Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said that told Ajit Pawar that he would be the CM one day, reported the PTI. "Ajit Pawar will work in the morning since he is an early riser. I am on duty from 12 noon to midnight while throughout the night, you all know who," Devendta Fadnavis said, referring to Eknath Shinde, who is known to work till late hours, as per the PTI. Maharashtra CM Fadnavis said that he and his deputies Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde would work 24/7 in shifts. He was replying to a debate in the legislative assembly on the motion of thanks to the Governor for his joint address to both Houses of the state legislature during the ongoing Winter Session in Nagpur. Turning to Ajit Pawar, Devendra Fadnavis said, "You are called 'permanent deputy CM'... but my wishes are with you... you will be the CM someday," according to the PTI. Ajit Pawar on December 5 took oath as the deputy CM of Maharashtra for the sixth time. The NCP leader, who has been vocal about his chief ministerial ambitions, split the Sharad Pawar-founded Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in 2023 and joined the BJP-led Mahayuti government. In the ensuing battle for the party name and its 'clock' symbol, his faction got both. His uncle and veteran politician Sharad Pawar now heads NCP (SP), an ally of the Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) under the banner of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). After a severe drubbing in the Lok Sabha polls that saw NCP bagging only one seat, Ajit Pawar's party made an impressive comeback in the recently held assembly elections, emerging victorious in 41 of the 57 constituencies where it was in the fray. The Mahayuti alliance of BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP won over 230 of the state's 288 assembly seats, while MVA could manage to grab only 46. Meanwhile, Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday also assured that all the ongoing schemes of the government including the flagship Ladki Bahin scheme for women will continue. The December installment of the Ladki Bahin scheme will be deposited in the bank accounts of eligible women by month-end, the chief minister stated. The winter session of the state legislature is underway in Nagpur following the BJP-led Mahayuti's massive victory in the November 20 assembly elections. (with PTI inputs)
19 December,2024 07:15 PM IST | Nagpur | mid-day online correspondentA 16-year-old girl allegedly kidnapped from Maharashtra's Latur district was traced to Pune and rescued, a police official said on Thursday, reported news agency PTI. The police official stated that the girl was kidnapped on October 22, after which a case was registered at Chakur police station against an unidentified person, stated PTI. "She was rescued from Pune on Tuesday. The action is part of the Anti Human Trafficking Unit's 'Operation Muskaan' being conducted across Maharashtra since December 1 to trace missing minors," Inspector Babita Wakadkar told PTI. Another official said the girl had "married" the accused and both have been brought to Latur for further legal proceedings, PTI reported. A four-year-old boy kidnapped near his home in Thane, police launch search In a distressing incident in Thane, Maharashtra, a four-year-old boy was allegedly kidnapped by an unidentified person on Sunday evening. The incident took place in the Kalyan Phata area, according to police officials. The boy was reportedly abducted from near his home, and his family, upon noticing his disappearance, began an immediate search for him but was unable to locate him. The family approached the local Shil-Daighar police station on Monday to file a report. As per the police official, a case of kidnapping was registered under section 137(2) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which pertains to kidnapping. "The family had made attempts to search for the boy on their own, but as they were unsuccessful, they reached out to the police authorities on Monday," said the official from Shil-Daighar police station. He did not provide further details about the circumstances surrounding the incident but assured that all possible efforts were being made to trace the child and locate the person responsible for the abduction. Following the registration of the case, the police launched a search operation, scouring the surrounding areas and conducting inquiries with local residents. The police have also been using available resources to monitor security footage and collect information that could lead to the identification of the suspect. Earlier this year the Thane police, through a collaborative effort with a hospital in Thane, and the Madhya Pradesh police, reunited a 17-year-old specially-abled boy from Ujjain, with his family, officials said. Police said that the boy, who had been missing for nearly three years, from his home in MP, was reportedly found wandering barefoot and in tattered clothes on the streets in Thane in August 2022. (With inputs from PTI)
