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Correspondent

21 August 2024 at 3:50:16 pm

Static Warfare

Maharashtra’s politics has long resembled a murky theatrical production, but its latest act has descended into farce. A purported audio recording released by Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange-Patil, allegedly discussing a staggering Rs. 500-crore payment routed to him through Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde, son of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, has plunged the ruling Mahayuti into fresh turmoil. While the recording’s authenticity remains unverified, the political fallout has...

Static Warfare

Maharashtra’s politics has long resembled a murky theatrical production, but its latest act has descended into farce. A purported audio recording released by Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange-Patil, allegedly discussing a staggering Rs. 500-crore payment routed to him through Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde, son of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, has plunged the ruling Mahayuti into fresh turmoil. While the recording’s authenticity remains unverified, the political fallout has already exposed the fissures beneath the coalition’s carefully cultivated façade of unity. The first imperative is to establish the facts. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered a forensic examination of the recording, including the identities of the speakers and the circumstances in which it was made. The investigation must go beyond determining whether the audio has been manipulated. Its provenance, completeness, context and circulation must also be established. The allegations are extraordinary. Jarange claims that the purported conversation points to efforts to blunt his influence ahead of the 2024 Assembly elections, when his agitation for Maratha reservation had become a significant political force. The recording allegedly refers to Rs. 500 crore being delivered through Shrikant Shinde. Both Eknath Shinde and his son have rejected the allegations, with the latter responding sarcastically that the money never reached him. Jarange, for his part, has denied receiving the sum and demanded an investigation. The recording has surfaced nearly two years after the alleged conversation, reportedly dating to October 2024. Fadnavis has himself questioned why it has emerged now and who stands to benefit. The allegations have become a test of trust within the Mahayuti itself. The BJP and the Shinde-led Shiv Sena remain partners in government, but their relationship is hardly free of friction. Shinde’s transition from chief minister to deputy chief minister after the 2024 Assembly election underscored the BJP’s ascendancy within the alliance. The latest controversy has revived questions about whether competing ambitions and suspicions are undermining the partnership. The danger lies in the ease with which political intrigue can displace governance. An allegation involving Rs. 500 crore is not a routine exchange of partisan accusations. If substantiated, it would raise grave questions about the use of money to influence a social movement and electoral outcomes. The Maratha reservation agitation has had profound consequences for Maharashtra’s social equilibrium. To reduce such a movement to an instrument of electoral management, if that is what occurred, would be a serious indictment of the political establishment. There is a further question that Maharashtra’s political class must confront: why does every major public controversy so quickly become a contest over factional survival? The state’s politics has grown increasingly transactional, shaped by shifting loyalties and the compulsions of coalition management. The government must therefore ensure that the inquiry is independent in substance, not merely forensic in name.

Nine killed as car plunges into open well

Writer: Dr. Abhilash Dawre
Dr. Abhilash Dawre
Apr 4
3 min read

Deceased belong to same family, six children included

Nashik: Nine members of a family, including six children, were killed after their car fell into an open well in Nashik district, police said on Saturday.


The accident occurred in the Shivaji Nagar area of Dindori town around 10 pm on Friday, an official said.


Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed grief over the deaths of children in the tragic incident, and said that he has ordered an immediate safety audit of open wells in public areas.


According to the police, the victims were returning home after attending a function at a banquet hall in the area when their car fell into a well on the roadside near the venue.


Personnel from the local police and emergency services arrived at the scene and retrieved the car and its occupants with the help of two cranes and swimmers around midnight.


The victims were members of the Dargode family from Indore village in Dindori taluka, the official said.


The bodies were brought to the government hospital in Dindori, the official said, adding that a case has been registered.


No Escape

According to information, the victims had attended a function organised by Wadje Classes and were returning home to Indore village (Dindori taluka) when the accident took place. The car went out of control and fell into an open well located along the roadside, which was completely filled with water, leaving no chance for escape.


After receiving information about the incident, Dindori Police, local administration, fire brigade personnel, and disaster management teams rushed to the spot. Rescue operations were challenging as the well was filled with water. The vehicle was eventually pulled out using two cranes around midnight. A team from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) also reached the location, and the rescue operation continued late into the night.


The incident has raised serious concerns over administrative negligence. Local residents have alleged that the well, located dangerously close to the road, had no safety measures such as fencing or protective barriers.

While speaking to ‘The Perfect Voice’, Inspector Bhagwan Mathure of Dindori Police Station stated that the well belongs to accused Rajendra Parvatrav Raje. Despite being aware that the well, located adjacent to a public road, posed a serious risk of accidents and possible loss of life, no necessary safety measures were taken. “There was no fencing, barricading, or protective structure around the well,” Mathure said.


Probe Ordered

State Disaster Management Minister Girish Mahajan visited the accident spot. He said that the administration has been directed to close the well, and that the government will provide assistance of Rs 5 lakh to the kin of the deceased persons.


The Nashik collector has been asked to probe the incident and submit an inquiry report, he said.


Speaking to reporters in Nagpur, Fadnavis termed the accident "extremely unfortunate".


Preliminary information indicated that the well had a low boundary wall and was in the middle of a frequently accessed area, he said.


The state government has announced financial assistance for the affected family, he said, adding that instructions have been issued to identify and review all wells situated on roads or in areas with public movement.


"Such locations must be audited to assess whether these wells are necessary and what safety measures can be implemented," he said, noting that a higher protective wall could have prevented the tragedy.


The deceased

Sunil Dattatray Dargode (32)

Reshma Sunil Dargode (27)

Asha Anil Dargode (32)

Gunvanti Sunil Dargode (11)

Shreyash Anil Dargode (11)

Shravani Anil Dargode (11)

Srushti Anil Dargode (14)

Samruddhi Rajendra Dargode (7)

Shraddha Anil Dargode (13)

 

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