Minister for Marathi language Uday Samant

Mumbai: The state govt has asked the Union govt to set up a Centre of Excellence (CoE) for the Marathi language, which has been given the status of a classical language, said minister for Marathi language Uday Samant on Thursday.Replying to a discussion on what measures the state govt had taken to set up the CoE in the legislative council, Samant said Marathi was granted classical status in October 2024 and thereafter it is mandatory to set up the CoE for which a proposal is to be sent to the University Grants Commission (UGC). “There is a SOP to be followed which has been delayed,” he said.However, on average, it takes 12 years to set up the CoE, he said, pointing out that Tamil was granted the status in 2004 but received grants after 16 years in 2020-21. Sanskrit was granted the classical language status in 2005, and the grants were received in 202-23 for the CoE. Similarly, Telugu was declared a classical language in 2008 but received Rs 1.47 crore as a grant in 2020 after 12 years.He said Pali, Prakrit, Assamese and Bengali were granted classical status the same time as Marathi but so far no govt has asked for CoE, unlike the Maharashtra govt. While the approval for the CoE is awaited the state govt has started implementing various initiatives for the preservation of the Marathi language, such as organising Vishwa Marathi Sammelan, Warkar, children, youth and workers literary conventions without waiting for funds from the Centre, said Samant.He further said a Global Marathi Language Centre will be established in London named after Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. For this, the Maharashtra govt has purchased a historic building of the Maharashtra Mandal for Rs 5 crore. The centre will be operational in the next two months, he said.Work on the Marathi Bhasha Bhavan at Charni Road, Mumbai will be completed by December 2027 besides a sub-centre of the Bhasha Bhavan will be set up in Airoli at an estimated cost of Rs 34 crore. The govt, he said has already set up 39 of the proposed 75 forums to promote Marathi worldwide.MLCs Uma Khapre, Jagannath Abhyankar, Amit Gorkhe, Manisha Kayande participated in the discussion.

Mumbai: The functioning of women counselling centres across Maharashtra came under scrutiny in the Legislative Council on Thursday, with members raising concerns over inadequate manpower, poor infrastructure and low honorariums for counsellors who provide support to women and children in distress. Women and child development minister Aditi Tatkare said 135 counselling centres are currently functioning in the state and the govt plans to expand the network to cover all talukas.She further informed the House that a proposal to substantially increase the honorarium of counsellors has been prepared and will be submitted to the govt for approval.Raising a calling attention motion, MLC Madhavi Naik said the counselling centres, operating from police stations and other locations, play a crucial role in addressing cases of domestic violence, abuse and family disputes. However, many centres are struggling due to insufficient funds, delayed grants and inadequate facilities. Naik pointed out that counsellors currently receive an honorarium of only Rs 12,000 per month, revised from Rs 8,000 in 2014, despite increasing responsibilities and workload. She noted that a proposal seeking a revision in honorarium was submitted to the women and child development department in June 2025, but a decision is still pending. She urged the govt to increase the number of centres, enhance financial allocations, ensure timely release of funds and provide better training to counsellors.Tatkare said grants to counselling centres would be increased to strengthen their functioning and improve services for women and children.BJP MLC Chitra Wagh backed the demand for a “respectable and significant” honorarium hike, saying counsellors play a vital role in helping women facing distress and violence. She also sought expansion of One Stop Crisis Centres (Sakhi Centres), noting that one of the facilities in Mumbai had stopped functioning.Tatkare assured members that the govt would examine all suggestions regarding One Stop Centres and continue efforts to strengthen support mechanisms for women across Maharashtra.

