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By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

Rallies across state back CJP

Several protesters gathered at Dadar, Mumbai, on Monday in support of CJP's Delhi protest. Pic: Bhushan Koyande Mumbai: Endorsing the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)’s massive agitation near the Parliament in New Delhi, lakhs of youth, students and social organizations took to the streets with angry protests, marches and demonstrations almost all over Maharashtra on Monday. Opposition parties in the state including the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies Congress, Nationalist Congress Party and...

Rallies across state back CJP

Several protesters gathered at Dadar, Mumbai, on Monday in support of CJP's Delhi protest. Pic: Bhushan Koyande Mumbai: Endorsing the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)’s massive agitation near the Parliament in New Delhi, lakhs of youth, students and social organizations took to the streets with angry protests, marches and demonstrations almost all over Maharashtra on Monday. Opposition parties in the state including the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies Congress, Nationalist Congress Party and Shiv Sena (UBT), along with other smaller outfits either voluntarily joined the protestors or wholeheartedly supported them. The political parties expressed full solidarity with the CJP, flayed the forced hospitalization of environment activist Sonam Wangchuk and expressed anger at the purported undermining of major public examinations beset with multiple leaks of question papers in recent years. The demonstrations attracted thousands of collegians, unemployed youngsters, professionals like lawyers, social activists, civil society members, farmers and others, including a large number of women, as the local police deployed strict security to prevent any untoward incidents. The protestors, carrying banners, placards, the National Tricolour and in some places, copies of the Constitution marched or assembled at various central locations in different cities, including Dadar in Mumbai, respective district headquarters since morning, braving showers or heavy rains in many areas. They ranted anti-government slogans, vociferously demanded the resignation of the Union Education Minister of India Dharmendra Pradhan, seeking what they termed as ‘accountability by those holding public offices’, ‘transparency’, ‘safeguarding their democratic rights’ and ‘mutual dialogue’ to resolve such contentious issues. In some districts, the gatherings also condemned the forcible eviction of Wangchuk to a government hospital two days ago, and lashed out the Delhi Police for lobbing teargas shells and mild lathi-charge on the protestors who reached very close to the Parliament – where the Monsoon Session 2026 opened on Monday. Constitutional Rights Speakers at the venues accused the government of allegedly suppressing the Constitutional right to peaceful protests through high-handed means, warning it could deepen public resentment rather than solving the problems the masses raised. Though the emotionally-charged protests in the state remained largely disciplined and peaceful, in some places like Mumbai, a few demonstrators were detained in the afternoon for not adhering to police directives. In Mumbai, the participants included mostly students, young professionals, retired citizens and civil society groups, while the district-level rallies elsewhere drew significant presence of the local youth, farmers organisations and social activists. The vigorous campaigns were carried out in the capital Mumbai and second capital Nagpur, besides Thane, Palghar, Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Pune, Nashik, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nandurbar, Dhule, Jalgaon, Akola, Amravati, Dhule, Ahilyanagar, Solapur, Kolhapur, Sangli, Satara, Beed, Latur, Dharashiv, Jalna, Nanded, Parbhani, Hingoli, Wardha, Chandrapur, Gadchiroli, Gondia, Bhandara, Washim, Yavatmal and Buldhana. Thackeray slams Centre Ex-Chief Minister and SS (UBT) President Uddhav Thackeray took potshots at the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government saying “they can hold talks with Pakistan, but not our youth”. His party MP Sanjay Raut alleged that ‘one word’ by a top judge had sparked a nationwide unrest for the past two months, igniting the youth to question the BJP governments at the Centre and in states. Many irate youngsters told the media that the exam reforms centric campaign has now transformed into a broader nationwide movement for debates on civil liberties, dissent and democratic rights of the citizens, and they would continue till their aims are achieved. Hundreds gather in Nagpur to support CJP Hundreds of students, youth and senior citizens staged an agitation in Nagpur on Monday in support of activist Sonam Wangchuk and the Cockroach Janta Party's protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, demanding Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation. Chanting anti-government slogans over alleged exam paper leaks, angry demonstrators, including students and senior citizens, gathered at Samvidhan Square and vowed to press ahead with their agitation until the education minister steps down. Protesters expressed outrage over the forcible removal of Wangchuk from Jantar Mantar in the national capital and the lathi-charge on students during their march to Parliament. Holding placards, banners and photos of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, demonstrators gathered at the site amid heavy police deployment. One of the young demonstrators said that their agitation will continue till the education minister resigns.

MNS’s Worli gambit: Family feud, political opportunity

Updated: Oct 30, 2024

MNS

Mumbai: The biggest political battle is going to be fought in the Worli Assembly constituency in this election. The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray has asked his party workers to ensure that its candidate Sandeep Deshpande defeats his nephew and Shiv Sena (UBT) nominee Aaditya Thackeray at any cost.


“Aapan Worli Jinkalich Pahije (We must win Worli),” Raj reportedly told the MNS workers soon after his nominated Deshpande for the high-profile seat.


There may be a family rift or a calculated political risk behind Raj’s Worli gambit. This move will definitely intensify the family feud but if the MNS could win this battle that will give the party a much-desired fillip ahead of the municipal elections.


According to sources, Thackeray had directed his sainiks to do a survey of Worli constituents and understand the problems faced by locals. However, for the past three months, the MNS has been actively engaging with the local community in Worli through a series of dialogue programs.


“Sandeep Deshpande has been actively campaigning since June, noting down the concerns of the residents to address them, is most likely to remain the face of the party in Worli against Aaditya Thackeray. Following which he was being nominated by MNS chief, Raj Thackeray,” said a source.


Worli is a hub of several business, along with the costliest properties and several tenements (chawls) in dilapidated condition. A section of the voters believes that Aaditya’s ‘vision’ for developing Worli could be his biggest plus point.


Deshpande pointed that people living in these dilapidated chawls are awaiting redevelopment. “These are Bombay Development Department [BDD] chawls and police colonies. There are slum rehabilitation projects on hold, several redeveloped buildings are yet to provide monthly rentals to residents. Aaditya Thackeray has not visited the residents in the last five years and is not easily accessible to people,” he said.


In the Lok Sabha election held in May, the Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Arvind Sawant had secured a margin of 6,715 votes in Worli Assembly segment. The MNS sees this as a great opportunity to make inroads in the constituency.


“In 2017 municipal corporation polls, MNS secured around 30,000 votes from Worli. This is a good reminder that we have dedicated to MNS in this constituency,” Deshpande said.

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