19 December,2024 06:56 PM IST | Latur (Maharashtra) | mid-day online correspondentThree NDA MPs, including Anurag Thakur and Bansuri Swaraj, have filed a police complaint against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of being involved in "physical assault and incitement" during a 'scuffle at Parliament', an officer said. Thakur and Swaraj, accompanied by a TDP MP, gave the met the officers at the Parliament Street Police Station and gave a written complaint. "We have filed a complaint against Mr Rahul Gandhi for physical assault and incitement," Thakur told media, outside the police station. Earlier in the day, a face-off at the Parliament entry steps between the opposition and NDA MPs in Parliament premises over the alleged insult to B R Ambedkar left former minister Pratap Chandra Sarangi injured. The BJP accused Rahul Gandhi of pushing the senior member, a charge rejected by the Congress leader. Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said BJP MP Mukesh Rajput was also injured in the melee. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called up Sarangi and Rajput and enquired about their health after they sustained injuries in the Parliament complex, sources said. A senior officer said police have received the complaint and are looking into it. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
19 December,2024 04:49 PM IST | New Delhi | PTIFarmers in Nashik, briefly halted auctions at the Lasalgaon Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) on Thursday, the country's largest wholesale onion market due to drop in onion prices, reported news agency PTI. The farmers were protesting the significant decline in onion prices, which have been falling steadily in recent days. The farmers demanded removal of the 20 per cent export duty on onions and an aid of Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,200 per quintal of the produce, the APMC officials said, reported PTI. Approximately 1,500 onion-laden vehicles arrived for auction on Thursday. The morning session saw prices ranging from a minimum of Rs 800 to a maximum of Rs 2,900 per quintal, with an average price of Rs 1,900. When auctioneers announced prices between Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,500 per quintal, farmers immediately stopped the auction in protest. Later, the prices improved slightly. The agitation was called off after about half-an-hour and the auctions restarted, stated PTI. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar urged the central government to remove 20 per cent export duties and provide relief to the growers. In a letter to Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, Pawar highlighted the farmers' distress, noting that unseasonal rains and changing climate have already impacted their earnings. “The onions grown here (in Nashik) are available in other states of India and also exported in large quantities. As of today, onions from the summer yield have been exhausted and the fresh crop has reached various market committees in Maharashtra,” Pawar wrote. Due to the arrival of a large stock of onions, farmers are now in distress as they are forced to sell their produce at a much lower rate since they have yet to receive any minimum support price, said Pawar. They are selling onions at an average of Rs 2,400 per quintal, Pawar said. The Centre has levied a 20 per cent duty on the export of onions due to which the kitchen staple from the state loses its competitiveness in international markets, according to farmers, stated PTI. On Wednesday, 1,950 vehicles of onions arrived at the Lasalgaon APMC. The prices were Rs 800 per quintal minimum, Rs 2,801 per quintal maximum and Rs 1,950 per quintal average. Prior to that, on Tuesday, 1,689 vehicles of onions arrived for auction at the APMC, with the prices being Rs 1,000 per quintal minimum, Rs 3,252 per quintal maximum and Rs 2,200 per quintal average, as per officials. PTI (With inputs from PTI)
19 December,2024 04:42 PM IST | Nashik (Maharashtra) | mid-day online correspondentBharatiya Janata Party legislator Ram Shinde on Thursday was elected unopposed as chairperson of the Maharashtra legislative council, reported news agency PTI. The council chairperson's post was lying vacant ever since July 7, 2022, after NCP leader Ramraje Naik-Nimbalkar's term ended more than three years ago. Now, the presiding officer's post in both houses of the state legislature is with the BJP, PTI stated. BJP MLA Rahul Narwekar was elected unopposed as Speaker of the 15th Maharashtra legislative assembly last week during the ongoing winter session in Nagpur. Before becoming a member of the Upper House of Maharashtra legislature on July 8, 2022, Shinde was a minister during Devendra Fadnavis’s 2014-19 tenure. In the recent Maharashtra assembly election, which was held on November 20, Shinde had lost the Karjat Jamkhed assembly seat to NCP (SP) leader Rohit Pawar by a narrow margin. Maharashtra assembly winter session: MVA protests at Vidhan Bhawan steps over Amit Shah's Ambedkar remarks Opposition members staged a protest at the Vidhan Bhawan steps in Nagpur on Thursday over Union minister Amit Shah's remarks on Dr BR Ambedkar and said the country will not tolerate insult of the Constitution's architect, reported news agency PTI. The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leaders, wearing blue caps and stoles, took out a morcha from the Samvidhan Chowk in Nagpur. They reached steps of the Vidhan Bhawan complex raising the slogan "Babasaheb ka apman nahi sahega hindustan", reported PTI. The protesters included leader of opposition in the legislative council Ambadas Danve, Congress leaders Nana Patole, Nitin Raut, Vijay Wadettiwar, Bhai Jagtap, Shiv Sena (UBT) legislators Aaditya Thackeray, Sachin Ahir, Varun Sardesai, Bhaskar Jadhav and NCP (SP) legislator Rohit Pawar. A massive political row erupted on Wednesday as the Congress and other opposition parties launched an all-out attack on Shah for his remarks on Ambedkar and demanded his sacking, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other top BJP leaders rallied to his defence and said he has exposed Congress' "anti-Ambedkar" stand. The opposition members claimed Amit Shah's remarks were an insult to Ambedkar. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh had shared a video snippet on X from Shah's speech in the Upper House of Parliament on Tuesday. The Maharashtra assembly winter session is currently underway in Nagpur. (With inputs from PTI)
