Shinde announced that his government is committed to providing reservation to the Maratha community.
Prashant Koratkar, a former journalist accused of using offensive language against Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and his son Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, has been granted bail by a sessions court in Kolhapur, Maharashtra. Koratkar was arrested on March 24 and had been remanded in judicial custody. He was accused of threatening historian Indrajeet Sawant and making derogatory remarks against the revered historical figures. The sessions court granted him bail on a surety of Rs 50,000.
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale has voiced his opposition to the demand for demolition of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's grave in Maharashtra's Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, saying its removal will not serve any purpose. Athawale said that since Aurangzeb was buried there, his tomb should remain undisturbed. The Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar administration has barred Hindutva leader Milind Ekbote from entering the district from March 16 to April 5 amid calls from some outfits to remove Aurangzeb's grave. Security has been heightened around the site and visitors are being checked thoroughly.
Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange has been booked by Beed police for allegedly making defamatory remarks against Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde over the murder of a sarpanch in the district. The FIR was registered based on a complaint by Tukaram Aghav, who alleged that Jarange's remarks were aimed at creating a divide in society. The activist had targeted Munde during a rally in Parbhani, stating that the Maratha community would not allow Munde to roam the streets if the sarpanch's family was harmed. Munde's supporters protested against Jarange, demanding action against him. The sarpanch, Santosh Deshmukh, was abducted, tortured, and murdered on December 9, allegedly for trying to prevent extortion from an energy firm. Seven individuals have been arrested in connection with the murder case, including Walmik Karad, an associate of Munde, who has been arrested in the extortion case. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Crime Investigation Department (CID) is probing the cases.
The slain sarpanch's brother Dhananjay Deshmukh met Jarange in Beed on Thursday, a day after Karad was sent to the custody of a Special Investigation Team of the Maharashtra police.
A delegation of the Maharashtra government, comprising ministers, on Tuesday failed to convince Manoj Jarange, whose hunger strike for Maratha quota entered the 8th day, to withdraw his protest.
If Maratha activist Manoj Jarange Patil drops a hint of supporting or opposing a particular coalition on the eve of polling on November 20, things may change overnight.
Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Monday claimed Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde met him before the state polls last year along with his associate Walmik Karad, arrested later in an extortion case linked to the murder of a sarpanch.
The Supreme Court has dismissed a batch of petitions, including the one filed by the Maharashtra government, seeking review of its 2021 judgment by which it had quashed the state law granting reservations to Marathas in admissions and government jobs.
>The Indian Army still uses old British-era names and recruits soldiers based on caste or region, which hurts national unity, argues Colonel K Thammayya Udupa (retd).
Chhaava deserves 2 stars for the historically half-baked film that it is, but 4 stars just for its attempt on making a film on Sambhaji, observes Prasanna D Zore.
'Those who have wronged or harassed the Maratha community should be taught a lesson through the ballot'
The protesters, led by Manoj Jarange, had been staging a hunger strike demanding reservation for the Maratha community at the village since Tuesday.
Young Mumbai cricketers like Musheer Khan, Ayush Mhatre, Suryansh Shedge and Angkrish Raghuvanshi were among the big buys in the initial round of auction for the third edition of T20 Mumbai League.
India T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav was named the icon player for the Triumph Knights Mumbai NorthEast, while Shreyas Iyer went to SoBo Mumbai Falcons.
BJP's Satara MP Udayanraje Bhosale, a descendant of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, had sought the removal of Aurangzeb's tomb located in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district.
'If Uddhav bhau and Raj bhau come together, who can stop us?' Prasanna D Zore reports on the fervour and hope set off by the Thackeray cousins coming together.
Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Sunday refuted talk of his stir not being a factor in the Maharashtra assembly polls, which were swept by the Mahayuti comprising the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party.
The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has demanded the removal of decorations and installation of CCTV surveillance at the tomb of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, Maharashtra. The party also wants a board to be installed at the site stating that Aurangzeb was buried there after trying to "finish" the Marathas. The demands come amid a push by right-wing outfits to remove the tomb. The MNS's memorandum comes amid demand by right-wing outfits to remove Aurangazeb's tomb. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said whether people like the Mughal emperor or not, his tomb is a protected monument, but his glorification will not be allowed.
The Maharashtra Cyber division has issued a notice to the Wikimedia Foundation, the organization behind Wikipedia, demanding the removal of "objectionable" content related to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj from the online encyclopedia. The notice, issued under the Information Technology Act, claims the content is inaccurate and lacks proper references, potentially inciting communal hatred. The move follows recent claims by various organizations about the existence of defamatory information regarding Sambhaji Maharaj on Wikipedia, particularly in the wake of the Hindi film "Chhava", based on his life. The Maharashtra Cyber has directed the Wikimedia Foundation to remove the content promptly and prevent its re-uploading.
Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Thursday said the final number of seats from where he will field his candidates in the Maharashtra assembly elections will be declared on the last day of the filing of nominations next week.
Police personnel in Maharashtra's Beed district will now put up their name plates without surnames, in an attempt to eliminate caste-based discrimination. This follows an earlier directive by the Superintendent of Police (SP) Navneet Kanwat in January to address each other by their first name, and not surname. The move comes in the wake of the murder of a village sarpanch, allegedly by members of a dominant community, which had a caste angle. The new policy is being implemented across police stations and offices in the district, with nearly 100 name plates distributed so far.
A Mumbai court has granted anticipatory bail to Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi in a case filed against him for his remarks praising Mughal ruler Aurangzeb. The court, however, cautioned Azmi to exercise restraint during interviews, warning that any irresponsible statement could spark riots. The case stems from Azmi's remarks during an interview where he praised Aurangzeb's rule and claimed that India's GDP during his reign accounted for 24 percent of the world's GDP. Azmi's lawyer argued that his client's statements were made spontaneously and without any malicious intent, while the prosecution opposed the bail plea, arguing that the remarks were made in a sensitive time following the release of a film based on the life of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, a revered Maratha king who was captured by Aurangzeb. The court noted that the investigation was at a preliminary stage and that the investigating officer did not have the video recording of the interview when the case was filed. The court also expressed concern over the potential for Azmi's remarks to incite violence.
Mhatre, Raghuvanshi, Kotian star attractions as 280 players go under the hammer
Kabir, the son of Col Manpreet Singh, who was killed fighting terrorists in Kashmir, believes his father will return home after receiving the Kirti Chakra. The 10-year-old boy, who lit his father's pyre 19 months ago, clings to the hope that his father is alive and well, despite the reality of his death.
The poll aspirants who feel threatened are seeking to garner sympathy from their voters by meeting influential leaders like Jarange in the Marathwada region
Jarange has repeatedly targeted the BJP warning that the community would defeat its candidates in the assembly polls, which will be held on November 20.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday underlined the necessity of any reservation standing legal scrutiny as he listed key measures undertaken by the state government for the Maratha community.
Jayant Narlikar wrote alternative what-if histories, explained difficult scientific theories with funny analogies, and leavened his lectures with jokes and humorous asides.
Jarange, aged around 40, has been holding the hunger protest in Jalna district's Antarwali Sarati village since August 29.
Bhujbal stridently opposed Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange's demand for Maratha quota from the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) share.
Maharashtra Cyber has registered a case against at least four editors of Wikipedia for not taking down 'objectionable' content on Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj from the open source encyclopedia, officials said on Friday.
'There are certain characters that, when you get the opportunity to play them, you feel scared, wondering if you will be able to do justice to them.' 'That fear comes from knowing how deeply sentiments and faith are attached to such roles.'
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has called the violence in Nagpur a premeditated conspiracy and said the mob had targeted specific houses and establishments. The violence erupted on Monday after a protest against Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's tomb, resulting in several houses and vehicles being vandalised. At least 12 police personnel, including three deputy commissioners of police, were injured in the violence, which erupted in central Nagpur. Fadnavis, who also holds the Home portfolio, said those who attacked police personnel will not be spared.
Jarange on Tuesday launched a fresh indefinite fast, sixth in a span of over a year, to press the demand of reservations for the Marathas under the Other Backward Classes category.
Azmi said during Aurangzeb's reign, India's border reached Afghanistan and Burma (Myanmar).
Sambhaji is a lion but the movie was a damp squib, sighs Vishaka Rautela.
Maharashtra Cyber has issued advisories to various state government departments, including police, to take precautionary steps to avoid cyber attacks after the credentials of many of these departments were found on the darknet. The departments include the Maharashtra Public Service Commission, the Directorate General of Information and Public Relations (DGIPR), the Electricity Department, Maha DBT, among others. Maharashtra Cyber has also written to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) recommending blocking of Wikipedia and Proton Mail platforms under relevant sections of the Information Technology Act for failing to comply with specific police directives.
Maratha activist Manoj Jarange on Tuesday launched a fresh indefinite fast, his sixth in a span of over a year, to press for the demand for reservation to his community under the OBC category.
Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Asim Azmi, suspended from the Maharashtra assembly over his remarks praising Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, will be '100 per cent' put in jail, Chief Minister Minister Devendra Fadnavis said in the legislative council.
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