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Maharashtra daily Loksatta’s editor Kumar Ketkar has been attacked by Shiv Sangram Sanghatana supporters in Thane on Thursday.

A group of 10-15 members calling itself the Shiv Sangram Samiti attacked his house and throw stones breaking window panes and smearing tar on the walls. The editor lives in a ground floor flat in Hundiwala House in Thane East but they escaped unhurt.

It is reported that Kumar Ketkar, a senior journalist of Loksatta had written about the government’s new proposal for a giant statue of Shivaji in the sea off the Mumbai coast which will be the mirror of Statue of Liberty in New York.

The group claims that the editorial makes insulting remarks about Shivaji and criticized political parties over this issue. He had also criticized Deputy Chief Minister RR Patil and the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party. The supporters attacked at his residence in protest of his editorial.

A complaint was filed by Ketkar and seven people have been arrested for rioting and destruction of property in this case.

“The attack was pre-planned as the activists had come armed. I strongly condemn this attack on the fourth estate,” General Secretary of Bharatiya Janata Party’s Maharashtra unit Vinod Tawade told media persons.

Several other leaders from various parties, media persons, representatives of social organizations and others have rushed to the Ketkars to offer support and condemn the attack.

Tags: Loksatta, Maharashtra

Five persons were injured in a minor blast in the parking lot of a Gadkari Rangaytan auditorium in Thane in Maharashtra on Wednesday.

It was reported that the blast occurred just before the Marathi play Aamhi Paachpute was about to begin. the entire place has been cordoned off, said the police.

Incidentally, Aamhi Pachpute was also targeted earlier in an incident in Vashi, the satellite town of Mumbai.

On June 1, an alert citizen called the police after he saw an unidentified bag kept in an auditorium just before the play was about to begin. The bomb squad diffused the bomb before it could cause any damage.

It was claimed by some right wing organisations that Hindus are targeting the play as it ridicules the Hindu religion.

Further investigation about the cause of the blast is going on. Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil got in touch with the Thane police officials, who informed him that a police team has already reached the site to ascertain the nature of the blast, sources in the state home department said.

Tags: Bomb, bomb blast, Maharashtra, Marathi, Mumbai

The Maharashtra government has planned to build its very own Statue of Liberty of Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji, off the coast of Mumbai in the Arabian Sea. The statue of the Maratha warrior king will mirror (Statue of Liberty) another global icon, the statue of liberty in New York.

“We are also planning a light and sound show and a museum so that people get to know Shivaji, the king and the administrator,” said Vilasrao Deshmukh, Chief Minister, Maharashtra.

The statue will be 93 meters tall- the same height that of Statue of Liberty in New York. But the supposed statue of 17th century Maratha king at 309 feet and cast in bronze, rising 1.8 km from the Arabian Sea, has already created lots of controversies. It is a sudden proposal woken up to four years after being in power by the congress led Maharashtra government. Questions are being raised on the proposal as elections are coming next year.

“What’s the need? It will be a problem whether aesthetically, environmentally or economically,” said Nayana Kathpalia, convener, Citispace.

Not what the chief minister and his deputy were thinking during a site inspection, an island measuring 30,000 square meters and a ferry service to be built along the city’s coast, a coastline that also happens to host one of Mumbai’s most coveted promenades. It is among the country’s most well-known landmarks.

“I think this is nothing but an attempt by the government to garner some votes keeping in mind next year’s elections,” said R N Somani, Walkers Association of Marine Drive.

The project is expected to cost nearly five million dollars.

Tags: Maharashtra, Mumbai, New York, Statue of Liberty, Vilasrao Deshmukh

MNS leader Raj Thackray creating a fresh violence against North Indians in Maharashtra targeted the large number of North Indian Students pursuing their studies in Pune.

“Pune, with its large number of reputed universities and institutions imparting higher education is attracting students from these states who are being given admissions on massive donations leaving in the lurch the deserving Marathi aspirants,” Raj said at a party rally held in Pune on Sunday night.

