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Kanpur Violence: Baba Biryani owner Mukhtar Baba arrested for funding ‘blasphemy’ riots, had fed free biryani to rioters

OpIndia Staff
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Kanpur Violence: Baba Biryani owner Mukhtar Baba arrested for funding ‘blasphemy’ riots, had fed free biryani to rioters

On Wednesday, the SIT investigating the Kanpur violence that erupted on June 3 over the alleged ‘blasphemous’ remarks made by ex-BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma, arrested one Mukhtar Baba for funding the violence. Mukhtar Baba is the owner of a restaurant named ‘Baba Biryani’ in Kanpur and is also accused of feeding free food to the rioters as a consideration of violence.

According to the reports, Mukhtar Baba had funded accused Hayat Zafar Hashmi’s Kanpur-based NGO named Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Fans Association. He was on the radar of SIT and Kanpur police since the violence as his name had come up during the interrogation of the already arrested accused in the case.

The Kanpur Police on June 21 nabbed Mukhtar Baba who was absconding since June 3. Joint Police Commissioner Anand Prakash Tiwari confirming Mukhtar Baba’s arrest said that his name had cropped up in crowdfunding. “He is being taken into custody and interrogated”, Tiwari was quoted.

Reports mention that Mukhtar Baba, on the day of violence had also fed the rioters and stone-pelters with Biryani. However, his son Mahmood while talking to Opindia refused to accept the claims. Some of the local leaders meanwhile reported that Baba Biryani is illegally built on land that actually belongs to a temple and that Mukhtar and his accomplices had been plotting violence for a long time to maintain their illegal occupation.

According to the government records, the land on which the restaurant stands today belongs to the Ram-Janki temple. The fact surfaced when the state administration was tracing all the illegal properties owned by the enemies under the Enemy Property Act. Ram Janki Trust property was first gifted by a Pakistani Aabid Rehman to Mukhtar Baba’s mother who by will transferred it to her son. The main temple and 18 other Hindu shops were razed down to establish the present Biryani restaurant.

Till 1980s there used to be regular worship in Ram Jaanki Temple. Reportedly, the Kanpur administration has issued notice to Custodian, Enemy Property for clarification as it is not clear how Ram Jaanki Temple Trust property turned into Enemy Property ostensibly owned by a Pakistani in last 40 years.

Kanpur Violence

Days after BJP Spokeswoman Nupur Sharma received death threats for allegedly committing ‘blasphemy’ against Prophet Muhammad, severe violence erupted in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur district with Islamists giving a call for a shutdown in the area to protest against Sharma. The protest turned violent as hundreds of Islamists joined the protest after the Friday prayers and began pelting stones at the Police and the civilians.

The Police later arrested more than 40 miscreants in the issue and razed down illegal properties owned by prime accused Hayat Zafar Hashmi and his associates. The Police also found incriminating chats from Hashmi’s phone and probed his bank accounts to trace the funds received from the Gulf countries to allegedly back the violence.

Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik appeals to state MLAs to support Draupadi Murmu in the Presidential elections

OpIndia Staff
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Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik appeals to state MLAs to support Draupadi Murmu in the Presidential elections

Odisha’s chief minister Naveen Patnaik has appealed to all the members of the Odisha assembly, across all parties, to support Draupadi Murmu in the upcoming Presidential elections. On 22nd June 2022, Naveen Patnaik tweeted and asked the MLAs of the Odisha state assembly to cast their vote in favor of Draupadi Murmu, the NDA candidate in the Presidential elections.

Naveen Patnaik wrote, “Appeal all the members of Odisha Legislative Assembly, cutting across party lines, to extend unanimous support to elect the daughter of Odisha Smt Draupadi Murmu to the country’s highest office.”

On June 21, Bharatiya Janata Party-led (BJP) National Democratic Alliance (NDA) announced former Governor of Jharkhand Droupadi Murmu’s name as its Presidential candidate for the upcoming elections scheduled for July 18, 2022. Before the announcement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi headed a BJP Parliamentary Board meeting. BJP Chief JP Nadda announced Murmu’s candidature in a press conference following the board meeting. She will file her nomination on June 25.

