Tag: Maha

Maha: Autorickshaw driver held, minor boy detained in Navi Mumbai murder case

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Thane: The Government Railway Police has arrested a 26-year-old autorickshaw driver from Airoli in Navi Mumbai and detained a minor boy for allegedly killing a 23-year-old man whose body was found on tracks between Vashi and Sanpada railway stations recently, an official said on Wednesday.
The investigation revealed that the deceased had stabbed and injured the autorickshaw driver and harassed the sister of the minor a year ago, due to which they bore a grudge against him.
The duo allegedly pushed the 23-year-old man into a pit in Vashi and stoned him to death, the official said.

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#Maha #Autorickshaw #driver #held #minor #boy #detained #Navi #Mumbai #murder #case
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 26, 2023
Maha: Too early to talk about alliance with BRS, says AIMIM leader Jaleel

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Aurangabad: Amid attempts by the Bharat Rashtra Samithi to expand its footprint in Maharashtra, AIMIM Lok Sabha member Imtiaz Jaleel said they are keeping a close watch on the BRS but it is too early to talk about an alliance with them.
Jaleel was speaking after the BRS, led by Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, held its third rally in Maharashtra in Aurangabad on Monday.
“It is too early to say anything about an alliance. One public meeting does not indicate how powerful they are. Let them work and show some results at the ground level. We have to see what response they get in Maharashtra. This question should be asked after a few months,” he said.

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#Maha #early #talk #alliance #BRS #AIMIM #leader #Jaleel
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 26, 2023
Maha: 111 people held during protest against refinery; Sena (UBT) says stop ‘atrocities’

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Mumbai: Police on Tuesday arrested 111 people, most of them women, during a protest against a proposed oil refinery at Barsu village in Maharashtra’s coastal Ratnagiri district, an official said.
More than 100 women were among the protesters who tried to block a road in Barsu and Solgaon areas of the district, around 400km from Mumbai, by lying on the ground to stop government vehicles from entering the proposed site of the refinery, he said.
The protesters were booked under IPC sections related to unlawful assembly, rioting, disobedience to an order lawfully promulgated by a public servant, wrongful restraint and relevant provisions of the Maharashtra Police Act, the official said, adding they will be produced before a court at Rajapur town in Ratnagiri district on Wednesday.

Local residents fear the mega project will adversely affect the fragile biodiversity of the coastal Konkan region and also hit their livelihood. The Opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) came out in their support and demanded an immediate end to “atrocities” against protesters.
A government team was scheduled to conduct a survey at the site in Barsu and Solgaon areas of Rajapur, on Monday, but locals started staging protests, the official said.
During the protest, women lay on the ground to prevent vehicles of the district administration and police from entering the areas, he said.
Considering the law and order situation, hundreds of police personnel were deployed at the project site, the official said.
Ratnagiri Superintendent of Police Dhananjay Kulkarni and other senior police officials were at the spot to avoid any untoward incident, he said.

Opposition leader Ajit Pawar of the NCP earlier in the day demanded that protests by locals against the refinery project be handled sensitively and urged that the state government stop the survey work till a peaceful solution was found.
Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut demanded an immediate end to “atrocities” against locals and asserted his party will not sit quietly on the issue and back the people.
Talking to reporters, Raut alleged the protesters were being pressurised by Industries Minister Uday Samant with the help of police.
“This is a government with a perverse mentality. They want a Jallianwala Bagh-like massacre. We are with people and the Shiv Sena (UBT) will not sit quiet,” Raut said.
He said Chief Minister Eknath Shinde thinks he is a “messiah” of the poor, but has left on a three-day “leave” in a helicopter, a reference to the CM going to his hometown in Satara district.
Shinde should instead take the helicopter to Barsu and meet the protesters there, said the Rajya Sabha member.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and former minister Aaditya Thackeray said, “The government should stop atrocities on people and also the soil survey.”
The former state environment minister said the government should start a dialogue with the agitating local residents.
The previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government had put some conditions before giving a nod to the project which included taking the locals into confidence and explaining the details of the venture and its benefits, Thackeray said.
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#Maha #people #held #protest #refinery #Sena #UBT #stop #atrocities
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 26, 2023
Protests against proposed mega-refinery in Maha with Arab help

