Maharashtra Bandh Highlights and Updates: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will spend Rs 104.89 crore on operation and maintenance of newly set up Covid-19 jumbo centers. In anticipation of third wave of Covid-19, the civic body has made arrangements of 5,908 beds including 738 ICU beds and 200 for pediatric patients in five jumbo centers.
Read More
While work of three new jumbo Covid-19 centers at Malad, Kanjurmarg and Somaiya Ground in Sion has been completed recently, the BMC has created 100 ICU beds in BKC jumbo center and 730 beds in Dahisar.
Meanwhile, calling the Maharashtra bandh “100 per cent successful,” Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut stated that “people have wholeheartedly participated in the bandh.” Responding to a few incidents of violence, the MP said, “Such minor incidents take place during protests all over the world.”
Bus services across Mumbai were shut following incidents of stone pelting at some places in the wake of the bandh called by the Maha Vikas Aghadi government to protest against the Lakhimpur Kheri violence. Eight BEST buses and one leased bus were vandalized between midnight yesterday and this morning in Dharavi, Mankhurd, Shivaji Nagar, Charkop, Oshiwara, Deonar and Inorbit Mall.
The BJP opposed the ruling alliance’s call for a bandh. The Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly, Devendra Fadnavis demanded the high court to take cognizance of the bandh, stating, “earlier Supreme Court and Bombay High Court had banned such bandhs and fined Shiv Sena.”
Meanwhile, the Santacruz police on Sunday night busted a Navratri Garba party going on in a hall in Santacruz (west) with a crowd of around 100 people who were allegedly not wearing masks and not maintaining the social distancing norms.
Read less
Shops across Mumbai were shut on Monday amid MVA's call for a state-wide bandh in solidarity with the farmers in Uttar Pradesh.
Shops near Byculla vegetable market, Crawford market, at South Mumbai's Fort area, among others remained shut. Sena workers used vehicles with loudspeakers to appeal to the public to support the bandh.
Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram
The State Board for Wildlife (SBWL) in Maharashtra on Tuesday rejected the proposal to rectify the two per cent amount of the project cost of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed railway/bullet train, sought by the project proponent.
In March 2019, the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) cleared construction work in and around wildlife zones of Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) and Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary. As per the clearance, the project proponent had to deposit two per cent of Rs 4,143.46 crore (calculated as per area falling under the eco-sensitive zones), i.e. Rs 83.02 crore, to the SGNP. The money will be used for habitat development in wildlife zones.
At the time of approval, the eco-sensitive zone of the Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary was not notified. Read More
The Mumbai Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) Monday held an assistant conservator of forests (ACF) attached with Thane range for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 5.30 lakh from a junior officer.
The ACB said that it also found a large amount of cash and several alcohol bottles from the arrested officer Baliram Kolekar’s drawer.
The complainant in the case was a junior officer of the forest department from whom Kolekar had demanded money. An official said that the complainant was to get a grant and Kolekar demanded 5 per cent of the amount for him to complete the necessary formalities as the senior. Read More
At least 28 people were hospitalised on Tuesday after a gas leakage was reported from a chemical factory at MIDC area in Ambernath. They all complained of breathing trouble.
According to civic officials, the incident took place around 11 am, when sulphuric gas leaked from R K Chemical plant in Ambernath west. The official said that 34 people, including staffers of the company and people in the surrounding area, were affected and complained of having trouble breathing.
The fire brigade and Maharashtra Pollution Control Board officials rushed to the spot after being informed of the leakage. Read More
Days after purported audio clips of Shiv Sena leader Ramdas Kadam went viral, the party is unlikely to invite the former minister for the Dussehra rally that will be held at Shanmukhanand Hall at Sion in Mumbai on October 15.
Arvind Sawant, Shiv Sena MP and party’s chief spokesperson, said the Dussehra rally is being held at Shanmukhanand Hall with 50 per cent capacity. “Limited people will be given entry. Around 1300 people will be allowed to enter the hall. Uddhav ji (Thackeray) will address Shiv Sainiks and the entire state… I am not sure if Ramdas Kadam is invited or not,” Sawant told mediapersons.
In the last few weeks, a series of audio clips of conversations that Kadam purportedly had with one of his associates showed him expressing happiness over the action initiated by various authorities over the alleged illegal constructions of minister Anil Parab in Ratnagiri and Mumbai. Kadam is also purportedly heard speaking about how he was planning to meet BJP leaders including Pravin Darekar and Kirit Somaiya, who have been relentlessly attacking the Sena. Read More
A special court on Tuesday issued a non-bailable warrant against Mandakini Khadse, wife of NCP leader Eknath Khadse, who was booked in connection with a land grab case. The court also rejected her anticipatory bail application stating that it was not maintainable before it.
