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By:

Minal Sancheti

2 May 2026 at 12:26:53 pm

Funeral for animals

Mumbai: On the occasion of National Animal Rights Day, a funeral was held for all the voiceless creatures that humans have killed for selfish reasons. The act was a campaign and was a brainchild of Animal Climate and Health in collaboration with Our Planet Theirs Too. The purpose was to spread awareness about animal cruelty. The campaign took place at Carter Road Amphitheatre and so a crowd of both young and old supported the cause. Speaking about animal cruelty, recently the internet was...

Funeral for animals

Mumbai: On the occasion of National Animal Rights Day, a funeral was held for all the voiceless creatures that humans have killed for selfish reasons. The act was a campaign and was a brainchild of Animal Climate and Health in collaboration with Our Planet Theirs Too. The purpose was to spread awareness about animal cruelty. The campaign took place at Carter Road Amphitheatre and so a crowd of both young and old supported the cause. Speaking about animal cruelty, recently the internet was flooded with a viral video of a group of men at Mira Road taking a piglet to a locality where goats were brought for religious sacrifice. Aparjita Ashish, the founder and director of Animal Climate and Health said, “It is an act of cruelty to kill animals for religious sacrifice but to protest against this they were harassing a baby pig. The poor pig was screaming for his life. So how’s that right? If you want to protest, protest peacefully.” Ashish also comments on the Apex Judiciary’s decision of euthanising terminally ill dogs, “If the dog has a serious illness like rabies and is in a lot of pain, with a doctor’s permission and in a peaceful manner, they should be euthanised. The apex court also spoke about the ABC or animal birth control which if done with correct procedures, can help bring down issues related to the stray dogs. Many times the process is wrong so the animals become subject to cruelty.” She even added that the strays should not be displaced as that will leave them confused. This is also an act of ill treatment. The occasion saw a large number of gatherers. According to the campaigners, being vegan is not just for protecting animals but also for the climate. Ashish explained, “If you see the name of our NGO, it is Animal Climate and Health. So we also talk about the impact of consuming animal products on the environment.” She gives an example of how methane gas is produced because of the dairy animals and how the food and resources to breed animals are so much that it affects the environment. The supporters who participated in the campaign said they also noticed many health benefits of going vegan. Anil Nagpal, a senior citizen and volunteer with the organisation said, “For many years I was going through ill health. I tried every treatment but nothing really helped much. But then someone convinced me to go vegan and since that time my health has improved drastically. After this many people in my circles who used to eat animal products have given up.” When asked what his protein sources are, he said, “I eat lentils and legumes. Vegetables also contain protein.” Ashish claimed that humans have an ego that makes them think they are above animals.

Is the NCP (SP) thawing its Maratha party image?

Pawar’s party reaching out to various communities to break the Mahayuti vote

NCP

Mumbai: Sharad Pawar’s election war room is buzzing with data on caste formations, equations and numbers. His selection of candidates reflects just that—the party’s shrewd strategy to reach out to communities and castes that have, until now, viewed the NCP (SP) as a party of the Marathas. Uttaramrao Jankar’s presence during Pawar’s tours also cannot be missed; he’s a prominent face of the Dhangar community that is currently expressing its discontentment. The party’s new approach aims to address the changing political landscape in Maharashtra, where various communities seek representation.


The long-standing Maratha reservation agitation and the demand of Dhangars to be included under the Scheduled Tribes list have upset the caste arithmetic of most parties. “We are ensuring that we are not anathema to any community,” says an NCP (SP) leader. He says that the party is trying to wean away at least a slice of the pie that constitutes the MADHAV grouping, which the BJP, for long, has relied on. The grouping including the Mali, Dhangar and Vanjari communities.


A notable example of how the party is selecting its candidates to balance its caste outreach is Sandeep Kshirsagar. The 43-year-old OBC leader has been fielded from Beed, once again, despite the region being on the boil with the Manoj Jarange-Patil’s Maratha reservation agitation.


Kshirsagar’s house was set on fire allegedly by Maratha protestors earlier and only a few months ago, Pankaja Munde, an OBC leader, had lost to her Maratha opponent. Two days ago, Kshirsagar called on Jarange-Patil, promising to take up the cause. “Sandeep is young and an OBC and could be groomed to be the next Chhagan Bhujbal, the party’s OBC face,” says a party leader.


Similarly, the party has picked UttamraoJankar from Malshiras to appeal to the Dhangars that are reportedly upset with the government for ignoring its demands. For long, the OBCs, as a chunk, relied on the BJP, thanks to Gopinath Munde who rose to become the party’s most prominent OBC leader, a legacy that cousins Pankaja and Dhananjay are competing to claim. “The community has so far looked at the BJP to rely on. But we want to convince them that we aren’t a bad alternative,” says an NCP (SP) leader. With a Maratha leading the Mahayuti government, the BJP’s claims of being OBC-friendly have started diminishing. To add to their woes, the Maratha community is moving farther away from the party. “The BJP has relied on the MADHAV formula which we are trying to break. While it may not greatly benefit us, preventing these communities from voting as a block will also be helpful,” he says.


While Muslim have traditionally opted for the Congress and the NCP almost en masse, the NCP (SP) is projecting Fahad Ahmad as a young, urban, vocal Muslim face to replace Nawab Mallik whose appeal among the youth was fast diminishing anyway.


By w.elcoming leaders from different backgrounds, Pawar is looking to create a more inclusive party that can resonate with diverse voter groups. This move also helps in countering the influence of other regional and national parties, particularly in areas such as Beed and Marathwada where non-Maratha communities are significant.

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