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Ratnagiri: Protests have erupted against the proposed Ratnagiri Refinery & Petrochemicals Project (RRPL) coming up in Maharashtra’s Rajapur taluka with the help of Saudi ARAMCO and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, activists said here on Tuesday.
Over 500 residents of around six villages have taken to the streets against the soil surveys that were due to start which would affect their lands, according to activist Sachin Chavan.
The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leaders of Congress, Nationalist Congress Party, Shiv Sena (UBT), and local parties have come out in support of the villagers, who apprehend that 20 acres of their land will be taken away for the RRPL project.

NCP’s Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar, Congress Legislative Party Leader Balasaheb Thorat, Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Sanjay Raut and others have urged the ruling Shiv Sena-BJP government to call off the survey in view of the opposition from the villagers.
The police have deployed a massive force of over 1,500, 300 SRP personnel and four platoons of riot control police in and around the villages of Barsu, Goval, Dhopeshwar Varchiwadi-Goval, Rajapur, Khalchiwadi-Goval, Panhale-Tarfe.
AScores of women activists protested on Tuesday by squatting and lying on the roads to stop the survey teams from entering their villages as police attempted to physically lift them aside.
Chavan claimed that over a 100 protesters have been either detained or arrested in the past three days, allegedly flouting norms and being produced in distant courts beyond the stipulated time of 24 hours after they are nabbed.
Prohibitory orders have been clamped till May 31 outside the (above) villages to enable the soil testing for the RRPL project, and notices have slapped on many villagers, he added.

Attempting to persuade the villagers to call off their protests, government officials like Vaishali Mane and Sheetal Jadhav held unsuccessful talks with the protesters.
Adding to the government’s woes was the overturning of a police vehicle en route to the protest site in which around 17 personnel were injured but their condition is stable in a local hospital.
The RRPL is promoted by IOCL, BPCL and HPCL and plans to construct the mega-refinery and petrochemical complex with help of the two Arab giants which have signed a MoU with the government.
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#Protests #proposed #megarefinery #Maha #Arab
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 25, 2023
Maha BJP blows off Sanjay Raut’s ‘pipe-dreams’ of change of CM

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Mumbai: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday sniggered at Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut’s claims that a change of Chief Minister in Maharashtra was allegedly being plotted out in Delhi.
Taking a sharp jibe, BJP spokesperson Ram Kadam said here that Raut is clearly rattled’ and is day-dreaming like ‘mungerilal ke sapne’ with such comments.
“All that’s left for him now is to get a parrot and predict peoples’ fortunes on the roadside,” said Kadam, evoking much mirth in political circles.

Earlier on Monday, Raut contended that Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has not lived up to the BJP’s expectations and moves are reportedly underway in Delhi to topple him.
Nationalist Congress Party national spokesperson Clyde Crasto also claimed on Monday that a ‘role-reversal’ was probably in the offing in the state between Shinde and the Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, with ‘hush-hush meetings in Delhi’.
Ahead of the Supreme Court verdict, Maharashtra politics has been agog with rumours of a couple of ‘political earthquakes’ expected in the next fortnight or so with speculation on the fate of Shinde, a change of guard in the state, prominent leaders from the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi switching sides, etc.
However, all top MVA leaders like NCP president Sharad Pawar, state Congress president Nana Patole, Sena (UBT)’s Leader of Opposition Ambadas Danve, Raut and others have dismissed all such reports, asserting that the alliance is intact and strongly united.
Nevertheless, Pawar on Sunday confounded political circles by claiming how he could predict whether the MVA will contest the future elections together or not at this moment.

