee to introduce a three-language policy from class 1 to 12 and set up a committee on the policy implementation. Raut urged the government to produce and publicly burn any government resolution (GR) allegedly issued under the previous Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. "Let them bring that GR, and burn it if it exists," Raut told reporters, slamming the BJP for "forcibly imposing" Hindi on Marathi-speaking students. "We have opposed the BJP government's resolution which was indirectly enforcing Hindi as the third ...
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has shown the "real Shiv Sena" to everybody, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said, drawing a sharp reaction from the Shiv Sena (UBT). Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday claimed Shah's remark had rubbed salt into the wounds of Marathi people. Shah made the remark on Friday while acknowledging the presence of Shinde at an event organised by the lobby grouping Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industries & Agriculture (MACCIA) here. The Bal Thackeray-founded party split in June 2022 after Shinde rebelled and brought down the Maha Vikas Aghadi government under Uddhav Thackeray. Since then, the two factions have been engaged in an acrimonious battle to lay claim to the founder's legacy and be called the "real Shiv Sena". "Shinde has shown which is the real Shiv Sena to everybody," Shah said. The remarks come a day after both the Eknath Shinde and Uddhav Thackeray factions, now called Shiv Sena and Shiv Sena (UBT), ...
NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Friday said that the constituents of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will deliberate on contesting the upcoming civic elections in Maharashtra together. As the Supreme Court has directed that municipal elections be conducted in the state, the process will begin soon, Pawar told reporters in Baramati. Though we have not yet held discussions with the Congress, our party, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), the Shetkari Kamgar Paksh, and other parties will come together and explore the possibility of contesting the polls together. A final decision will be taken, as we wish to fight the polls together, he said. Asked whether the MVA would jointly contest the civic polls in Mumbai, he said no such discussion has taken place so far. Among us, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) has a strong base in Mumbai, and their opinion will be taken into consideration, he added. The Bal Thackeray-founded undivided Shiv Sena had controlled the cash-rich Brihanmum
The Shiv Sena (UBT) is ready to take a step forward or even backward and there is no political ego in it, party MP Sanjay Raut said on Tuesday amid the chatter of rapprochement between his outfit and the MNS. The Sena (UBT), led by former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, will do whatever possible for the benefit of Maharashtra, "Marathi manoos" (Marathi-speaking people) and to re-ensure their claim on Mumbai, Raut told reporters. "We are ready to take a step ahead or back. There is no political ego in it," the Rajya Sabha member said. Estranged cousins Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray have sparked speculation about a possible reconciliation with their recent statements indicating they could ignore "trivial issues" and join hands nearly two decades after a bitter parting of ways. While Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) head Raj Thackeray has said uniting in the interest of "Marathi manoos" is not difficult, Uddhav has insisted he is ready to put aside trivial fights, provided those
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray has said his party is ready to come together with anyone who will work to protect the interests of Maharashtra and "Marathi manoos". The statement comes amid speculation of rapprochement between the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) and his cousin Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). Talking to reporters here on Sunday, Aaditya Thackeray accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party of "swallowing" Mumbai and Maharashtra. Injustice was being meted out to Maharashtra by the BJP, he alleged. "We have been saying this consistently. We are ready to work with anyone, any party that is ready to work in the interests of Maharashtra and Marathi manoos (Marathi-speaking people)," the Sena (UBT) MLA said. "Our responsibility is to bring in a change. Any party that is working to protect the interests of Maharashtra needs to come together and fight," the former state minister said to a question on the possibility of an alliance between the M