Thackeray said he would not like to equate those coming from UP and Bihar with the people from other North Indian states. Even states like Punjab and Delhi harbor anti- UP-Bihari sentiments, he claimed.

“We will be watching these institutions as the new academic year is approaching. We know that these affluent students from UP and Bihar also indulge in eve teasing and arrogant behavior. If they persist with this they will be taught a lesson,” the MNS leader added.

Twenty-eight MNS activists, including party general secretary Deepak Paigude, were arrested by police for organizing the rally, defying the ban orders imposed to ensure smooth flow of traffic through the city.

Also the MNS leader challenged Railway Minister Lalu Prasad for the Chhatt Puja. He said, “if Railway Minister Lalu Prasad continued to challenge and provoke MNS, he would not be allowed to come out of Mumbai airport to perform it.”

“We are not against the puja but any attempt to turn it into a strength show on part of UP and Bihari migrants will not be tolerated,” he added.

Tags: Maharashtra, MNS, Mumbai, Pune, Raj Thackrey

After one more fresh attack on North Indians by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leader Raj Thackeray in Mumbai, state Police on Sunday said that they may take legal action against him.

Congress and BJP claimed that his remarks were “objectionable” and have no place in country’s polity, referring to which Mumbai Police Commissioner Hasan Gafoor told in Mumbai, “We are going through the transcripts and if we find any provocative content in it, we will refer it to a legal team. Based on their advice, we may also initiate fresh legal action against Raj.”

On Saturday, Thackeray attacked North Indians for trying to “invade” Marathi culture and dared the government to arrest him for making the statement while giving a speech in Mumbai.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh termed Raj’s remarks as “objectionable” and said the police would do the needful.

“Shiva, Parvathi, Ganesh, are all members of the same family. Nobody should be allowed to indulge in politics of breaking the family”, BJP chief Rajnath Singh said.

Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh also accused Congress of supporting Raj.

‘I am convinced that many ministers in Maharashtra government are behind Raj’s attack against North Indians’, he alleged. “They are using Raj as their means to put up their agenda”, Singh said.

Raj Thackray had led a violent anti-North Indian campaign in February and was arrested on charges of inciting people, as the party had allegedly been behind the creation of Sikh militant leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.

Tags: Maharashtra, Mumbai, North Indians, Raj, Raj Thackeray, Sena, Shiv Sena, Thackeray

Senior Maharashtra Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Gopinath Munde, who had quit from his party posts including that of general secretary on Sunday, cancelled his resignation after talking with Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) central leadership on Tuesday in New Delhi.

“I am satisfied with my discussions with the party leadership,” Munde told reporters.

Munde met senior BJP leader L K Advani and discussed the issue and all his problems before withdrawing his resignation.

Munde earlier have indicated his withdrawal saying that he will not leave BJP and had never thought of joining any other party.

“I have been with the BJP for the last 30 years and I will stay in the party. I have never thought of joining any other platform. I will never think of it.” He said.

Munde had reportedly expressed his displeasure over the appointment of Madhu Chavan, a close confidant of Maharashtra BJP president Nitin Gadkari, as president of the Mumbai BJP unit. He wanted Kirit Somaya to be the Mumbai party chief.

Munde had said on Sunday that the party had not been functioning in a democratic manner, which led him to take the decision. For this issue Munde was also supported by Shiv Sena’s Cheif Bala Thackray. He also met another powerful leader Chhagan Bhujbal before leaving to Delhi.

Tags: Bala Thackrey, BJP, Chhagan Bhujbal, Gopinath Munde, Maharashtra, Munde

16 BJP corporators of Pune civic body have sent their their resignations to party president Rajnath Singh to express their loyalty for Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) general secretary Gopinath Munde, who quit from all posts on Sunday over appointing Madhu Chavan.

Munde was upset over the decision of appointment of key functionaries of BJP’s Mumbai unit by the party`s central leadership.

