The government had issued standard operating procedures for devotees and officials managing places of worship to ensure strict implement of coronavirus-related protocols and curb spread of the infection.
He claimed Maharashtra is the only state which has upgraded its health infrastructure to tackle the pandemic 'like no other country has done'.
Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar on Thursday said his recent meeting with Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray focused on how to expedite development programmes of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government and maintained nothing else should be deciphered from it.
In a letter to Shinde, who was sworn in as Maharashtra Chief Minister a day earlier, Thackeray accused him of "indulging in anti-party activities".
"I am ready for brickbats if it ensures good health and safety of citizens. How to avoid crowds and ensure physical distancing in places of worship will be worked out and a standard operating procedure will be drafted after Diwali," he said.
Deshmukh made the comment in a midnight tweet and also shared the copy of his March 21 letter to Thackeray, in which he had sought immediate probe into Singh's allegation.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray is set to enter the Legislative Council unopposed as the Congress on Sunday announced that it would withdraw one of its two nominees for the May 21 elections to nine seats.
Apart from Urmila Matondkar, the names of Marathi actor and Shiv Sena leader Aadesh Bandekar, singer Anand Shinde, BJP-turned-NCP leader Eknath Khadse, farmer leader Raju Shetti are also doing rounds.
"I have been working every single day since the lockdown, but now it seems that God wantsme to stop for a while and take a break! I have tested #COVID19 positive and in isolation. Taking all medication & treatment as per the advice of the doctors," he said.
Addressing Uddhav Thackeray, Ranaut later posted a video message saying his "ego will be destroyed" the way her Bandra home was demolished.
Thackeray's comments came in the wake of demands from the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party and other parties that places of worship be re-opened since coronavirus-enforced restrictions are being eased under the 'Unlock' process.
Thackeray said the probe will ascertain if the fire was an accident or was the fallout of ignoring an earlier safety report.
In his letters to Union environment minister Prakash Javadekar and Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, Thackeray said it would be appropriate to opt for alternative alignment of Akola-Khandwa line considering the long-term irreversible impact the work will have on endangered species like tigers.
All efforts were being made to ensure there was no loss of life due to the cyclone that was likely to make landfall near Alibaug on Wednesday, he said, adding that the Army, Navy and Air Force were on stand-by. Thackeray also elaborated on 'dos and don'ts' in the situation.
On a day his government granted a slew of relaxations in non-containment zones while extending the latest lockdown till June 30, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said that people should tread cautiously while beginning the "new life".
In his televised address to the people, a day after the state government extended the coronavirus-induced lockdown till May 31, Thackeray said that 50,000 industrial units have already resumed their activities in the state.
Speaking in the legislative assembly on the condolence motion, Thackeray, without taking any names, said, "Some people have gratitude towards the city where they live and earn their livelihood, but some don't."
The threat of COVID-19 still persists, Thackeray said.
Thackeray directed officials to ensure that people follow health norms like wearing masks, and that violators be fined.
Fadnavis said he looked at "positively" Aaditya becoming active in politics.
Mumbai's dabbawala said they are suspending their services till March 31.
Thackeray also claimed that the Maharashtra government is yet to receive a total of around Rs 38,000 crore from the Centre.
The move came at a time when deliberations between the Congress, the NCP and the Shiv Sena seemingly reached the final stage on Friday.
The next 15 to 20 days are important for the state as far as containment of the coronavirus spread is concerned and people should be extra vigilant on this aspect, said Uddhav Thackeray.
The chief minister has asked vice chancellors to go on a 'mission mode' to improve their positions by next year.
Governor B K Koshyari has asked Thackeray to prove majority by December 3.
The farmer, Srikant Vishnu Gadale, a resident of Vadmauli in Kej taluka, also wrote that if the administration does not take note of his letter, he would protest through "democratic means".
"It is shocking that such an accident can take place even after a structural audit. Primary responsibility will be fixed by this evening. I have asked civic chief (Ajoy Mehta) to find out names of those responsible," Fadnavis said.
Thackeray said he was in constant touch with the Centre over the issue of running more trains to ferry migrant labourers, stranded due to the coronavirus-enforced lockdown, to their native places.
Thackeray would be taking over as chief minister more than a month after results of the Maharashtra Assembly elections were declared on October 24.
Congress leaders A R Antulay, Vasantdada Patil, Shivajirao Nilangekar-Patil, Shankarrao Chavan, Sushilkumar Shinde and Prithviraj Chavan are among the leaders who were not members of any of the state legislature Houses when they occupied the top post.
The farmer, at whom Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar had poked fun with crass remarks for his hunger strike over water scarcity, on Tuesday tried to barge into the official residence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan in Mumbai but was prevented by the police.
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis's wife, Amruta pulled off a dangerous stunt on board India's first domestic cruise, Angira.
Slamming Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan for asking the Centre to give green nod to the first phase of the controversial Lavasa project, Anna Hazare has accused him of violating his oath of office.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan was on Wednesday declared elected to the state Legislative Council.The election was unopposed since the opposition did not field a candidate against him.Chavan was declared elected after the deadline for withdrawal of nomination papers ended on Wednesday.With the election, Chavan has fulfilled the Constitutional stipulation of getting elected to the state legislature within six months of being sworn-in as the chief minister.
Racing against time to become a member of the Maharashtra legislature, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan has decided to contest the state legislative council elections.
Continuing his tirade against Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray today asked whether the Congress leader was the CM of Maharashtra or Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan's bodyguard.
Ending weeks of acrimony between the former saffron allies, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Shiv Sena will on Friday resume talks on the issue of the latter joining the four-week-old government in Maharashtra.
Efforts on seeking information about structural audit of the Mantralaya building, where a massive blaze gutted several offices on Thursday, will take place on Friday morning, Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan said. The Crime Branch will probe the fire.
Minutes after Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh announced that he had offered to step down, Union Minister and senior leader from the state Sushil Kumar Shinde met Congress chief Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances