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By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

Raj Thackeray tormented over ‘missing kids’ in state

Mumbai : Expressing grave concerns over the steep rise in cases of ‘missing children’ in the state, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) President Raj Thackeray has accused the state government of treating the matter casually and failing to respond to it urgently.   In an open missive on 'X' to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Raj Thackeray quoted data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) pointing at almost an alarming 30 pc increase in the number of children ‘missing’ in the state...

Raj Thackeray tormented over ‘missing kids’ in state

Mumbai : Expressing grave concerns over the steep rise in cases of ‘missing children’ in the state, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) President Raj Thackeray has accused the state government of treating the matter casually and failing to respond to it urgently.   In an open missive on 'X' to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Raj Thackeray quoted data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) pointing at almost an alarming 30 pc increase in the number of children ‘missing’ in the state between 2021-2024.   When asked for his reactions, Fadnavis told media-persons in Nagpur that he had not read the letter, but the issue raised is important and he would reply to it. Fadnavis stated that the NCRB has also provided the reasons why the kids go ‘missing’, how they return and the period, ranging from 3 days to 18 months.   Dwelling on the sufficiency of the NCRB figures, he contended that they reflect only complaints formally registered by the police and thousands of cases may never be reported.   On the ‘rescue, return and reunion’ of such missing children, he pointed to the sheer psychological trauma they may have suffered and sought to know how such child-lifter networks continued to thrive openly and blatantly.   The MNS chief targeted what he claimed was the “state’s lack of proactive measures to identify and dismantle child-begging rackets” as many juveniles can be seen begging at railway stations, bus stands, traffic signals, often accompanied by adults with doubtful authenticity.   “If some woman claims to be the child’s relative or guardian, should the government not order a thorough probe? Is it inappropriate to consider even a DNA test in suspicious cases,” Raj Thackeray demanded.   Slamming the government and the Opposition, he lamented how both sides failed to prioritise such urgent social issues in the legislature where discussions centre around partisan sparring.   The letter also mentions attempts by the Centre to coordinate with states on the ‘missing or trafficked children’, regretting how political upmanships and symbolic debates prevent meaningful action on the ground.   The NCRB said that Maharashtra has consistently ranked among states with the highest number of ‘missing children’, particularly in urban centres like Mumbai, Thane, and Pune.   Simultaneously, experts, child rights NGOs and activists have warned about trafficking networks that exploit poverty, migration and weak law enforcement and low convictions, despite official rescue missions or rehab efforts.   In his appeal, Raj Thackeray called upon Fadnavis to take concrete, visible measures rather than discussions and conventions. “Maharashtra expects decisive steps from you, not speeches. Jai Maharashtra,” he signed off.     In October 2023,Sharad Pawar red-flagged ‘missing girls-women’ This is the second major social cause by a political leader, two years after Nationalist Congress Party (SP) President Sharad Pawar had red-flagged nearly 20,000 ‘missing women and girls’ from the state between Jan-May 2023.   In the present instance, Raj Thackeray said that “behind the statistics lies a far more disturbing reality involving organised, inter-state gangs that kidnap children, physically abuse them and force them into begging rings”.   “Little kids are assaulted, made to beg and shifted across states. Groups of children disappear suddenly, and the government appears unable, or unwilling, to grasp the seriousness of what is happening,” said Thackeray in a strong tone.

Shinde targets Uddhav for ‘giving up’ Thackeray’s principles forever

Updated: Nov 7, 2024

Shinde targets Uddhav

Pune: Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday hit out at Uddhav Thackeray for ‘abandoning’ the principles of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray, and claimed the Maha Vikas Aghadi government had been formed against the people’s wishes.


Speaking at a campaign rally in Satara in support of Shambhuraj Desai ahead of the November 20 state assembly elections, Shinde also said the higher “strike rate” of the Shiv Sena led by him in the Lok Sabha polls proved `whose Shiv Sena is the real one’.


“Some people abandoned the principles of Bal Thackeray,” Shinde said, taking a swipe at Uddhav Thackeray, Bal Thackeray’s son, who joined hands with the Congress and NCP in 2019 to form the MVA government.


“The party was put up for sale, Shiv Sena workers and the party were suppressed. Seeing this, the workers got restless. Shambhuraj Desai used to ask me, when should we act (rebel against Thackeray). I asked him to wait for the right time as the prey should come in sight. Once it comes, we will act,” said Shinde who split the Shiv Sena in 2022 and formed a government with the BJP’s support.


The MVA government of the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress was formed against the wishes of the people, Shinde claimed.


The Shiv Sena and BJP contested the 2019 assembly elections together with photos of Bal Thackeray and Prime Minister Narendra Modi featuring prominently during the campaign, he said.


“But after the elections, you (Uddhav) went with Congress. Balasaheb would have never accepted this, and that was why we took this step,” said Shinde, who was a minister in the Thackeray-led MVA government until his rebellion.


He and his supporters did not leave the Shiv Sena, Shinde asserted.


“We did not leave the Shiv Sena; we stayed, rescued the Shiv Sena, saved its bow-and-arrow symbol, and succeeded,” he added.


More and more people were joining his party, the chief minister said, adding, “Our strike rate in the Lok Sabha elections was higher than that of the Shiv Sena (UBT). We fought 13 seats and won seven, and it shows whose Shiv Sena is real.”


The Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena contested 21 seats and won nine. Shinde averred that his Shiv Sena will never give up Bal Thackeray’s principles for power. A fake narrative that the Constitution will be changed if the BJP-led NDA retained power was spread during the Lok Sabha polls, he said.


“One can win elections by spreading a fake narrative only once, it will not work this time as people know the truth,” the chief minister said.

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