Ruling ally Shiv Sena spokesperson Deepak Kesarkar slammed Raut for being a ‘fake astrologer’, while Fadnavis said that people now don’t take Raut’s daily morning ‘drug-intoxicated’ ramblings seriously.
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#Maha #BJP #blows #Sanjay #Rauts #pipedreams #change
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 24, 2023
Caste Census demon haunts Maha BJP ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha polls

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Mumbai: The clamour for a caste-based Census has once again come to haunt the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government at the Centre, which is treating the sensitive issue with kid-gloves, with the general elections barely a year away.
The Imperial Census, first conducted by the British Government in 1871-72 for the entire population, and later periodically undertaken, has always included general questions based on caste-religions.
However, the first loose Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) was taken up by the British in 1881 — over 140 years ago, followed by a similar one in 1931.

In 2011, India had conducted a SECC but mostly to ascertain the number of people living below poverty line (BPL) and design targeted welfare measures or schemes for that group.
Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole raised the issue of a Caste-based Census in Dec. 2021, and soon the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Shiv Sena (UBT) also joined the chorus.
“The decision for a Caste Census was taken unanimously (by Maha Vikas Aghadi), but after that the new government is reluctant to take it up,” said Patole recently.
Congress Chief Spokesperson Atul Londhe said that the state government has brought the proposal to a standstill “with nothing moving ahead now”, and demanded that it should be immediately revived.
NCP President Sharad Pawar has made a strong plea for Caste Census owing to “strong sentiments linking it with social justice”, to create targeted development plans for various caste groups and help achieve an all-inclusive overall national growth.

Party’s Chief Spokesperson Mahesh Tapase said that the government’s reluctance is confusing as with passing time, increasing population and aspirations, even welfare measures and policies need to be modified to suit the current situation.
According to Shiv Sena (UBT) National Spokesperson Kishore Tiwari, the BJP government is worried about a Caste Census ahead of the 2024 elections as it would “reveal a lot and expose them”.
“There are a lot of caste imbalances, those who are less in number are enjoying the maximum fruits of developments, while the huge majority of the deprived at the lower levels of society in all castes-communities, continue to be ignored and their economic status keeps degrading,” said Tiwari.
Tapase feels that a Caste Census will throw up exhaustive, scientific data that can enable policy-makers to formulate special policies, reservations and implementation for each equitable representation to each caste or community, depending on their actual needs.
Presently India is largely relying on the data thrown up in the 1931 Caste Census, but the socio-economic situation has undergone a sea-change in the past 90 years compelling the need to ‘refresh’ the figures and caste components in the 21st century.
Replying to the demands, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis last month stated that the government will send a team to study the Bihar pattern where a caste-census is being carried out.
Admitting that there is a near-consensus on a Caste-based Census in the state, Fadnavis also cautioned for care as such an exercise could potentially create caste conflicts, and hence the need to analyse the Bihar experience on this count before taking a final decision here.
Urging for a well-researched scientific approach, Fadnavis referred to the 2011 SECC and claimed that the data was not made public owing to several issues, errors and discrepancies, and adopting such wrong statistics could lead to a fresh social crisis as all communities would object.
Stressing the need for a proper Caste Census, Janata Dal (U) MLC Kapil Patil said it would help determine not only the OBC population in the state but also provide data of all communities in Maharashtra.
Tapase said that when the latest authentic data is available, the government can ensure that welfare schemes reach the intended sections and remove the existing glaring socio-economic disparities.
Incidentally, Maharashtra announced in the Budget 2023-2024 that it will set up caste-wise development corporations for Lingayat, Gurav, Vadar and Ramoshi communities in the state, further spurring the demand for a Caste Census.
A couple of years ago the Maharashtra State Commission for Backward Classes (MSCBC) had given the finishing touches to the empirical data collection format and norms for a proposed SECC, estimated to cost around Rs 435-crore, but as state Opposition leaders rue, nothing has moved ahead.
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#Caste #Census #demon #haunts #Maha #BJP #ahead #Lok #Sabha #polls
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 23, 2023
Maha: Four killed, 18 injured as truck rams into bus in Pune

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Pune: Four people were killed and 18 others injured after a truck rammed into a bus in Maharashtra’s Pune district on Sunday, police said.
The accident took place at around 2 am near a temple off the Mumbai-Bengaluru national highway, they said.
As the private passenger bus heading from Satara to Dombivli in Thane reached near the Swaminarayan temple, a truck coming from behind rammed into it, a police official said.