19 December,2024 02:12 PM IST | Nagpur | mid-day online correspondentDeputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has called on the Union Government to immediately revoke the 20% export duty on onions, stating that the move would help farmers secure better prices for their produce and prevent financial losses. In a letter to Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal, Pawar highlighted the need to support Maharashtra's onion farmers, particularly in light of increased import opportunities in neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka. The demand comes after a concerted effort by Maharashtra legislators, including MLAs Nitin Arjun Pawar, Dileeprao Bankar, Hiraman Khoskar, and Saroj Ahire, who approached the Deputy Chief Minister seeking intervention. Taking their concerns into account, Ajit Pawar wrote to the Centre urging swift action to alleviate the challenges faced by the state’s farmers. Opportunity to boost Onion export Ajit Pawar pointed out that Sri Lanka has recently reduced its import duty on onions by 20% and is actively increasing onion imports. This development presents a significant opportunity for farmers in Maharashtra, especially in Nashik, to export their red onions to international markets. However, the central government’s 20% export duty on onions has made it challenging for farmers to capitalise on this demand. Pawar stressed that removing the duty would enable farmers to get fair, cost-based prices and stabilise the market. Maharashtra, particularly Nashik district, is one of the largest onion-producing regions in India. This year, the state’s farmers have battled adverse weather conditions, including unseasonal rains, which have severely affected crops. Despite these challenges, a new harvest of red onions has recently entered the markets. However, with an average market price of ₹2,400 per quintal, many farmers are unable to recover their production costs. Red onions, which are less durable than other varieties, need to be sold immediately, forcing farmers to accept low prices. According to Pawar, this has added to the financial strain faced by onion growers. He emphasised that maximising exports is crucial to stabilising prices and ensuring farmers receive appropriate compensation for their produce. In his letter to the Union Minister, Pawar argued that withdrawing the export duty would create a win-win situation for farmers and traders, allowing them to access international markets at competitive rates. Such a move, he added, would protect the livelihoods of onion farmers and bolster the agricultural economy. "The removal of the 20% export duty will help sustain the prices of red onions and ensure farmers receive cost-based returns, reducing their financial losses," Pawar wrote in the letter. The Deputy Chief Minister expressed hope that the Centre would respond positively to his request and take immediate steps to address the concerns of onion farmers. With red onions flooding local markets and prices dropping steadily, a timely decision by the central government could provide much-needed relief to Maharashtra's struggling farming community.
19 December,2024 01:34 PM IST | MumbaiOpposition members staged a protest at the Vidhan Bhawan steps in Nagpur on Thursday over Union minister Amit Shah's remarks on Dr BR Ambedkar and said the country will not tolerate insult of the Constitution's architect, reported news agency PTI. The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leaders, wearing blue caps and stoles, took out a morcha from the Samvidhan Chowk in Nagpur. They reached steps of the Vidhan Bhawan complex raising the slogan "Babasaheb ka apman nahi sahega hindustan", reported PTI. The protesters included leader of opposition in the legislative council Ambadas Danve, Congress leaders Nana Patole, Nitin Raut, Vijay Wadettiwar, Bhai Jagtap, Shiv Sena (UBT) legislators Aaditya Thackeray, Sachin Ahir, Varun Sardesai, Bhaskar Jadhav and NCP (SP) legislator Rohit Pawar. A massive political row erupted on Wednesday as the Congress and other opposition parties launched an all-out attack on Shah for his remarks on Ambedkar and demanded his sacking, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other top BJP leaders rallied to his defence and said he has exposed Congress' "anti-Ambedkar" stand. The opposition members claimed Shah's remarks were an insult to Ambedkar. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh had shared a video snippet on X from Shah's speech in the Upper House of Parliament on Tuesday. The Maharashtra assembly winter session is currently underway in Nagpur. The opposition members had staged protests at the Vidhan Bhawan steps during the last three days also over various issues, including problems of farmers, violence in Parbhani last week and murder of a sarpanch in Beed district. (With inputs from PTI)