Mumbai: Bombay high court on Thursday quashed an externment order against the office-bearer of a party who organised public protests on issues such as the Citizenship Act amendments and said mere opposition to a govt decision cannot be grounds to force a person out of his surroundings.Justice Madhav Jamdar quizzed the prosecution as to why an year-long externment (keeping a person out of a specific jurisdiction) was ordered against Saeed Ahmad Chaudhary, general secretary of the Socialist Democratic Party of India (SDPI), by citing five FIRs lodged against him, most of them for staging protests against the central govt.The prosecutor mentioned the slogans raised by him. The judge then referred to the FIR and exhibits presented against Chaudhary and said the petitioner “just raised slogans like ‘BJP Govt murdabad’…‘Amit Shah murdabad’. Can’t citizens raise such slogans? Why externment orders for slogans?”“What is this? Are all citizens being made slaves of Indian Govt… can they not stage protests, or agitate – what is all this?,” said Justice Jamdar.In his order, the single-judge bench said, “The petitioner acting in his capacity has arranged morchas and dharnas against certain decisions taken by the Government of India. That cannot be a ground for a person to be externed under the Maharashtra Police Act. The action taken is mala fide.”Chaudhary, 49, had organised protests against amendments to the Citizenship Act and on the Gyanvapi Masjid issue among other decisions involving the Centre.The HC order said, “As per the Articles 19 and 21 of the Constitution of India not only citizens have the freedom to express their opinion but also to live with dignity. The action taken by the respondents against the petitioner for merely opposing certain decisions of the Government of India affects his fundamental rights.’’The judge said that it was the right of the citizen to raise his voice on issues of public interest. “Now so many papers have been leaked. If people protest, you will slap cases? …It is the right of the citizens to protest,” Justice Jamdar remarked and asked, “Why citizens can’t raise such slogans?”The court also observed that police officers were public servants and “not servants of the Chief Minister or the Prime Minister”. It was the deputy commissioner of police (Zone 6), Mumbai, and the divisional commissioner, Konkan Division, respectively, who had passed orders on Dec 3, 2025 and March 27, 2026 to extern the man for a year.

Main accused Sandeep Gawli allegedly suspected that Om was in a relationship with his brother’s daughter

Thane: A 19-year-old youth who was allegedly assaulted by a group of men over a suspected relationship died during treatment at Mumbai’s KEM Hospital on Wednesday night, triggering protests, vandalism and fresh arrests in Ambernath.The deceased, identified as Om Khore, had been battling for life for a week after the June 23 attack in Palegaon, Ambernath. Following his death, police upgraded the case from attempt to murder to murder, and arrested three more accused, taking the total number of arrests to five.According to the complaint lodged by Om’s father, Ravindra Khore, the incident took place when Om was leaving a gym on June 23. The main accused, Sandeep Gawli, allegedly suspected that Om was in a relationship with his brother’s daughter. Acting on this suspicion, Gawli, along with Ravi Parmar, Nayan Madhvi, Sachin Patil and Raj Desekar, allegedly intercepted Om outside the gym and attacked him with iron rods, bamboo sticks and a knife.Om sustained severe injuries and was initially treated at two private hospitals before being shifted to KEM Hospital in Mumbai, where he succumbed to his injuries after nearly a week of treatment.News of his death sparked outrage among residents and supporters, who alleged that despite naming seven persons in the FIR, police had initially arrested only two accused because the suspects were allegedly associated with a local BJP corporator. The angry crowd vandalised the office of BJP corporator Poonam Patil in Palegaon and later marched to Shivajinagar police station, demanding the immediate arrest of all accused.Villagers warned police that if the remaining accused were not arrested and booked for murder, Om’s body would be brought directly from the hospital to the police station as part of their protest. Senior police officers, including DCP Sachin Gore and ACP Shailesh Kale, held discussions with the protesters to defuse the situation.Meanwhile, BJP group leader Abhijit Karanjule, corporator Vishwajit Karanjule and Pawan Walekar visited the vandalised office. Corporator Poonam Patil denied having any connection with the accused and urged chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to take strict action against those responsible for the attack on her office.DCP Sachin Gore said after Om’s death, police arrested the remaining three accused they had been searching for. All five arrested have now been booked for murder, while efforts are underway to trace and arrest any other suspects involved in the case. — Pradeep Gupta