Three bus passengers and the truck driver were killed, while 18 passengers received injuries, he said.
Prima facie, the truck driver lost control over the vehicle and as a result it hit the bus, the official said.
After being alerted, a medical emergency services team reached the spot and provided assistance to the victims.
Thirteen injured passengers were rushed to various hospitals in Pune, including the Navale Hospital, Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital and Sassoon Hospital. The other injured passengers were admitted to nearby hospitals, officials said.
Pune Zilla Parishad Chief Executive Officer Ayush Prasad said driver fatigue was a significant issue which needed to be addressed to prevent such accidents.

“It is essential that all citizens take necessary precautions when driving during night hours. Get adequate rest before your journey, take regular breaks and be mindful of other drivers on the road,” he said.
Prasad also stressed on the importance of reporting about rash and negligent driving to police.
“If you notice someone driving in a rash manner, maintain a safe distance and call the police to report it,” he added.
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#Maha #killed #injured #truck #rams #bus #Pune
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 23, 2023
48 hrs after Shiv Sena (UBT)’s plea, Maha govt bans open-air rallies

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Mumbai: In a major decision, the Maharashtra government has banned all open-air public meetings/rallies between 12 noon to 5 p.m., state Tourism Minister Mangal Prabha Lodha said here on Wednesday.
The move came three days after the deaths of 14 people, ‘Shrisadasyas’, who died hours after Union Home Minister Amit Shah conferred the ‘Maharashtra Bhushan Award’ 2022 on social reformer Dattatreya Narayan Dharmadhikari, revered as Appasaheb, at an open-air event which attracted an estimated 20 lakh followers.
The development also came 48 hours after Shiv Sena (UBT) Kishore Tiwari made a strong plea to the Centre and state governments to come out with a set of standard operating procedures (SOPs) for all such mega-events and prevent recurrence of such calamities with loss of precious human lives.

Lodha said that the decision has been taken after the “unfortunate disaster in Navi Mumbai and to avoid similar tragedies in future”.
State Congress President Nana Patole said on Wednesday that given new social media photos/videos, the government must clarify whether the deaths took place due to a stampede at the award venue.
“What is the truth, and what is the government suppressing? Both the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis must resign. I am appealing to Governor Ramesh Bais to sack this regime,” Patole said sternly.
On Tuesday, Nationalist Congress Party’s Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar had demanded a judicial probe by a retired judge into the tragedy, and lodging culpable homicide cases against all those found guilty for the shortcomings.
Pointing out that the state government had sqaundered Rs 13 crore for the Rs 25-Lakh Maharashtra Bhushan Award, Tiwari asked Shinde-Fadnavis to give compensation of at least Rs 1 crore to the kin of each deceased who hailed from very poor families.

Senior leaders of other political parties including Atul Londe, Clyce Crasto, Dr. Raghunath Kuchik, Trade Unions Joint Action Committee state convenor Vishwas Utagi, NGOs and social activists have slammed the state government for the lapses leading to the tragedy.
Moved by the tragedy, Shah expressed his condolences to the families of those who lost their lives after he gave away the Maharashtra Bhushan Award to Appasaheb Dharmadhikari on Sunday.
“My heart is heavy with the passing of the ‘Shrisadasyas’ who lost their lives due to heatstroke while attending the Maharashtra Bhushan Award ceremony held yesterday I pray for the speedy recovery of those who are undergoing treatment,” said Shah.
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#hrs #Shiv #Sena #UBTs #plea #Maha #govt #bans #openair #rallies
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 19, 2023
Shinde govt faces Opposition heat over sunstroke deaths at Maha award event