The court had directed Khadse and his wife to remain present before it after the Enforcement Directorate filed a prosecution complaint (chargesheet) against them last month in an alleged money-laundering case.
The court said that despite giving an undertaking that Mandakini would appear before it, she is ‘wilfully avoiding’ appearance before the court. It held that the medical ground given for her exemption from appearance on Tuesday was not satisfactory, and issued a warrant against her. Read More
A day after five army personnel were killed in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir, the Shiv Sena on Tuesday said revenge must be exacted five times the fatality of soldiers in the face-off with terrorists. An editorial in the Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' claimed that after the nullification of special provisions of Article 370, which took away the special rights given to Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan sympathisers have been emboldened.
Militants are trying to create an environment where people from different faiths cannot enter the Valley, it said. There has been a spurt in terrorist attacks in recent weeks in which several civilians, including a prominent Kashmiri Pandit businessman and a school teacher, were killed.
On Monday, Maharashtra's COVID-19 recovery rate stands at 97.34 per cent, while the fatality rate is 2.12 per cent.
Maharashtra reported 1,736 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, the lowest daily count in nearly 17 months, and 36 fresh fatalities, taking the infection tally to 65,79,608 and the toll to 1,39,578. Maharashtra witnessed a drop of more than 550 cases, but recorded an uptick in fatalities as compared to Sunday, when it had reported 2,294 new COVID-19 cases and 28 deaths.
The BJP has unleashed a governance of terror in the country, and under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi the party is not only trying to silence its critics but crushing them to death, Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana (SSS) president Raju Shetti said on Monday.
The SSS participated in the Maharashtra bandh called by the Maha Vikas Aghadi. Shetti said, “We supported and participated in today’s bandh. We are always in the forefront in the fight for rights of farmers.”
The Lakhimpur Kheri incident is shocking, he said. “Union minister Ajay Mishra’s son Ashish runs a jeep over the farmers and crushes them to death. What can be more brutal? What we witness is the governance of terror under BJP rule in the country.”
The Santacruz police on Sunday night busted a Navratri Garba party going on in a hall in Santacruz (west) with a crowd of around 100 people who were allegedly not wearing masks and not maintaining the social distancing norms.
“The garba party was going on in a hall next to SNDT college. A police patrolling van spotted several cars parked outside the SNDT college and went inside the hall to see a huge crowd,” said Dyaneshwar Ganore, senior inspector of Santacruz police station.
Shops remained closed in various parts of Pune as the Congress-Shiv Sena-NCP alliance called a bandh in Maharashtra to protest against the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.
The Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly, Devendra Fadnavis demanded the high court to take cognizance of the bandh, stating, "earlier Supreme Court and Bombay High Court had banned such bandhs and fined Shiv Sena."
While markets, shopping centres and shops on arterial road remained shut, few shops like plywood, mobile repair and clothing, as well as small eateries, partially opened by 3 pm on Monday.
Big retail shopping centres like Natraj Market in Malad West,Topiwala market in Goregaon (W), Dadar cloth market remained shut on Monday.
Leaders of three ruling parties - Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP - staged protests against the Lakhmipur Kheri incident, and Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut claimed the bandh was "100 per cent" successful.
Meanwhile, NCP leader Jayant Patil stated that essential services were not involved in the bandh, adding that the shutdown has been peaceful so far. "The government has no connection with the bandh. The three parties have called the bandh. We have called for the bandh and even the people of the state are upset with the BJP government. So they are backing us," he said.
In Mumbai, buses of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST- the transport undertaking of the city civic body) and many of the traditional 'black-yellow cabs' remained off roads, which led to huge crowds on suburban railway stations to commute by local trains, which were running as per schedule.
Officials of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) said their buses from Mumbai to other places were plying as per schedule and no untoward incident was reported anywhere.
Police personnel, including women, were on patrolling duty in every area of the city and no untoward incident was reported till now, a police official said. (PTI)
Police on Sunday night busted a Navratri Garba party in Santacruz (West) in which around 100 people without masks had reportedly gathered for revelry and social distancing norms were not being followed.
“The Garba party was going on in a hall next to SNDT College. A police patrol van spotted several cars parked outside the SNDT College and went inside the hall,” said Dyaneshwar Ganore, senior inspector of Santacruz police station.
The crowd was dispersed by the police and an FIR was registered against the hall owner and organisers under sections 188, 269 and 34 of the IPC and other sections of the Disaster Management Act. Read more.
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Monday alleged that Bollywood star Shahrukh Khan's son Aryan Khan was being targeted by the central agencies just due to his surname, claiming that Muslims are targeted to please the core vote bank of the BJP.
"Instead of making an example out of a Union Minister's son accused of killing four farmers, central agencies are after a 23-year-old simply because his surname happens to be Khan. Travesty of justice that Muslims are targeted to satiate the sadistic wishes of BJP's core vote bank," Mehbooba tweeted. (PTI)
The CBI on Monday conducted searches at the premises of former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh at multiple locations in connection with the leak of confidential documents related to the preliminary enquiry against him on allegations of corruption, officials said Monday.