The corporators met late Sunday night to discuss the issue of Munde’s resignation and finally decided to resign to favour of Munde.

They said their loyalties would remain with the BJP leader and they would follow the “path” shown by him in future.

The supporters will go to Mumbai from Pune on Tuesday to attend rally in support of Munde.

Sandeep Khardekar, Vice President of Pune BJP said the Maharashtra BJP president Nitin Gadkari did not enjoy the support or trust of party workers and efforts to “sideline” Munde in the state’s affairs would not be tolerated.

It was revealed that a bitter battle has been raging between Munde and the state unit president Nitin Gadkari past several months.

Supportes are angry over Munde being sidelined over Nitin Gadkari ever since the gunning down of Pramod Mahajan.

Munde is summoned to Delhi in an effort to resolve the issue and discuss his problems but he denied to come and said,” Let them come to Mumbai”.

It is a very critical time period for the party as elections are coming and if the issue is not resolved soon the party will get a big jolt. It was indicated that if Munde is being sidelined like this, he will quit the party.

Tags: BJP, Gopinath, Gopinath Munde, Maharashtra, Mumbai, Munde, Pune

The 6-day long strike of residential doctors and medical students was called off today after an assurance by the Maharashtra government to meet their demands, including increasing the number of post graduate seats.

“The state government has agreed to meet all our demands and promised to increase the number of seats for post graduation courses within a month,” Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors spokesperson Ravikant Singh said.

“The state government has also given an assurance on improving the infrastructure of various government hospitals at the earliest,” he said.

Doctors were on strike since April 15, Sunday demanding to restore the PG seats to earlier number 653 for 2007, which is declined to 411 by Medical Council of India (MCI) from this year. Teachers and other medicos had also joined the squad to intensify the protest on Thursday.

On Sunday the doctors called off the strike after meeting Principal Secretary (Medical Education) Amitabh Chandra and Head of Directorate of Medical Education and Research W B Tayde.

Tags: Doctors, Health, Maharashtra, Strike

An indefinite strike by medical students and residential doctors of government medical colleges is going in Maharashtra from Tuesday demanding an increase in seats of Post Graduate courses. Teachers and other medicos have also joined the squad to intensify the protest on Thursday.

They are demanding to restore the PG seats to earlier number 653 for 2007, which is declined to 411 by Medical Council of India (MCI) from this year.

The number of PG seats for 2008 has been fixed at 411 and counseling for it began on April 8.

Medical teachers will show their support in phases — first by wearing black badges, Dr Shailesh Mohite, Secretary of Teachers Welfare Association and Head Forensic department of Nair Hospital said.

Post graduate students or the residents form the backbone of any healthcare system in the government set up and “it is high time that the numbers of seats are retained at least at 653,” Dr Shailesh Mohite said.

Then they will go on mass casual leave after officially informing the Municipal Commissioner, he said.

In 2001, there were 1900 seats but MCI reduced the number up to 411 this year because of inadequate infrastructure for PG courses in the government medical colleges.

Tags: Maharashtra, Medicos, Strike, Teachers

After a lot of remarks and mocking the superstar in various issues, once again MNS targeted the Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan by pasting a poster of the actor on Wednesday regarding his participation of No-Honking Drive initiative of the Mumbai Traffic Police.

The poster bears MNS logo and was in Mararthi language. However, party spokesperson Shirish Parker denied any knowledge of the poster.

Before this, MNS taunted Big B through a poster for going back his decision to donate his agricultural land to farmers in Pune. Earlier MNS chief Raj Thackray blamed him for not being very loyal to Mahrashtra as compared to his birth place Uttar Pradesh.

Big B already gave a strong reply on this issue saying that he is not an outsider to Mumbai and the comments will not make any difference to him. He will not leave Mumbai at any cost.

Tags: Amitabh Bachchan, Bachchan, Maharashtra, MNS, Mumbai