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Thane: The Eknath Shinde-BJP government in Maharashtra on Monday faced criticism over the sunstroke-linked death of people at a mega award function in Navi Mumbai, held in an open ground under a scorching sun, with the Opposition demanding a probe into organisation of the programme as the toll rose to 13, while eight patients still remained hospitalised.
While the Congress sought registration of a case of culpable homicide and said the government should quit, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) sought a probe into the tragedy.
Tens of thousands of people had gathered in a 306-acre ground in the Kharghar area in Raigad district on Sunday for presentation of the ‘Maharashtra Bhushan’ award to spiritual leader and social reformer Appasaheb Dharmadhikari. The nearest weather station to the spot had recorded a maximum temperature of 38 degrees Celsius.

Eleven people attending the event died due to sunstroke on Sunday, while two patients undergoing treatment succumbed later, taking the toll to 13, officials said on Monday.
The deceased included nine women and four men, while eight people were still undergoing treatment after suffering from sunstroke at the award function, they said.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, his deputy Devendra Fadnavis and Union minister Kapil Patil were among those present on the occasion.
Shinde termed the deaths as “very unfortunate” and said the kin of the deceased will be given a compensation of Rs 5 lakh.
Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Ajit Pawar sought an inquiry into how the award event was organised during noon time when the temperature was very high.

Pawar visited the MGM Hospital at Kamothe in Navi Mumbai late Sunday night and enquired about the health of people undergoing treatment after suffering from sunstroke.
Talking to reporters, he termed the incident as “most unfortunate” and said the priority was to ensure the patients get well soon.
The NCP leader claimed it was a function of the Maharashtra government.
It is a well known fact that during April-May, day temperature are very high. During these days, temperatures hover around 40 degrees Celsius, Pawar said.
“Hence, it needs to be probed as to who had fixed the noon timing for the award function,” the former deputy CM said.
Pawar said the function could have been held in the evening and Union Home Minister Shah could have taken a chopper to reach the venue.
Shah had conferred the state’s highest civilian award on Dharmadhikari at the event.
Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole said a case of culpable homicide must be registered against the Shinde government for the sunstroke deaths.
“Appasaheb is working for humanity and when someone of his stature is being given an award, it is obvious lakhs of his followers would attend the function. The government knew this but air-conditioned mandap was made only for Union Home Minister Amit Shah, chief minister, deputy CM and other dignitaries,” Patole said in Pune.
“This is a state programme. Why was there no covering for the lakhs who attended? This is inhuman and that is why people are seeking that a case of culpable homicide be registered against the Maharashtra government,” he added.
The Maharashtra Congress chief said the state government must take responsibility for the deaths and should resign.
NCP Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule demanded the formation of a panel to probe the incident.
“I express condolences to the bereaved families. Since the temperature is increasing, everybody should be a little sensitive while organising a public event. I heard CM Eknath Shinde announcing an ex-gratia, but I would like to say that the worth of human life cannot be Rs 5 lakh,” Sule told reporters.
Asked about the Opposition demand for registration of an offence of culpable homicide for the deaths, she alleged the state government is also insensitive towards farmers, women’s safety, and damage caused by unseasonal rains.
“This is a tragic incident and it was a black day for the state. The state government should form a (probe) committee. It was the state government that had invited people who follow Appasaheb Dharamadhikari (the recipient of the Maharashtra Bhushan award) for the function, so the state should explain,” Sule demanded.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut blamed the Maharashtra government for the tragedy and claimed politics prevailed over the convenience of people.
Speaking to reporters in Mumbai, Raut said, “The Maharashtra Bhushan award function could have been held in the evening, but Union minister Amit Shah had no free time. Thus, the programme was held during the day time and people got exposed to the scorching heat and sunlight.”
“Politics behind the award prevailed over people’s convenience,” the Rajya Sabha member said.
“The programme got stretched too long and people fell sick. A few of them even died because of it. The people who attended the event had come for Appasaheb Dharmadhikari and not for any other politician present on the stage,” Raut said.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson said there have been similar incidents in the past and the state should have learnt some lessons from them before organising such events.
Many of followers of Shree Parivar (Dharmadhikari’s organisation) had reached the venue on Friday and stayed there till the function concluded at around 1.30 pm on Sunday.
Union Home Minister Shah on Monday expressed grief over the tragedy.
“The death of people who attended yesterday’s Maharashtra Bhushan award function has deeply saddened me. I express my condolences to the families of the deceased. I pray for the recovery of those who are currently being treated,” Shah tweeted.
At the sprawling venue, some people complained of dizziness and other health complications. Some also fainted at the ground. They were initially treated at make shift medical facilities and later rushed to hospitals.
Dharmadhikari has a massive following in the state due to his tree plantation drives, blood donation and medical camps as well as de-addiction work in tribal areas.
The Maharashtra Bhushan is the state’s top civilian award given to people for their contribution towards the welfare of society.
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#Shinde #govt #faces #Opposition #heat #sunstroke #deaths #Maha #award #event
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 17, 2023
Maha: 11 attendees of Bhushan award event die of apparent sunstroke, says CM