Speaking to ANI after the announcement, she said, “I’m surprised. I wasn’t able to believe it. I’m thankful, do not wish to speak much. Whatever powers are there of a President in the Constitution, I’ll work accordingly.” She added, “Our work is to go to people, reach out to members of Electoral College and seek their cooperation. I will request all parties and states for support.”

Murmu has a political career spanning over 20 years. Hailing from Odisha, she was born in a Santal Tribal family on June 20, 1958, in village Uparbeda of district Mayurbhanj.

She gained a Bachelor of Arts degree from Ramadevi Women’s College in Bhubaneswar and then worked as a Junior Assistant in Irrigation and Power Department from 1979 to 1983 in the Odisha government. IN 1994, she joined as a teacher at Sri Aurobindo Integral Education Centre, Rairangpur, and continued serving at the institute till 1997. She got married to Shyam Charan Murmu and had three children. Her husband and two sons have passed away. Her daughter Itishri Murmu is married and settled in Bhubaneshwar, where she works at UCO Bank. Itishree’s husband Ganesh Hembram is a rugby player and the young couple has a little daughter.

She was elected as a councilor in 1997 and became the vice-chairperson of the Rairangpur NAC. She became MLA from the same constituency. In 2000, he became Minister of State (Independent Charge) at Transport and Commerce Department in the Odisha government and served till 2004 when BJP was in a coalition government with Naveen Patnaik’s BJD. During the same period, she also handled the Department of Animal Husbandry and Fisheries as Minister of State.

From the year 2002 to 2009, Murmu was a national executive member of BJP’s ST Morcha. She served as state president for the same between 2006 to 2009. From the year 2013 to April 2015, she served as a national executive member of ST Morcha. From the year 2015 to 2021, she served as Honorable Governor of Jharkhand. She was the first woman Governor for the state and the first female tribal leader to serve as a Governor in any Indian state.

Naveen Patnaik’s Biju Janata Dal is the first non-NDA party to extend support to the NDA candidate in the Presidential elections to be held in July 2022.

Post ‘against’ Sharad Pawar: Actor Ketaki Chitale granted bail, prosecution apologies for not following norms while arresting her

OpIndia Staff
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Post ‘against’ Sharad Pawar: Actor Ketaki Chitale granted bail, prosecution apologies for not following norms while arresting her

A court in Maharashtra’s Thane, on Wednesday 22nd June 2022, granted bail to Marathi actor Ketaki Chitale more than a month after she was arrested for uploading an allegedly offensive remark against NCP leader Sharad Pawar on social media. She was given bail by district judge H M Patwardhan on a Rs 20,000 bond. This will allow Chitale to leave the Thane central jail, where she is now being held, her lawyer said.

Additional sessions judge HM Patwardhan was hearing the bail plea, and the crime branch had filed a reply strongly objecting the bail plea. But the prosecution changed its position and later they filed an additional replying stating that they have no objection if Chitale is granted by bail. Following this, the court allowed the bail plea.

While the detailed judgement is not published yet, the judge slammed the police for not following proper procedure while arresting Ketaki Chitale. During the hearing, Chitale’s lawyer had said that a pre-arrest notice under Section 41A of the Code of Criminal Procedure was not issued to her. The prosecution disagreed, said that the required notice was actually served. But the defence lawyer pointed out that the notice was issued just minutes before her arrest. The judge was not happy with this revelation and pulled up the police for violating norms.

The judge even said that at action should be initiated against the investigating officer for not following rules. However, the public prosecutor apologised on behalf of the police for this error.

Ketaki Chitale was detained by Thane police on May 15, 2022, after she shared Marathi poetry on Facebook that was purportedly disparaging to NCP leader Sharad Pawar. For her post on Pawar, police in Kalwa, Thane, had filed FIRs against her, charging many sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The cases were filed under sections 505 (2) (public mischief statements), 500 (defamation), 501 (printing or engraving matter known to be defamatory), and 153A. (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc). Swapnil Netke, the complainant, said in his complaint that the post was likely to cause conflict between political parties.