A team of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials reached the residence of Deshmukh in Nagpur and Mumbai this morning with necessary warrants, they said. Read more.
Maharashtra NCP President and minister Jayant Patil stated that people have supported MVA's call for a state-wide bandh.
"No action has been taken against the Union minister and his son who were involved in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence. BJP is anti-farmer and wants to crush them," Patil was quoted as saying by ANI.
Maharashtra Congress workers led by MP Balubhau Dhanorkar carried out a bike rally in the Chandrapur district to protest against the Lakhimpur Kheri incident.
Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress workers organised a state-wide bandh to protest against the Lakhimpur Kheri incident. Several shops and other establishments across Mumbai and the state were shut in solidarity.
See more photos here.
Backing BJP MP Varun Gandhi for his support to the farmers' movement, especially after the Lakhmipur Kheri incident, the Shiv Sena on Monday said all farmer organisations should pass a resolution applauding him for his stand on the issue.
Varun Gandhi showed political courage without thinking of any consequence and condemned the killing of farmers, an editorial in the Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' noted.
Varun Gandhi on Sunday warned against attempts to turn the Lakhimapur Kheri incident into a "Hindu vs Sikh battle", saying it is dangerous to create these fault lines and reopen wounds that have taken a generation to heal. (PTI)
Criticising the MVA government's call for a state-wide bandh, BJP MLA Advocate Ashish Shelars stated, "the bandh in Maharashtra was opposed by farmers, students, traders and the citizens, but the alliance government forcibly imposed it on them."
"While the people were opposing the bandh, it was the government officials who were trying to create fear in their minds," Shelar added.
He went on to cite instances of farmers and traders resuming day-to-day operations. "NCP President Sharad Pawar had called for the bandh from Solapur, where activities were carried out as usual – the market yard began functioning and farmers reached there early morning to trade their produce without caring about the bandh. In Dadar, where Shiv Sena Bhavan is located, the market saw all transactions till 10 in the morning. Here too, farmers did not respond to the bandh," he said.
All shops, hotels and market places, which are usually crowded with vegetable vendors and hawkers, are shut in Dadar (east) except chemists. While taxis are plying as normal, the area is less crowded than usual.
Similarly, in Dadar (west) the flower market, which is bustling with huge crowd on a normal day, remained nearly empty on Monday.
A special court will hear the bail application of Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan’s son, Aryan Khan, and four others on Wednesday. On Monday, lawyers representing the five accused mentioned the case before the special court designated under the Narcotic Drugs and Pyschotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
“You have already kept me in for a week. The magistrate’s court has already said that there was no need for further custody to the NCB. I (Aryan) have not been found with any drugs, there is no material against me. They may arrest more persons in the case but they are not connected with me,” senior lawyer Amit Desai argued before the court on behalf of Aryan. Read more.
Congress leaders held a sit-in at the Raj Bhavan in Mumbai. Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole and Mumbai chief Bhai Jagtap were part of the protest agains the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.
Vehicular movement has been largely affected at Mankhurd, Malad (west), Cuffe Parade and near Shiv Sena Bhavan in Dadar due to protests by party workers and the 'rasta roko' agitation.
Shiv Sena workers staged a rasta roko protest at Asalpha village in Ghatkopar West, calling for a state-wide bandh.
Vehicular movement was restored after the police moved away the protesters calling for a state-wide bandh.
Shops across Mumbai have been shut in solidarity with the MVA's bandh.
Amid the state-wide bandh in Maharashtra, the situation near the Mumbai airport remained normal with passengers availing cab services like Ola, Uber and the kaali-peeli taxis.
NCP leader and state minister Nawab Malik on Sunday stated that there have been reports about stone pelting at some places, adding, "No one should indulge in such activities."
He called for the resignation for MoS Ajay Mishra, whose son, Ashish Mishra has been arrested by the UP Police in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri violence. "MVA's call for bandh today against killings in Lakhimpur Kheri (in UP) has received support from the Left and other parties and trade unions. The bandh is being observed peacefully across Maharashtra with widespread public support," he was quoted as saying by ANI.
Aryan Khan's lawyer Satish Maneshinde stated that they have filed a bail application with a Special NCB court in Mumbai. The hearing will take place on Wednesday.
Khan, son of actor Shah Rukh Khan, along with his friend Arbaaz Merchant and anchor-model Munmun Dhamecha, was arrested last week in connection with a drug raid on a cruise ship.
“Today’s bandh is to protest the Lakhimpur Kheri incident where innocent farmers were killed by those enjoying political power,” Shiv Sena MP Raut said, speaking to media outside his residence in Mumbai.