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Thursday directed its registry to place two reports in a sealed cover submitted by Mumbai Police and also the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) with respect to the probe and protection following threats to former judge, Justice Gautam Patel, to maintain confidentiality.“In order to ensure that steps being taken by Ministry of External Affairs, the High Commission in London and Mumbai police are not a matter of discussion and publicity we are placing both in a sealed cover,’’ said Acting Chief Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice Gautam Ankhad in their order.The probe is into alleged threats received by him in connection with a legal dispute, he decided days before his April 2024 retirement. The case, which is currently under appeal before a division bench of the HC, sought to establish succession and name the Syedna, the supreme leader, of the Dawoodi Bohra community.ASG Anil Singh produced an office memorandum dated June 30, that the Centre’s counsel had received via email indicating steps taken for protection of the retired Bombay HC judge and his family members residing in the UK. State advocate general Milind Sathe, too, produced a 6-page note of additional police commissioner (crime) of Mumbai of similar protection steps taken and status update on probe into the alleged incident, the HC said. The former judge had on returning to India lodged a police complaint of threats to him and family.Singh orally submitted that the ministry took steps to ensure protection of the Judge’s family abroad.The ACJ orally at the hearing said probe confidentiality is key. He said, “Remember the Mumbai (terror) attacks (of Nov 28, 2008)? There was continuous live coverage on channels of the attack. It gave all details to the assailants. We do not want assailants in this case to know the line of investigation.”The Bombay Bar Association, Advocates Association of Western India (AAWI) and a solicitors’ body—Bombay Incorporated Law Society– had last month approached the HC for directions to protect the former Judge and sought formation of a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the allegations.The HC placed the matter on August 7 for further status updates after senior counsel Nitin Thakker for BBA said police appeared to be making progress in the matter and can give a further update then.

Chaitanya.MarpakwarMumbai: With the city seeing two monsoon-related negligence deaths in two days, the governing BJP and Shiv Sena in the BMC passed the buck and put the blame entirely on the BMC administration led by civic chief Ashwini Bhide for the tragic incidents despite “pre-monsoon inspection tourism.” The two parties had been vying for credit for pre-monsoon works before the rains.Political observers said Bhide, who took over the reins in April, had claimed monsoon preparedness would be her key challenge, but the two incidents show she has failed to get a grip on the administration despite several site visits and review meets.The opposition said Shiv Sena and BJP have misplaced priorities and were busy chasing alleged Bangladeshi nationals, for which several meetings were held by mayor Ritu Tawde, who blamed the administration for the Chembur tree crash as well as the manhole death. SP MLA Rais Shaikh said that after holding dozens of pre- monsoon inspection visits and meetings on alleged fake birth certificates, BJP-Sena’s misplaced priorities have been exposed. “The misplaced priorities are responsible for monsoon-related deaths. The mayor should apologise to Mumbaikars for failure to focus on civic infrastructure and assure them that BMC will now focus on its core responsibilities,” Shaikh said.With BMC under BJP control and Eknath Shinde’s Sena having no real power in BMC, Sena was the first to put blame on Bhide and the administration. Deputy mayor Sanjay Ghadi of Sena sought her resignation on Thursday, saying after the Sakinaka incident, “There should have been comprehensive inspection to ensure all manholes were fitted with protective grills before monsoon. If necessary, BMC should have floated a dedicated tender for this work. If public safety demanded it, such an exercise should have been undertaken even without waiting for the tender process,” Ghadi said. “This incident reflects a serious lapse in planning and execution. Bhide must take responsibility,” he said.Sena MP Milind Deora said on X, “How many more Mumbaikars must die before basic civic safety becomes a priority? Open manholes are not “accidents”, they are the result of negligence, failed systems & a lack of accountability.”Despite having four additional commissioners and Bhide, which is a total of five IAS officers, BMC has failed to keep the city safe in the first week of monsoon, a senior bureaucrat said.Soon after taking over as municipal commissioner, Bhide had claimed her primary hurdles involved time-bound execution of critical infrastructure works, pre-monsoon readiness, and longstanding civic issues.

