Thousands of devotees thronged the 16-km procession route amid unprecedented security cover of more than 30,000 personnel as the 149th Jagannath Rath Yatra rolled out from the 400-year-old temple in Jamalpur on Thursday morning. By the time the procession reached Saraspur, the afternoon sun had become intense, yet the spirit of the devotees remained unwavering. People continued waiting under the scorching heat for hours to catch a glimpse of the chariots carrying deities of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra. Tall Hanuman flags surrounding the chariots added to the grandeur of the procession.For the volunteers and truck owners, the annual yatra is a deeply personal commitment. Prem Patel, the 27-year-old owner of Chetna Decoration and the Lal Bagh truck, said he has been attending the Rath Yatra since his childhood. “I may skip Diwali festivities, but not the Rath Yatra,” Patel said. Arrangements were made in Saraspur for a massive mahabhog (community feast) for all the participants. The atmosphere at Saraspur reflected both celebration and careful planning. The narrow roads were divided using rope barricades to manage the crowd. Access beyond the barricades was restricted mainly to volunteers, police personnel, organisers, and families that have traditionally participated in the Rath Yatra for generations. Outside the restricted area, a festive fair had taken shape with small stalls selling toys, ice creams, and refreshments. Free drinking water was distributed to visitors, while buttermilk remained in high demand as people tried to beat the afternoon heat, which would give way to an overcast sky and then rain as the chariots made their way back to the Jagannath temple. Paramedics attended to about 41 people and three people had to be moved to hospitals. These included 15 cases of fainting, five of cuts and bruises, four cases each of breathing problems and falling injuries and three traffic accidents. The procession featured 18 majestic elephants, each decorated with colourful artwork painted across their trunks, ears and bodies. Unlike 2025, when two elephants ran amok during the Rath Yatra injuring two persons including police personnel, no such adverse event was reported this year. As a precaution, the police had equipped the beasts with ‘Gajarakshak’ elephant monitoring system that included GPS tracking, sound monitoring sensors, gyroscope-based movement detection, and live surveillance cameras for real-time monitoring from the Central Control Room.Story continues below this ad Satish Modi, vice-president of an association involved in coordinating the tableaux, said his family has been doing this work for over 100 years. For his family, he said, the Rath Yatra is the biggest festival of the year. Nikhil Patel, a truck owner, said he grew up watching his father and grandfather prepare for the event every year. He said 101 trucks joined the parade this year. Every single truck was carefully numbered and decorated with beautiful idols and messages. Some had colourful idols of Hindu gods and goddesses like Lord Ganesha, Ambaji Mata, Bahuchar Mata, Lord Hanuman, and Lord Ram. One tableau carried the message: “One message from all four Vedas, the knowledge of the Vedas is for the welfare of humanity.” Among the many tableaux, one, carrying a message of global peace, particularly drew the attention of visitors. Decorated with colourful balloons, ribbons and bright curtains, the tableau referred to the Iran-United States conflict and displayed posters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. One volunteer on the truck wore a Modi mask, while Gujarati slogans such as “Bharat Desh Shaanti Chahe Che” and English messages including “No War, Only Peace” highlighted the importance of peace. Repeated announcements informed visitors about the ongoing mahabhog (community feast) at Saraspur and requested people to follow the instructions of the organisers and police. Rohan Rajesh Patel, who owns the Gujarat and Govardhan tableaux,
Updated: Jul 16, 2026 08:59 PM IST People protest against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy decision to replace Mykhailo Fedorov as defence minister, in Lviv, July 16, 2026. (REUTERS) Thousands of Ukrainians took to the streets in Kyiv and other cities on Thursday after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy moved to remove Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, triggering one of the biggest political crises of his wartime presidency and exposing a rare public rift within Ukraine’s military leadership. The demonstrations came as parliament approved a new government, while Zelenskyy stopped short of naming Fedorov’s successor. More than 1,000 protesters gathered outside Zelenskyy’s office in Kyiv, chanting “Shame!” and carrying placards reading “For what?” and “The Russians are celebrating”, news agency Reuters reported. Similar demonstrations were held in Dnipro, Odesa and other cities, marking one of the largest public protests since last year’s anti-corruption demonstrations that forced Zelenskyy to reverse course on controversial legislation. “Bring Fedorov back!” & “Shame!” echoed through #Kyiv as hundreds protested #Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s move to replace Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. The protest came as Parliament approved #SerhiiKoretskyi as Ukraine’s new PM in a major govt reshuffle.