Yogesh Deshpande, who stood in court on Ketaki Chitale’s behalf, stated that she would now be freed from jail after the judge granted her bail. The 29-year-old actress is presently facing more than 20 FIRs in connection with the Facebook post.

Ketaki Chitale was granted bail last week in another case filed against her in 2020 under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in Navi Mumbai.

Ketaki Chitale was arrested on May 15 for a Facebook post where she had shared a verse, allegedly written on Pawar, calling him a person who hates Brahmins. The cases have been filed in multiple police stations in Mumbai and its suburbs.

Beachgoers caught urinating in the sea or on the beach to be fined €750, almost ₹62,000, in Spanish city Vigo

OpIndia Staff
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Beachgoers caught urinating in the sea or on the beach to be fined €750, almost ₹62,000, in Spanish city Vigo

A Spanish city has decided to impose heavy fine to prevent beachgoers from urinating on the beach or in the sea. On Tuesday, the city council in Spain’s Vigo passed a legislation banning urinating in the sea or on the beach. Anyone who is caught urinating in the sea will be compelled to pay a fine of €750 or £645 (around Rs 62,000) as penalty. The city council said that urinating in the sea or on the beach is ‘an infringement of hygiene and sanitary regulations.’

According to the reports, the Spanish city of Vigo has decided to introduce more public facilities on the beaches for visitors and swimmers. In a bid to promote a healthy and clean lifestyle, the city council has introduced several other measures including barring the use of soap or shampoo in the sea and banning smoking on certain beaches. Visitors will also not be allowed to wash cooking utensils in the sea water.

The council is said to have taken severe steps to prevent coastal pollution by banning ‘physiological evacuation on the beach or in the sea’ after the locals flagged the British tourists as a major problem. However, it is at present unclear how the authorities plan to monitor the suspected swimmers and surfers in the water and catch the violators to fine them. Along with announcing the penalty, the council has confirmed that it will install public toilets on the beach as a preventive measure to combat sea wees.

Reportedly, Vigo is not the first city in Spain to ban urinating in the sea. In the year 2017, the southeastern resort of San Pedro del Pinatar banned it along with nudity, playing bat and ball, and also reserving spots on the beach with a towel. Additional penalties of up to €1,500 are issued for lighting fires or barbecues. The San Pedro del Pinatar’s beach code also states that anyone selling food or drink without the correct license be fined as much as €3,000.

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray admits his party members don’t want him as the Maharashtra CM; says he will resign if asked

OpIndia Staff
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Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray admits his party members don’t want him as the Maharashtra CM; says he will resign if asked

Amidst the Political turmoil in Maharashtra, Chief Minister and Shiv Sena Supremo Uddhav Thackeray held a Facebook live on Wednesday. Thackeray, after realising that numbers may not be in his favour, admitted that he is ready to resign from his post if asked by his party leaders.

In an emotional appeal on a Facebook live, Uddhav Thackeray started off by saying that Shiv Sena and ‘Hindutva’ are not different. They both are the same and Shiv Sena was born out of Hindutva. “That was the only reason why Aaditya (Thackeray), Eknath Shinde and other leaders went to Ayodhya,” he added.

“Some people are trying to suggest that this is not Balasaheb’s Shiv Sena. We led the 2014 elections alone, we were Hindu then, and we are still the name. The ministers who then got portfolios than are also ministers under me. So, Shiv Sena and its Hindutva have not changed,” Thackeray suggested. He tiptoed on the Hindutva issue after senior Sena leader Eknath Shinde rebelled against Thackeray over the issue of Hindutva and carried Balasaheb Thackeray’s legacy forward.

“When I started off, I had no experience. But as the responsibility came before me, everything I did was with determination. At that time, when all the three parties came together, (Sharad) Pawar saheb requested me to be at the helm of the affairs. Even Sonia Ji used to call me occasionally. However, what is sad and surprising is that my own people don’t want me as the Maharashtra CM,” Thackeray opined.

