Courts cannot be the only hope for those fighting hate speech. Countering its effects on the ground takes more effort. With our political parties unwilling to put in that amount of effort, it's left to citizens to do so, points out Jyoti Punwani.
'Now there is no fight between us (Thackerays); now the fight is with them.'
The Ram temple at Ayodhya is a symbol of Sena's sacrifice for Hindutva and the party would fulfil the promise of constructing it fully, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray has said."The Ram temple is a symbol of Sena's sacrifice for Hindutva," an editorial in party mouthpiece Saamana said on Thursday. Thackeray is the newspaper's editor.
Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant has demanded that party supremo Bal Thackeray should be accorded the status of a 'national hero'.
Shiv Sena Chief Bal Thackeray has equated nephew Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena with a carbon copy of the outfit he founded in 1966.
Scotching speculation of any alliance between the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party and Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), Sena chief Bal Thackeray said there was no need for a "third entity" in the combine.
Shiv Sena members on Tuesday warned Abu Asim Azmi, Member of Legislative Assembly from Samajwadi Party, against making remarks about Sena chief Bal Thackeray.
Although the process which went on after 3 am, was largely peaceful, police foiled a bid by zealous Shiv sainiks to erect a memorial of the Sena patriarch adjacent to the Shivaji statue at the park
"Thank God, we don't have a Bal Thackeray here," declared Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Saturday, while calling Delhi a unique city where people from across the country can live comfortably. In an apparent reference to the attacks against north Indians in Mumbai by members of the Shiv Sena and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, Dikshit said, "Everyone knows what is happening in Mumbai. It certainly does not happen here. Thank God, we don't have a Bal Thackeray here."
Kumar had sought central university status for it in keeping with public sentiments.
AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi on Monday attacked Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray and the MNS for their tirade against people from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
For the first time in 20 years, estranged cousins Uddhav and Raj Thackeray will share the stage on July 5 at a joint 'victory' rally organised by the Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena to celebrate the rollback of the contentious government resolutions (GRs) on three-language policy.
While workers of the Shiv Sena shouted that the party belongs to them, those owing allegiance to Uddhav Thackeray responded with "traitors go back" slogans.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's government has provided a house to the family of Syed Adil Hussain Shah, a victim of the Pahalgam terror attack. The gesture is seen as honouring his sacrifice and supporting his family.
When the two met on Sunday, it was because "Saheb wanted some of his old books," still in Raj's possession, back and Raj offered to carry them to him instead of sending them over.
Fadnavis and his entourage, which included several senior BJP leaders, moved on without reacting to the jeers.
With NCP president Sharad Pawar's meeting with Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray triggering speculation about a possible realignment of forces in Maharashtra, the BJP has that said the event will not disturb its existing alliance with the Sena nor would the tie-up expand to include a third party.
Lashing out at the government for its handling of the Azad Maidan violence, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray on Monday said Mumbai police have been demoralised due to commissioner Arup Patnaik.
Pakistani-American terrorist David Headley, convicted in the US for his role in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, on Thursday told a court in Mumbai that terror outfit Lashkar-e-Tayiba wanted to eliminate Bal Thackeray but the person who was assigned the job to kill the late Shiv Sena chief was arrested.
The dramatic development marked the culmination of a revolt that began with allegations of forged signatures on a letter proposing a Leader of Opposition and snowballed into an open challenge to the party leadership following the TMC's defeat at the hands of the BJP in the assembly elections.
The numbers tell us the BJP's acceptability in Maharashtra is growing -- at the expense of the Shiv Sena, no matter what the faction, points out Aditi Phadnis.
Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray has opposed caste-based census, saying it was detrimental to the interests of the country.
Former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, the son of Bal Thackeray, and his family members did not attend the event.
The Shiv Sena on Saturday night threatened not to allow Australian cricketers to play in matches in Mumbai, of the third edition of Indian Premier League.
Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray on Monday dismissed reports of his being on ventilator and blamed a leading Marathi newspaper for spreading the "falsehood". "I am not on a ventilator," Thackeray said.
Irked over Shiv Sena's tirade against him over his remarks on north Indians, Congress MP Sanjay Nirupam on Thursday dared the Thackerays to move around without any security cover.
The MNS joining the BJP-led alliance in Maharashtra could help it with a 'Thackeray versus Thackeray' narrative, fielding Raj Thackeray, an articulate speaker, to take on his cousin Uddhav Thackeray.
Polling for the 288-member Maharashtra assembly was continuing in brisk pace in Mumbai on Tuesday. 20 per cent polling had already been completed in the state till noon.
Rediff.com's Prasanna D Zore and Satish Bodas capture the most moving moments at Shivaji Park.
Amitabh Bachchan has been in constant touch with Thackeray's son Uddhav to get updates about the Sena chief's health.
Security was beefed up across Maharashtra, particularly in Mumbai where 20,000 police personnel were deployed, to keep a tight vigil following the death of Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray in Mumbai on Saturday.
Traditional Hindu priests of the Vishnupad Temple in Bihar's Gaya town -- known as Gaywal Pandas -- are busy trying to find out if Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray, his son Uddhav Thackeray and his nephew and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray were originally from Bihar.
Amid speculation in political circles over Shiv Sena's stand vis-a-vis the next mayor of Mumbai, party leader and minister Uday Samant said the civic body polls were contested as the Mahayuti alliance.
"Preparations for Thackeray's birthday on January 23 and the party's mega convention in Shegaon on January 12 are going on in full swing and party cadres are in an upbeat mood. Some people don't like to see Shiv Sainiks in an upbeat mood," Gorhe said.
Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray on Friday signalled his formal withdrawal from active role in the party that he founded and built over four decades.
Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray has promised financial help to Tejaswini Sawant, the first Indian woman shooter to clinch a gold medal at the World Championships.
NCP activist Munna Tripathi moved the court against Thackeray last July in connection with the article, based on a speech by the Sena chief, saying it was "provocative" and meant to cause communal disharmony.
Maharashtra BJP chief and former deputy chief minister Gopinath Munde asked reporters not to read too much into Thackeray's absence at Tuesday night's Sena-BJP dinner meeting.
Divergent statements emerged on Monday from Shiv Sena over shifting of the makeshift memorial which has come up at the spot at Shivaji Park where party chief Bal Thackeray was cremated a month ago.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray Tuesday said his uncle and Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray had asked him to stop using his photos banners, at "the behest of someone else".