… pic.twitter.com/6YcLx0Rpoy — Salar News (@EnglishSalar) July 16, 2026 The unrest comes at a critical stage of the war, with Ukraine facing relentless Russian missile attacks even as its military has gained momentum through long-range drone strikes targeting Russia’s logistics and energy infrastructure. Overnight, Russian missile strikes on Kyiv killed two people and injured five others, including a child, according to Ukrainian authorities, Reuters reported. Popular reformer leaves after just six months Fedorov, 35, is widely regarded as one of Ukraine’s leading modernisers. Before taking over the Defence Ministry earlier this year, he served as minister for digital transformation, helping build Ukraine’s internationally recognised e-governance platforms and spearheading the rapid expansion of the country’s drone warfare programme, news agency Associated Press reported. During his six months as defence minister, he accelerated drone procurement, pushed technology-driven military reforms and sought to modernise defence purchasing in a bid to help Ukraine offset Russia’s larger military. Western officials and analysts have credited those efforts with improving Ukraine’s battlefield performance, AP reported. People protest against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s decision to replace Mykhailo Fedorov as defence minister. (REUTERS)Public feud with army chief spills into the open Hours after his dismissal became public, Fedorov revealed he had rejected an offer from Zelenskyy to serve as a presidential adviser and launched an unusually direct attack on Ukraine’s commander-in-chief, General Oleksandr Syrskyi. “Instead of working out how to defeat Russia … he has figured out how to split the country,” Fedorov told reporters, accusing Syrskyi of blocking ministry reforms and failing to resolve internal disputes, Reuters reported. Syrskyi responded by urging officials to remain focused on the war, while appearing to mock Fedorov’s criticism.Story continues below this ad “And now in this city, briefings can be held, visions can be developed, and decisions can be made,” the general said, referring to Kyiv’s security after Russia’s failed attempt to seize the capital in 2022, according to Reuters. Asked about the dispute, Zelenskyy declined to side with either man. “The president is not supposed to pick sides in this kind of situation during wartime,” he said. “I would very much like unity. The sides did not find it,” Reuters reported.Story continues below this ad Air force commander resigns in protest The political turmoil deepened after Pavlo Yelizarov, deputy commander of Ukraine’s Air Force and a senior figure i
Updated: Jul 16, 2026 12:31 PM IST Protesters use heavy machinery to demolish the residence of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Dhanmondi in Dhaka in 2024. (Photo: AP) International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) Chief Prosecutor Aminul Islam has said that investigators have found evidence indicating that the bodies of many victims of the July 2024 uprising were dumped into a river near Dhaka, The Daily Star reported. Briefing the media after visiting the Martyred Intellectuals’ Memorial at Rayerbazar, Islam said several hospitals did not comply with the rules that mandate the registration of the bodies, and instead disposed of them as unclaimed bodies. In some cases, the deceased’s families were allowed to bury their close ones without inquest reports, post-mortem examinations, or even official registration, he added.Mentioning that bodies of the victims from a certain hospital were found to be dumped in a river, he said: “We are trying to identify the then authorities of that hospital, as well as those involved in this crime, and we will bring them to justice.” “We will ensure that no one involved in these killings escapes accountability, no matter how powerful they were or what position they held within the state machinery. We will bring everyone involved in the crimes to book,” The Daily Star quoted him as saying. Citing a UN report, Islam said around 1,400 people were killed during the uprising. Of them, 834 have been identified so far. “We suspect that the remaining victims may have been buried in different mass grave sites, including in Jurain, Matuail, Narayanganj and Munshiganj. Some 114 unidentified bodies