He promised that if the rebel MLAs come to meet him and tell him upfront that they do not wish to see him as the CM, he will tender his resignation at that very moment. Thackeray informed that he is not going to meet the Governor and give his resignation letter as he is Covid Positive. “However, (the rebels) are ready to come to me and ask for my resignation,” he added.

“This is not drama. Which group has more numbers is not an issue. How do you build up those people matters, “Thackeray said. “I have made up my mind. I am not interested in running the government, nor do I aspire for this position,” he requested while inviting the separated leaders to have a dialogue.

While Thackeray has hinted at a possible resignation from the post of CM, he announced that he will be wrapping his bags from ‘Varsha’ his official residence and will be heading to ‘Matoshree’, his private residence tonight.

Maharashtra: Disgraced cop Sachin Vaze becomes approver against Anil Deshmukh in corruption case, ED gives nod

OpIndia Staff
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Maharashtra: Disgraced cop Sachin Vaze becomes approver against Anil Deshmukh in corruption case, ED gives nod

The Enforcement Directorate has accepted the request of disgraced cop Sachin Vaze to become an approver in a money laundering case against former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh. This is the second case against Deshmukh where Vaze is now an approver.

As per reports, the central agency has filed an application before a special court for the same. The former assistant police inspector is accused of collecting a whopping sum of ₹4.3 crores from owners of dance bars in Mumbai and handing it over to the personal staff of the ex-Maharashtra Home Minister.

Anil Deshmukh would then route the funds to his educational trust in Nagpur through a hawala operator based in Delhi. The money extorted from dance bars was shown as donations in account books.

In February this year, Sachin Vaze wrote to Enforcement Directorate Officers and sought permission to be made an approver in the money laundering case against Deshmukh. He demanded that he be pardoned in exchange for his services.

Sachin Vaze is also a prime accused in the Mansukh Hiren murder and Antilia bomb scare cases.

CBI case against Sachin Vaze

Vaze was earlier made the approver by the CBI in another corruption case against Anil Deshmukh. The central agency had stated that Vaze had first-hand knowledge of the involvement of other accused in the money laundering case and that he had confessed to his involvement in the crime.

“The confessional statement made by Sachin Vaze has been corroborated on material aspects by oral and documentary evidence collected during the course of investigation…Sachin Vaze acted as an accomplice in conspiracy with co-accused namely Anil Deshmukh and his staff… in the commission of the offences…,” the CBI informed.

Sachin Vaze is in judicial custody for three cases. The first one is the case of an explosives-laden vehicle found near industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s residence in south Mumbai and the murder of Thane businessman Mansukh Hiran.

The second one is the CBI case in which he has already turned an approver. It is a preliminary inquiry of Rs 100 crore corruption allegations against former home minister Anil Deshmukh that were raised by Mumbai’s former Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh. On June 1st, a special CBI court had allowed Sachin Vaze to turn approver and depose as a prosecution witness against other accused including Maharashtra’s former home minister Anil Deshmukh.

The third one is a money laundering case against Anil Deshmukh and others, where he has turned approver now.

Congress simps on Rahul Gandhi’s smile, writes poems as Maha govt crumbles: ED continues questioning on money laundering

OpIndia Staff
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Congress simps on Rahul Gandhi’s smile, writes poems as Maha govt crumbles: ED continues questioning on money laundering

The political drama gripped the state of Maharashtra on Wednesday. Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut hinted toward the dismissal of Vidhan Sabha after rebel Eknath Shinde attained the support of 46 MLAs in Guwahati. Shinde stated that he had no plans to float a new political party and that he has always been Balasaheb Thackeray’s Shiv Sainik.

Amid the ongoing crisis, while the Shiv Sena party is struggling to sort the issue, the NCP and the Congress who are in coalition with the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government have as if decided to keep away from the surging heat. The NCP supremo yesterday stated that the ongoing political crisis was an internal matter of the Shiv Sena party and not the NCP. Also, the Congress Party seems immersed in its own wonderland.