19 December,2024 01:20 PM IST | Nagpur | mid-day online correspondentCompeting marches by members of the opposition INDIA bloc and the BJP-led NDA escalated into a chaotic altercation within the Parliament House premises on Wednesday. Amidst the heated exchanges, BJP MP Pratap Sarangi sustained a forehead injury, with the party alleging that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had pushed him during the melee. Sarangi was reportedly taken to hospital and received stitches to stop the bleeding, Union Minister Shivraj Chouhan told reporters. The incident occurred during simultaneous marches held by both camps over the Ambedkar issue, with the opposition accusing Home Minister Amit Shah of disrespecting B R Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution. Speaking to the press, Rahul Gandhi claimed that BJP members blocked his entry to the Parliament premises and even resorted to physical intimidation. "This is the entry to Parliament. It is our right to go inside, and the BJP members were stopping us," he alleged, pointing towards Makar Dwar. When asked whether Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had also been pushed, Rahul Gandhi confirmed, saying, "It has happened, but we are not bothered by this pushing around." On the other hand, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey alleged that Rahul Gandhi's actions led to Sarangi's injury. "Rahul Gandhi pushed an aged parliamentarian, causing him to fall and sustain an injury," Dubey claimed. According to PTI, the confrontation took place as opposition INDIA bloc MPs, dressed in blue—a colour associated with B R Ambedkar—staged protests demanding an apology and resignation from Amit Shah for his remarks on the late leader. The MPs carried placards with slogans such as "Main Bhi Ambedkar," "Jai Bhim," and "Amit Shah Maafi Maango" and held a demonstration at the Ambedkar statue in Parliament premises before marching through the grounds. Simultaneously, NDA parliamentarians also organised a march within the Parliament premises, accusing the opposition Congress of insulting Ambedkar and demanding an apology from the party. As per PTI reports, the two sides came face to face at Makar Dwar, resulting in intense sloganeering from both camps. The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha also chaired a meeting of Congress MPs in the main committee room earlier in the day, strategising their response to Shah’s remarks. Trinamool Congress MP Derek O'Brien submitted a privilege motion notice in the Rajya Sabha against Shah, citing his comments that Congress leaders would have “found a place in heaven” had they chanted God's name instead of Ambedkar’s. The uproar spilled beyond Parliament, with protests erupting across the national capital and other states, including Maharashtra, Bihar, and Tamil Nadu. In Delhi, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal led a massive demonstration outside the BJP office, raising slogans such as “Amit Shah Maafi Mango.” Senior opposition leaders, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, DMK leader M K Stalin, Shiv Sena-UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray, and RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, strongly criticised Shah’s remarks. Both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were adjourned due to the furore. As per PTI, the BJP, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has staunchly defended Amit Shah, accusing the opposition of attempting to derail Parliamentary proceedings and politicising the Ambedkar issue. (With inputs from PTI)
19 December,2024 12:51 PM IST | New DelhiFour people have been arrested in connection with crude bomb attacks outside two clubs in Sector 29, police said on Wednesday. The accused were produced in a court here after the completion of their remand on Tuesday and sent to judicial custody, they said. On December 10, crude bombs were thrown outside two clubs located in Sector 29 and a person, identified as Sachin, a resident of Meerut, was arrested from the spot. On December 12, gangster Rohit Godara took responsibility for both the blasts in Chandigarh and then Gurugram by posting a post on social media. In the post, he claimed that the blasts were carried out at both the places to warn against non-payment of extortion money, the police said. While police had taken Sachin on a seven-day police remand after being produced in a city court and on December 11. The police also arrested three accused, Vinit Malik, Vikas and Ankit. They were also taken on six days of police remand, they added. ACP Crime Varun Dahiya said all the accused arrested in the case were thoroughly interrogated. After completion of their remand, all were sent into judicial custody while further probe is underway. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