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Mumbai: The ‘Maharashtra Bhushan’ award event in Navi Mumbai on Sunday turned tragic with the death of at least 11 people apparently due to sunstroke as the function, attended by lakhs, was held in an open ground.
The function held in Kharghar area in Raigad district neighbouring Mumbai was attended by Union home minister Amit Shah who conferred the award on spiritual leader and social reformer Appasaheb Dharmadhikari.
A police official said a couple of patients are on ventilator support at hospitals in Navi Mumbai and Panvel city and their condition is being monitored.

“At least 11 deaths apparently due to sunstroke have been confirmed,” the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said in a release on Sunday night.
The police official said some patients were discharged after recovery, while some remain admitted in hospitals and are under observation.
Before the CMO release, Shinde had told reporters outside a hospital in Navi Mumbai that at least 50 people were admitted there out of which 24 are still hospitalised while the rest have been discharged after primary treatment. He termed the deaths “very unfortunate”.
The nearest weather station to the spot of the event recorded a maximum temperature of 38 degrees Celsius.
Shinde said the kin of the deceased will be given a compensation of Rs 5 lakh.
“Medical treatment of the people under treatment due to sunstroke will be free. The state will pay from its coffers for their treatment,” he said.
Lakhs of people had come for the event.

The Chief Minister also directed officials to shift patients to specialised hospitals if they needed additional treatment.
Replying to a question, Shinde said he would not comment on political allegations of the Opposition and his priority is to ensure that the affected people get proper treatment.
He said a Deputy Municipal Commissioner-rank official of the Panvel Municipal Corporation has been deputed to coordinate with relatives of patients and medical teams and to give timely updates.
“Lakhs of people had come for the event and it went well. It is painful to see some of them suffer. It is a very unfortunate situation which is very painful for me,” he said.
Dharmadhikari has a massive following in the state due to his tree plantation drives, blood donation and medical camps as well as de-addiction work in tribal areas.
The 306-acre ground, where the function was held, was packed with people and equipped with audio/video facilities for followers of Shree Sadasya (Dharmadhikari’s organisation) to witness the function.
Amit Shah conferred the award to Dharmadhikari and presented him a shawl, a citation and memento and a cheque of Rs 25 lakh, besides a 10-feet garland of roses.
Chief Minister Shinde, his deputy Devendra Fadnavis and Union minister Kapil Patil among MLAs, MLCs, and ministers were present on the occasion.
(Except for the headline, the story has not been edited by Siasat staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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#Maha #attendees #Bhushan #award #event #die #apparent #sunstroke
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 17, 2023