The Congress party is busy glorifying the perky and playful facial expressions of its leader Rahul Gandhi who is being questioned by the Enforcement Directorate in the National Herald Case. The official Twitter account of the party on Wednesday posted several smiling photographs of Rahul Gandhi and captioned the tweets with poetries and couplets.

While the poetries glorified the confident and smiling face of Rahul Gandhi, they indirectly highlighted that the ED was deliberately trying to harass Rahul Gandhi for raising his voice against the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Modi-led government. “Vo Chahte hai tut jaye, hum chahte hai desh bachaye, Janata ki is taakat ko, unhe kaun samjhaye (They want to break but we want to save the country. Who will explain to them that India is a democratic country)”, one of the cheesy tweets by Congress read.

Screenshot from Twitter

Several other tweets followed claiming that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was speaking the truth and was supported by every Congress leader and worker from across the country. “Rahul Gandhi was not alone in ED’s room, every Congress leader, worker was sitting with Rahul Gandhi in that room”, another tweet by Congress read.

Screenshot from Twitter
Screenshot from Twitter
Screenshot from Twitter
Screenshot from Twitter

This is after Rahul Gandhi on June 22 addressed the Congress workers and leaders in New Delhi to ensure them that the questioning by the ED had not at all affected him. “ED and such agencies don’t affect me, even the officers who interrogated me understood that a leader of the Congress party can’t be scared and suppressed”, he said.

It is important to note that though Rahul Gandhi stated on Wednesday that he was not affected by the actions of the ED, the party in Gujarat asked its legislators to join the protests over Rahul Gandhi’s questioning by the ED. Congress MLA CJ Chavda said that small staffers of ED were questioning our leader which did not look good. Rahul Gandhi is being questioned by ED since June 13 in the National Herald case and the Congress party is protesting since then in front of various offices of the central government in different states. Many such demonstrations by Congress members took a violent turn where public transport vehicles were vandalized and tyres were burnt.

Interestingly, the call was given by the party’s central leadership at a time the time when the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra is in the middle of a grim crisis, inching towards collapse. Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde on June 21 rebelled against the MVA government and demanded a re-alliance of Shiv Sena and BJP. He stated that Shiv Sena was stepping far away from its policies of Hindutva and that it was disrespecting the ideologies of party supremo Balasaheb Thackeray. He also added that the Shiv Sena formed by Balasaheb Thackeray was different from the one that is led by CM Uddhav Thackeray.

Shinde, who is in Guwahati at present has the support of 46 MLAs, including 6-7 Independent MLAs. “This number will rise in the time to come. As of now we have neither received any proposal from BJP nor are we holding any talks with them,” Shinde said.

34 rebel Shiv Sena MLAs sign resolution endorsing Eknath Shinde to continue as the leader of the legislative party

OpIndia Staff
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34 rebel Shiv Sena MLAs sign resolution endorsing Eknath Shinde to continue as the leader of the legislative party

The political drama in Maharashtra is unfolding new sequences with every coming hour. After the rebel Shiv Sena MLAs led by minister Eknath Shinde moved to Guwahati from Surat, they have now passed a resolution to continue Eknath Shinde as the leader of the Shiv Sena legislature party. 34 Shiv Sena MLAs have signed the resolution, whereas Eknath Shinde has claimed that he is backed by 46 MLAs including 40 MLAs of Shiv Sena. In the resolution, they have unanimously stated that they are with Eknath Shinde and the party cadre and leaders are unhappy with the corruption charges on the government formed with Congress and Nationalist Congress Party.

It is notable that Shiv Sena had removed Eknath Shinde from the post of leader of the legislative party after he along with the MLAs moved to Surat. The party has appointed Sewri MLA Ajay Chaudhary as the new Shiv Sena Legislative Party leader.

