One of the other key takeaways of the manifesto is setting up a separate maintenance department for the national and state highways, where repairs and other works are currently done by the road construction contractors.
Nationalist Congress Party leader and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Saturday didn't join his cabinet colleagues Devendra Fadnavis and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in visiting the Nagpur-based memorial of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh founder.
'One hopes the younger generation sees Savarkar him for what he was and does not view him through a distorted prism.' 'This is the least one could do for someone who devoted his whole life to Indian freedom struggle, elimination of caste, succour to Dalits, and instilling of strategic culture in India,' says Lieutenant General Ashok Joshi (retd) and Colonel Anil A Athale (retd).
"We have always rejected Savarkar's ideology and political philosophy....his was a divisive ideology. We are consistent and firm in its rejection. We don't need to revise our opinion," Congress spokesman Anand Sharma said.
'He surprised us by telling us he wanted to make a career in acting.' 'We were scared since we knew nothing of this profession but then, he landed a role in Mira Nair's Monsoon Wedding.' 'After seeing him holding his own on screen, we decided to let the boy pursue his passion.'
Syed Firdaus Ashraf offers a ready reckoner on Javed Akhtar's great great grandfather Fazl e Haq Khairabadi who fought the British empire during the 1857 Mutiny and was imprisoned in the Cellular Jail in Port Blair.
The Veer Savarkar issue rocked both Houses of Parliament for the third consecutive day on Thursday as the Shiv Sena and Bharatiya Janata Party members demanded an apology from Petroleum Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar.
The Sena, an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party at the Centre and in Maharashtra, has since long been demanding the highest civilian award for Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, who spent the prime of his life at the Cellular Jail in Andaman after being sentenced to life.
The Maharashtra government on Wednesday bowed to the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party combine's demand to install a portrait of freedom fighter, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, in the central hall of the state legislature in Mumbai.
'Everyone should understand that Laapataa Ladies is not the only best film in India.' 'It is one of the best films out of these 29 entries.'
'Jaat is not just a community, an agent, or an individual; it's an emotion.'
The birth anniversary of Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, whose political influence has surged with the passage of time, on Monday was marked by bitter trading of charges between the ruling BJP and opposition parties as they fought for his legacy.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah launched a scathing attack on Union Home Minister Amit Shah for his remarks on B.R. Ambedkar in Parliament. Siddaramaiah said Shah would have been a "Gujari" (scrap dealer) if there wasn't Ambedkar's Constitution. He also criticized Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar for not taking action against Shah for his comments. The Congress leader further accused the BJP and Sangh Parivar of hating Ambedkar and the Constitution. Siddaramaiah also recalled the RSS's opposition to the Constitution and Ambedkar in the past, citing articles from the RSS mouthpiece 'Organiser' and Golwalkar's book "Bunch of Thought."
The party, however, acknowledged that Savarkar had made a contribution to the freedom movement.
'It is wrong to put Savarkar's portrait in Parliament. Young people should not be told to emulate him as their role model,' says historian Bipan Chandra.
There was so much glamour on the red carpet at the Zee Cine awards held in Mumbai on Sunday, March 10!
"It was Veer Savarkar who first mooted the idea of a two-nation theory which was later adopted by Muhammad Ali Jinnah," Singh told reporters.
Barely hours after the Bandra-Worli sea link was named 'Rajiv Gandhi Setu', the move drew criticism from Opposition Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance, which favoured it being named after Swatantrayaveer Savarkar.
May offers a mix of original Web series and digital movie premieres on OTT.
Kiran Rao's Laapataa Ladies has been picked as India's official entry for Oscars 2025.
Amitabh Bachchan was honoured with the Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award at a ceremony in Mumbai's Dinanath Mangeshkar Natyagrih.
Whatever Mani Shanker Aiyar has said, 'we don't agree with it as he has said it in his individual capacity', Ghulam Nabi Azad said.
'With Chhaava, we had to look from a different lens.' 'We had to write it in such a way that apart from the sacrifice, the fight and the war, there's a lot more to understand about the history of the Marathas.'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday slammed the Aam Aadmi Party as an 'aapda' (disaster) for Delhi, saying this 'aapda' had taken the national capital in its grip in the past 10 years.
The entire opposition, including the BJPs ally the Bahujan Samaj Party, boycotted the function saying that they did not want to 'give credibility' to the activities and 'divisive policies' of Savarkar.
Rahul Gandhi is neither Congress president, office-bearer nor Congress leader in Parliament. This technical leeway provides adequate cover for Shiv Sena-Congress ties taking a nosedive, says Rasheed Kidwai.
'Elections and audience interest in specific movies are often independent factors.'
The opposition has requested President Kalam not to attend a ceremony in Centra Hall of Paliament where the portrait will be unveiled.
Parliament proceedings were adjourned amid ruckus and sloganeering by the Opposition members over the Adani issue.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday accused the Congress of practicing appeasement politics, saying the party's priority was "family first." He asserted that the BJP-led government operates on the principle of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' (development for all) and prioritizes "nation first." Modi further criticized the Congress's approach to reservations, claiming it was aimed at creating divisions within the country. He highlighted the BJP's initiatives to empower marginalized communities, including the constitutional status to the OBC commission and the introduction of 10% reservation for economically backward groups.
The Upper House did not transact any business and was adjourned for the day.
Taking a jibe at the Bharatiya Janata Party for demanding an apology for his "rape in India" remark, Gandhi said, "My name is Rahul Gandhi, not Rahul Savarkar. I will never apologise for speaking truth and nor will any Congressman do so. It is Narendra Modi and his assistant Amit Shah who has to apologise to the country for destroying India's economy."
Rahul Gandhi can never be Savarkar even by a long shot because the freedom fighter neither travelled abroad for six months of the year nor sought help from foreigners against his country, Thakur said.
Home Minister Amit Shah accused the Congress of twisting facts and distorting his comments on B.R. Ambedkar in the Rajya Sabha, saying the opposition party launched a malicious campaign after a parliamentary discussion "established" the Congress as being "anti-Ambedkar and anti-reservation." Shah defended his remarks, stating his address was clear and without confusion, and that his party would explore all legal options against the Congress for misrepresenting his comments. He also accused the Congress of insulting V.D. Savarkar, crushing constitutional values by imposing Emergency, and humiliating soldiers who laid down their lives.
Last Friday saw the release of India's 'most violent film ever', Kill.
Prime Minister Narendra D Modi virtually inaugrated the new terminal building of the Veer Savarkar International Airport in Port Blair, the capital city of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on Tuesday, July 18, 2023.
