'A government whose policies are focused around making the life of ordinary citizens, specially the most deprived sections, richer; a government that prioritises education, health and transport, that doesn't treat its citizens as subjects who must come to it for everything, is rare in our country.' 'When such a government is thrown out, one is left stunned,' notes Jyoti Punwani.
Actor and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut has criticized comedian Kunal Kamra for his recent remarks about Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, calling them "disrespectful" and "in bad taste." Ranaut, who was speaking to reporters outside Parliament, said that Kamra's comedy was "disgracing" and that Shinde had earned his position through hard work. She also echoed Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' call for Kamra to apologize for his "low level comedy." The controversy comes after Shiv Sena members damaged the comedy club where Kamra's show took place, in response to his jokes about Shinde's political career and recent developments in Maharashtra.
'Karyakartas felt we should have fought independently'
Eknath Shinde has said Devendra Fadnavis gave up the opportunity to install a Bharatiya Janata Party mayor in Mumbai after the 2017 civic polls for the sake of the Shiv Sena at his request.
Thackeray also drew a comparison between the current regime and Hitler.
Notably, CM Shinde on Monday said no claim will be laid on any party property post the Election Commission's decision on the real Shiv Sena as "we are heirs of Balasaheb Thackeray's ideology and have no temptations".
Amid a spurt in Covid-19 cases, the use of face masks has been made mandatory for employees, patients and visitors in all civic-run hospitals in Mumbai, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said on Monday as it reviewed preparedness to deal with rising infections, especially availability of medical oxygen and medicines.
Mumbai, home to 1 crore voters and 420 candidates vying for 36 assembly seats, is gearing up for the Maharashtra Assembly elections on November 20. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has completed all preparations for smooth conduct of the polls, ensuring a robust security arrangement and dedicated facilities for senior citizens and differently-abled voters. The BMC has also urged citizens to exercise their franchise, emphasizing the importance of active participation in strengthening democracy.
A special court in Mumbai denied bail to businessman Sujit Patkar, an aide of Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, in the alleged COVID treatment centres scam. The court found that Patkar played with the "life of people" by under-deployment of doctors and staff to generate proceeds of crime. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) alleged that Patkar's firm, Lifeline Hospital Management, fraudulently obtained a contract for supplying medical staff at Dahisar and Worli Jumbo Covid facilities during the pandemic, resulting in the generation of proceeds of crime (PoC) amounting to Rs 32.44 crore. The court noted that there are ample statements of the witnesses to show that a list of more staff members was prepared than being deployed on the instructions of Patkar.
The rival Shiv Sena factions led by Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde faced off on Wednesday evening at the party's office at the civic headquarters in south Mumbai. Tension had prevailed for an hour on the premises till police intervened.
In a lengthy statement on X late Monday night, a defiant Kamra said those busy leaking his number on social media or calling him incessantly should know that it all goes to his voicemail where they will be subjected to "the very song" that they hate.
Acting on the Bombay high court's order, the civic body accepted the resignation and issued a letter of its acceptance to Latke.
The Bombay high court on Monday directed the Mumbai civic body to clarify how it has issued a public notice seeking to cut 177 trees at the Aarey Colony area for a Metro car shed project when the Supreme Court in 2022 permitted felling of only 84 trees.
With the lakes supplying water to Mumbai filling up fast, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday announced withdrawal of the 10 percent water cut from July 29.
A 55-year-old man, who was among the several persons injured in the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) bus accident in Kurla area of Mumbai, died on Monday morning, taking the death toll to eight, a civic official said.
'Those seeking short-term benefits are joining the Shinde-led Sena and the ones looking at long-term benefits are joining the BJP.'
Hitesh Harisinghani/Rediff.com take us on a tour inside the iconic BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation headquarters, opened for the first time ever for tourists.
Modi knows that the BMC elections are critical for his party which has never won a majority in the city's 227 wards.
As on date, there has been no report of any suspected or confirmed case of Monkeypox in Mumbai, an official from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) public health department said.
Train services on the Central Railway's main and harbour lines were disrupted on Sunday morning due to an extended mega block for a bridge girder launch, causing inconvenience to local and long distance travellers. As many as 11 long distance trains that depart from the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) in south Mumbai have been rescheduled and nine trains which arrive at CSMT have been short-terminated due to the block. There were also reports of a labourer getting injured during the girder launch. The six-hour-long mega block conducted for launching the girder of the under-construction Carnac Bridge was initially scheduled to end at 5.30 am but was delayed. The Central Railway's local train operations were cancelled between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and Byculla and between CSMT and Wadala stations on the main and harbour lines due to the mega block.
The BMC election will hold the key to a new shift in political power -- not just in Mumbai but in Maharashtra, reports Sarthak Choudhury.
The Bombay high court on Thursday quashed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) order revoking permission granted earlier to an organisation headed by a former corporator of the Nationalist Congress Party to conduct Chhath Puja at a suburban ground.
'It's better if everyone uses eco-friendly Ganesha idols.'
The Mumbai civic body and police have advised all people in the city and surrounding areas to stay indoors as much as possible.
Civic polls in Mumbai are to take place in late March or early April.
In view of the spike in coronavirus cases and the growing threat of the Omicron variant, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has banned New Year celebration programmes and gatherings in any closed or open areas in the city.
Police have registered a case on charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder against the driver of a BEST bus involved in an accident in Mumbai which claimed six lives and left 43 others injured, officials said on Tuesday.
The BMC told the bench that it was adequately prepared to tackle the current situation
No injuries were reported in the blaze that erupted around 1.10 pm. It was confined to wooden sheets, furniture and construction material at a depth of 40-50 feet of the station located in Bandra East, causing heavy smoke in the area, they said.
In the wake of bountiful rains in the last few days, one more lake supplying water to Mumbai, Tansa, started overflowing on Wednesday, civic officials said.
The Sonia Gandhi-led party is a constituent of the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition in the state, which is led by the Shiv Sena and also comprises the NCP.
If any corruption has taken place in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, which was ruled by the undivided Shiv Sena for more than two decades, then probe it, but also inquire into the work done by states during the pandemic, he said.
A fire broke out in the basement of the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) underground metro station in Mumbai on Friday afternoon, leading to suspension of rail services there for more than two hours as a precautionary measure, officials said.
The Uddhav Thackeray faction maintained that it would hold the annual event at the Shivaji Park despite the denial of permission.
A division bench of Justices R D Dhanuka and S M Modak directed them to file a representation to the BMC within two weeks.
The establishment -- Vice-Global Tapas Bar -- against which the action was being taken, is located in Juhu suburb.
Maharashtra Congress leader and former Lok Sabha MP Milind Deora has demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into Rs 12,000 crore spent by Mumbai's civic body on road works between 2017 and 2022.
The BJP is aiming to wrest control of the BMC from the Shiv Sena
According to the official, an electric bus on Route 66 (from Ballard Pier in south Mumbai) was on its way to Rani Laxmibai Chowk in Sion when the incident occurred.
Sounding the bugle for Mumbai civic body polls, Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah on Monday asked party leaders and workers to inflict a 'deeper wound' on Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena on its home turf.