In the resolution signed by 34 Shiv Sena MLAs, it is said, “We, the following members of the 14th Maharashtra Legislative Assembly belonging to the Shiv Sena. We are notified as to the members of the Shiv Sena Legislature Party. We unanimously elected Mr. Eknathrao Sambhaji Shinde on 31 October 2019 as group leader of the Shiv Sena Legislature Party. There was a pre-poll alliance between the Bhartiya Janata Party and Shiv Sena Party for the 14th Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, 2019.”

The Shiv Sena resolution passed on 22nd June 2022.

It further said, “There has been great dissatisfaction prevalent amongst the members of our party viz. Shiv Sena and our party Cadre at large, on account of Corruption in the Government, and administration regarding police posting. Corruption by then Home Minister Mr. Anil Deshmukh (who is in Jail), and sitting Minority Minister Mr. Nawab Malik (who is also in jail for involvement with Underworld Don Dawood Ibrahim). Apart from the above reasons our party Cadre faced tremendous harassment and distress on Political as well as Personal Grounds from the Opposition.”

The resolution of Shiv Sena members was received by the Chief Secretary of the Maharashtra Assembly office on 22nd June 2022 at 11:34 am. It also has the receiving signature of the clerical staff in the office of the deputy speaker of the Maharashtra Assembly dated 22nd June 2022.

Eknath Shinde has the support of more than two-thirds of the Shiv Sena MLAs. He said in Guwahati that he now has a strength of 46 MLAs in all. Shiv Sena had won 56 MLAs in the 2019 Maharashtra assembly elections. With the recent demise of one of its MLAs, the party is left with 55 MLAs. As Eknath Shinde has taken 40 MLAs with him, the party is now left with hardly 10-15 MLAs. Few more MLAs are reportedly going to Guwahati to join the rebel faction.

According to the anti-defection law, if a group from a legislature party with more than two-thirds of the total number of elected MLAs of that party separates away, then that group is identified as the original party, and the rebel MLAs don’t lose their membership from the house. According to this, Shiv Sena group under Eknath Shinde needs a minimum strength of 37. The resolution has the signatures of 34 Shiv Sena MLAs, which is short by 3 MLAs. Eknath Shinde is claiming to be backed by 46 MLAs in all, including 40 Shiv Sena MLAs

In the latest development, Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrakant Patil has left for Guwahati with 4 more MLAs. However, the names of these four MLAs are not yet disclosed.

Karnataka: JDS MLA slaps school principal, video goes viral

OpIndia Staff
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Karnataka: JDS MLA slaps school principal, video goes viral

On Monday (June 20), a Janata Dal (Secular) MLA named M Srinivas assaulted a college principal in full public view in Mandya city of Karnataka. The incident took place during the legislator’s visit to the Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar ITI College.

Srinivas was reportedly infuriated at the principal for not providing a satisfactory answer to his query about the ongoing development work for the computer lab. The victim has been identified as Nagananda.

In a video that has now gone viral on social media, he was seen slapping the Principal several times. The JDS MLA first reprimanded the college principal in front of his co-workers and then proceeded to assault him.

The incident left Nagananda in a state of shock. Onlookers were seen trying to pacify a disgruntled Srinivas. Although the college Principal did not file a complaint, the President of the Government Employees Association (Mandya) Shambhu Gowda has informed that the matter will be raised before the District Commissioner.

He took all details about the incident and also extended his full support to Nagananda. Netizens have also slammed the JDS MLA for assaulting and humiliating a college Principal.

Congress leaders assault cops, throw tantrums

The former ally of JD(S), the Congress party, has been in the news for assaulting police officials on duty. On June 16 this year, Congress’ Renuka Chowdhury grabbed the collar of a police Sub-Inspector in Telangana.

On June 21, Netta D’Souza was seen spitting at police officials during a protest against the newly launched Agnipath scheme. D’Souza is the Acting President of the All India Mahila Congress.

While the Congress leader had been claiming to fight for the rights of ‘men in uniform’, she was seen treating police personnel with utmost disrespect.