On reports of stone-pelting in some places in the state, Raut said, “When you hold demonstrations some untoward incidents like stone-pelting on buses, etc takes place. This has been the phenomenon across the world.”
Commenting on BJPs traders association protest and some leaders threatening to foil the bandh, Raut said, ” I dare them to come out in street and declare their stand. If anybody tries to counter the band they will face the ramifications.”
“From what we noticed the bandh is a success. Maharashtra has given a loud message — atrocities against farmers will not be tolerated,” Raut added. Read more.
NCP leaders outside the Andheri West Station condemned the killing of the farmers in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident. They highlighted how the farmers have been protesting for over 11 months against the new farm laws which are against the farmers' welfare.
"They (central governemt) want to shut down the APMCs and hand them over to Ambanis and Adanis," the NCP leader said, stating that this will harm the farmers as they don't have the money for transportation or godowns for storage.
Shiv Sena activists have been aggressively protesting across Mumbai and several parts of Maharashtra, including Ahmednagar, Aurangabad, Kolhapur, Solapur, and Nagpur, in support of the bandh.
The Sena workers and leaders are using vehicles with loudspeakers to appeal to the public to participate in the bandh.
No BEST buses are plying from outside the Churchgate station. However, share cabs are functioning.
Meanwhile, according to PTI, the black-yellow taxis are operating, but in lesser numbers. "The taxi operations outside the city airport are unaffected," said A L Quadros, general secretary of the Mumbai Taximens' Union.
Eight BEST buses and one leased bus were vandalized between midnight yesterday and this morning. The incidents took place in Dharavi, Mankhurd, Shivaji Nagar, Charkop, Oshiwara, Deonar and Inorbit Mall.
BEST's management has called for police protection. Buses will resume operations from all depots after reviewing the situation.
Establishments in several areas of Aurangabad city remained shut in response to MVA's call for a state-wide bandh.
In solidarity with the MVA's call for a state-wide bandh, the Shiv Sena activists took to the streets in Kolhapur to protest against the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.
Agriculture Produce Markets Committee in Pune has lent its support to the state-wide bandh in solidarity with the farmers in Uttar Pradesh. Trading and other work in APMC will remain closed till afternoon.
Country's biggest onion trading market, Lasalgaon, in Nashik has also stopped all its work in support of the bandh.
Meanwhile, traders in Nagpur showed a mixed response to the bandh in the early morning as some supported the bandh while others did not.
The Maharashtra BJP Traders Association in a statement issued on Monday said, "The traders have gone through very difficult times due to Covid 19 pandemic. They incurred huge financial loss due to Covid-19 lockdown for last one year. The MVA government has not announced any financial package or incentives to help the traders." Instead, "the MVA government now gave a clarion call to the traders to participate in bandh, which is shocking."
The statement added that the festival season which has started from Navratri is very significant for traders. Every day is important for business. After a year, business is gradually picking up and any attempt by the state government to force the shops in name of protest or bandh will be counter-productive, the association said.
While stating that traders association was not against farmers, it urged the state government to provide generous relief package to farmers who are devastated by recent floods in Maharashtra.
Amid a call for a state-wide bandh by the MVA, the BEST bus services have been stopped. However, local trains are operating as normal.
State NCP chief Jayant Patil, NCP leader Supriya Sule, minister Nawab Malik and others will gather at Hutatma Chowk in South Mumbai to stage a protest in solidarity with the farmers.
Meanwhile, state Congress chief Nana Patole and Mumbai Congress chief Bhai Jagtap will hold a maun vrat morcha outside the Raj Bhavan in Mumbai. Yuva Sena workers and CPI(M), too, will hold separate rallies in Solapur.
Most establishments in Navi Mumbai and Mumbai are shut in support of the MVA's call for a state-wide bandh to protest against the Lakhimpur Kheri violence. Lesser than normal traffic was seen on Navi Mumbai streets.
“Federation of Retail Traders Welfare Association has decided to keep shop close till 4 pm in support of bandh called by Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government in protest of the killing of farmers,” said FRTWA President Viren shah
After a PIL in the High Court, the state government has been forced to fill the vacancies at the state human rights commission. A panel of 10 retired judges and chief justices of the High Court has been suggested for the posts of chairperson, and for members, three will be chosen from a panel of 40 persons. At present, the human rights panel has IAS officer Tukaram Mundhe as member secretary and two IPS officers in the investigation wing. The full-fledged commission will be appointed by October-end.
Sameer Wankhade, zonal director at the Narcotics Control Bureau, is learnt to have got an extension after his tenure ends next month. This will be the second extension. Wankhade had come to the NCB last year on a “loan” from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence for six months to probe a case pertaining to the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput. UPSC usually frowns on double extensions. In this case, Wankhede’s current posting as the zonal director is below his pay grade.