19 December,2024 10:51 AM IST | Gururgam | PTIDemocracy and Constitution have been murdered again in BJP-ruled Assam and Uttar Pradesh, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Wednesday after two party workers died in the two states during protests allegedly due to police excesses. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also hit out at the BJP and termed the deaths as "extremely heart-rending". Rahul Gandhi expressed his deepest condolences to the bereaved families and said they have the right to full justice. "Democracy and Constitution have been murdered again in BJP-ruled Assam and Uttar Pradesh," he said in a post on X. Across the country, the Congress party is conducting satyagraha in support of Babasaheb Ambedkar and the Constitution, he said. During this, the death of our Congress workers Mridul Islam in Guwahati and Prabhat Pandey in Lucknow "due to police excesses" is very sad and condemnable, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said. "The lions of Congress will continue to fight for truth and the Constitution," Gandhi said. Priyanka Gandhi said the BJP was attacking Baba Saheb in Parliament and crushing his Constitution on the streets. "Police brutality on Congress workers who were going to gherao the Vidhan Sabha against the prevailing misrule in Uttar Pradesh took the life of one of our worker. The death of youth Congress worker Prabhat Pandey ji of Gorakhpur is extremely heart-rending," she said in a post in Hindi on X. Similarly, the BJP government used lathis and tear gas shells on the protesting Congress workers in Assam, in which Mridul Islam died, she said. "The way the BJP governments have taken repressive action against Congress workers is reminiscent of the British Raj. The BJP is attacking Baba Saheb in Parliament and crushing his Constitution on the streets," she said. The Congress party claimed that Islam died and several other Congress workers sustained injuries allegedly due to "tear gas smoke" during a protest in Guwahati on Wednesday against a range of issues, including unrest in Manipur and bribery charges against the Adani Group. A senior police officer, however, said the exact reason for the death would be known after the post-mortem examination report comes, and denied that anyone was injured in the incident. Police and Congress supporters were engaged in a scuffle, in which Assam Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah and former Rajya Sabha MP Ripun Bora fell on the ground, and were detained. They were released later. Congress Legal Cell member Advocate Mridul Islam, 45, felt suffocated when a tear gas cell fell near him, party spokesperson Bedabrat Bora claimed. "He was immediately rushed to a nearby private hospital and then to the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH). He was declared dead there," he added. Pandey died during the Congress party's protest near the Uttar Pradesh Assembly in Lucknow, with its state unit chief Ajay Rai claiming that the death was caused by "police brutality". Police said 28-year-old Pandey, a native of Gorakhpur, was brought dead to the hospital from the Congress office. "Prabhat Pandey was brought to the Civil Hospital in Hazratganj in an unconscious condition from the Congress office. The doctors declared him 'brought dead'," DCP (Central Lucknow) Raveena Tyagi said. "Prima facie, according to doctors, there was no visible injury mark on his body. Apart from this, a post-mortem would be done by a panel and the process would be videographed. Accordingly further legal proceedings would be carried out," Tyagi added. Uttar Pradesh Congress Chief Ajay Rai, in a post on X, said, "Today, while going to gherao the assembly, our young colleague Prabhat Pandey ji passed away due to police brutality." This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
19 December,2024 10:49 AM IST | New Delhi | PTIA property dealer was allegedly shot dead by unidentified bike-borne assailants in Bihar's Buxar district on Wednesday evening, police said. The incident occurred around 6:30 p.m. near Kamaldah Pond on Station Road, causing panic in the area. The deceased, identified as Hriday Narayan Yadav, a resident of Musafir Ganj in the city's police station area, was moving on his way toward the city when the incident occurred. Witnesses reported that criminals allegedly involved in the incident fled on a bike immediately after committing the crime. The family members of the deceased, upon receiving the news, rushed to the site, deeply distressed by the incident. The cries of the family have left the local community shaken. Manoj Kumar Singh, the SHO of the City police station, confirmed that an investigation is underway. "We are conducting raids to arrest the accused. CCTV footage from the area is being reviewed to identify them. They will be apprehended soon," he said. Yadav, a property dealer by profession, was reportedly on his regular commute when the incident occurred. The police are exploring multiple angles to determine the exact circumstances and motives of the attackers leading to the murder. The police said that the attack occurred as soon as Yadav parked his bike near the pond. Eyewitnesses reported that assailants, with their faces covered by mufflers, approached on a bike, carried out the attack, and swiftly fled the scene. Nearby shopkeepers responded quickly, rushing Yadav to Sadar Hospital after hearing the commotion. Local shopkeepers reported that the assailants appeared to have planned the attack in advance, as their faces were already covered when they arrived. The incident unfolded in one of the busiest parts of the city, just hours after SHO Manoj Kumar Singh was instructed by Superintendent of Police (SP) Shubham Arya to maintain law and order. SP Arya himself visited the spot with a team of officers and is personally overseeing the investigation. Senior officers, led by SP Arya, are working round the clock to apprehend those responsible. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
19 December,2024 10:45 AM IST | Patna | IANSADVERTISEMENT