Shiv Sena issues whip to all MLAs for a meeting, Eknath Shinde calls it illegal and appoints own chief whip, claims support of 46 MLAs

Gopal Tiwari
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Shiv Sena issues whip to all MLAs for a meeting, Eknath Shinde calls it illegal and appoints own chief whip, claims support of 46 MLAs

Amid the political crisis Shiv Sena is facing in Maharashtra, the party’s chief whip Sunil Prabhu issued a notice to all the Shiv Sena MLAs to be present in an important meeting that will be held at 5 pm today (22nd June 2022). The notice said that if any MLA fails to attend the meeting, the party will consider that the MLA has quit the party voluntarily. The meeting will take place at chief minister Uddhav Thackeray’s residence.

The notice adds that if someone remains absent from the meeting without proper reason and prior information, they should keep in mind that action will be initiated to cancel their membership as per provisions of the constitution of the party. It is notable that around 40 Shiv Sena MLAs are currently in Guwahati, and it is unlikely that they will attend the 5 PM meeting. The rebel Shiv Sena MLAs along with some independent MLAs reached Guwahati from Surat early morning today, and are staying at 5-star hotel Radisson Blu.

However, rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde has rejected tjhis notice issued by the party whip. Calling the notice legally invalid, Shinde appointed his own chief whip for his faction of Shiv Sena.

In response to this notice, Eknath Shinde, who currently has more than two-thirds of the MLAs of Shiv Sena with him, has tweeted that MLA Bharat Gogavale is appointed as the new whip of the Shiv Sena MLAs. He tweeted, “MLA Bharat Gogavale is appointed as the chief whip of the Shiv Sena legislative party. therefore the orders issued about the MLA meeting today by Sunil Prabhu are illegal.”

Eknath Shinde has the support of more than two-thirds of the Shiv Sena MLAs. He said in Guwahati that he now has a strength of 46 MLAs in all and that he is not involved in any discussions with the Bharatiya Janata Party.

He said, “Right now we have 46 MLAs with us, including 6-7 Independent MLAs. The rest of them are Shiv Sena MLAs. This number will rise in the time to come. As of now we have neither received any proposal from BJP nor are we holding any talks with them.” Meanwhile, Eknath Shinde reiterated that he is a Shiv Sainik and his companions will continue to be Shiv Sainiks.

H

He added, “As far as the current political situation is concerned, I’d say that we are Balasaheb Thackeray’s Shiv Sainiks and will continue to be Shiv Sainiks. As of now, we are not holding any talks with Shiv Sena or CM. We have not decided on the future course of action.”

Eknath Shinde further said, “All of us MLAs are together now. We are activists who believe in Babasaheb’s thoughts. We all have the same feeling. We have a strength of more MLAs than required. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has to decide if he is going to resign or not. We have scheduled a meeting in the evening to decide the next direction. After that meeting, we will inform our decision.”

Meanwhile, hours after Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari got infected with coronavirus, news has appeared that chief minister Uddhav Thackeray has also caught the coronavirus infection and he will address the evening meeting through video conferencing. Shiv Sena rebel minister Eknath Shinde is currently in a hotel in Guwahati with 45 other MLAs. 5 to 6 MLAs out of these are independents won from the Shiv Sena quota while others are Shiv Sena MLAs.

Shiv Sena had won 56 MLAs in the 2019 Maharashtra assembly elections. With the recent demise of one of its MLAs, the party is left with 55 MLAs. As Eknath Shinde has taken 45 MLAs with him, the party is now left with hardly 10-12 MLAs. BJP leader Nilesh Rane took a jibe at this and tweeted, “The conditions are such that only 11 or 12 MLAs have stayed back there with Shiv Sena. Uddhav Thackeray does not know how to run the party. He should take these 11-12 and make an IPL team called Matoshri 11.”

Eknath Shinde had left Maharashtra soon after the recent elections of the Maharashtra Legislative Council were over. After voting on 20th June 2022, Eknath Shinde with MLAs supporting him went to Surat. From Surat, he reached Guwahati where all the rebel MLAs are staying in a hotel.

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