Mumbai: Following the death of a 55-year-old man in an open drain inSakinaka, municipal commissioner Ashwini Bhide said on Thursday that preliminaryfindings and CCTV footage pointed to serious lapses in mandatory safetymeasures at the work site. After reviewing CCTV footage, she said theseprecautions were absent.“I saw two workers attempting to warn pedestrians, but there were no properbarricades or tripod installed. People walking in a hurry cannot be expected torely only on verbal instructions. Because mandatory precautions were not taken,the pedestrian fell into the open manhole,” she said.Further, she said the incident was particularly concerning as the safety ofmanholes has been under constant scrutiny by the courts following similaraccidents in the past. “Because of the unsafe condition of manholes, suchincidents have occurred earlier as well. The high court has repeatedly soughtdetails from the BMC on measures being taken to secure manholes across thecity,” she said.The commissioner said Mumbai has 1,03,934 manholes associated with the stormwaterdrain and sewerage network. Of these, 96,383 have already been fitted withprotective safety nets. Around 1,800 manholes had been buried during previousroad works, while 4,446 had to be reopened for ongoing infrastructure projects.As these works are completed, the BMC has been reinstalling covers andprotective safety nets, she said, adding that BMC has submitted an affidavit toHC detailing these measures.Referring to the Sakinaka incident, Bhide said that in L ward, 75 manholesrequired protective nets as part of ongoing road works. As per the lateststatus, only four manholes were pending, including the one where maintenancework was underway when the accident occurred. “This was a rectangular sewagemanhole with a very heavy cover. During such operations, the contractor,supervisor and workers were required to barricade the site and install a tripodas part of the prescribed safety protocol,” she said.The civic chief said BMC had been conducting regular review meetings and fieldinspections over the past three months, with ensuring protective grills onmanholes emerging as one of its top priorities, particularly at locations whereroad construction required manhole covers to be removed.(Ends)

Navi Mumbai: The family of a 23-year-old pregnant woman has alleged negligence at NMMC’s Rajmata Jijau Hospital, Airoli, after she and her unborn child died due to complications she developed after getting a standard pre-delivery injection on July 1.Sonam Dongre, who was eight months pregnant, wasn’t the only critical case at the Airoli hospital on that day. Another eight-month pregnant woman, Richa Mishra, was administered two pre-delivery injections before becoming so critical that she was shifted to Fortis Hospital, Vashi, for ventilatory support.Due to separate sit-in protests by MNS, NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena in the cabin of NMMC commissioner Dr Kailas Shinde, the NMMC on Thursday announced that the gynaecologist at its Airoli hospital has been suspended and an inquiry, including doctors from state-run JJ Hospital, has been instituted. Mishra’s condition has, meanwhile, improved.Sonam’s husband, Karan Dongre, told reporters that the Airoli hospital staff’s negligence resulted in the death of his wife and unborn child. He alleged that the on-duty doctors and nursing staff kept his wife at the Airoli hospital for three hours despite her worsening health after the injection. He was kept in the dark about the developments till they transferred her to the NMMC Hospital in Vashi on Wednesday, where she died during further treatment.Dr Rajesh Mhatre, medical officer of health (MOH) at NMMC, said, “Patient Sonam Dongre went to NMMC’s hospital in Airoli on June 30 after she developed cramps in the eighth month of her pregnancy. She was admitted for pre-mature delivery .”Around 3 pm on July 1, Dr Mhatre said, Sonam was administered a dexamethasone (steroid) injection to aid the baby’s lung development and reduce the risk of breathing problems if born prematurely. “But soon thereafter, her health deteriorated and she fell unconscious. The doctors continued to treat her and, as she was becoming critical, around 5.40 pm, she was admitted at NMMC hospital, Vashi ,” he said. However, she did not respond to medication and was declared dead around 6.15 pm.The second pregnant patient, Richa Mishra, was also administered injections of dexamethasone as well as duvadilan (to prevent premature labour by relaxing uterine muscles). “Mishra’s condition is stable and off the ventilator. She is responding correctly to orientation of time, place and person,” added Dr Mhatre.NMMC commissioner Dr Kailas Shinde announced a high-level inquiry committee under the chairmanship of the Thane district surgeon to investigate the cases. “The committee includes JJ Hospital’s department head, members of the Navi Mumbai Gynecology and Obstetrics Society, and NMMC’s medical officer of health ,” he said.“The inquiry committee will require at least 15 days to complete the investigation procedure,” Shinde added.The use of both injections administered to the two pregnant women has been stopped immediately and the entire batch of the procured injections have been sealed and their samples sent to the Food and Drug Administration, Thane.The gynaecologist at the Airoli hospital, Dr Bhawana Pagare, was suspended by the civic chief Shinde with immediate effect for “neglect” from July 2 till the inquiry committee’s report. “She is suspended till the inquiry committee submits its report and the commissioner issues further orders ,” said an NMMC official.