were buried at Rayerbazar,” The Daily Star quoted Islam as saying. He added that some of the victims have already been identified through DNA testing, and the process is underway. About the July 2024 uprising Bangladesh saw huge unrest in July-August 2024 when a student-led protest against the then Awami League government turned violent as the administration launched heavy crackdown measures to suppress it. The protesters clashed with the police and other security forces that were deployed to tackle the situation. The government also imposed internet bans to stop the spread of the unrest that eventually led to the ouster of then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Hasina fled to India while an interim government led by Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus as the Chief Adviser took over in August. In November 2025, Hasina was sentenced to death by the ICT after she was found guilty of allowing lethal force against protesters, 1,400 of whom died during the uprising.Story continues below this ad In February 2026, Bangladesh got its new Prime Minister, Tarique Rahman, after the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) swept the polls. Sheikh Hasina’s appeal deadline has expired: Nahid National Citizen Party (NCP) convenor and opposition chief whip in parliament Nahid Islam has said there is no legal scope for Hasina to appeal against her death sentence. He urged the current government to arrest her upon arrival in Bangladesh and execute the court’s order. Sources close to 78-year-old Awami League leader recently said that she is preparing to return to Bangladesh in an attempt to revive her party after nearly two years in exile. “There was a 30‑day window to file an appeal. No appeal was filed on Sheikh Hasina’s behalf within that period. Therefore, there is no scope for an appeal against the verdict,” The Daily Star quoted Nahid as saying. Referring to media reports, Nahid said, “We have seen reports that fascist Hasina said she would return to the country in December to surrender. We know December is the month of surrender. Whether Sheikh Hasina returns in December or at any other time is for the Bangladesh government to determine.” “She will return, and as soon as she arrives, she will be arrested at the airport, and the verdict against her will be executed,” Nahid added.Story continues below this ad Meanwhile, the Bangladesh
New DelhiJul 14, 2026 10:23 AM IST Veteran actor Anupam Kher has reacted after an old video of Naseeruddin Shah calling him a “clown” resurfaced online following his remarks on the theft of donations at the Ayodhya Ram Temple. In a new social media video, Kher said he and Naseeruddin had reconciled long ago. Taking to his Instagram handle, he shared a video message for his fans. The actor claimed the old clip was resurfaced by trolls to target him over his latest comments on the Ayodhya Ram Temple.He said, “A few days ago, I visited the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya and spoke about my feelings. Some people didn’t like what I said because it didn’t fit their agenda. They wanted to create a narrative and started looking for ways to target and troll me, to abuse me. An entire ecosystem was formed just to attack me. They said many things about me, but I only enjoyed it more because they worked so hard. When they had nothing else, they dug up a six-year-old video of Naseeruddin Shah, hoping to damage my reputation.” The 71-year-old further shared that his relationship with Naseeruddin has been warm despite their past differences. “In reality, Naseer and I have met, hugged each other and respect one another. People even told me to let the matter go because it had been eight or nine months, but they forgot that I had already responded to that video back then and expressed how I felt,” he said. Anupam further added that everything he has achieved has come because of his own hard work and that he would always stand by his beliefs. “I want to say this openly: whatever I have achieved, I have earned through my own hard work. I have risen from the ground up with my values, my dedication and by the grace of God and Lord Ram. What exactly are you trying to make me afraid of? You have spent your lives trapped in your own egos. Why are you threatened by my shadow? Keep doing what you want. I will continue to stand by the truth.” Addressing the trolls, he said, “There is an incredible power in Ayodhya, in the Ram Mandir. In every street and every corner, you can feel the presence of Lord Ram. The city inspires me to tell myself again and again: speak the truth, because truth always wins. It took 500 years for the Ram Mandir to be built. Some people will keep searching for new angles, but when you are speaking the truth, you don’t have to remember what you said. Others are the ones who have to keep inventing stories.” “Good luck to all of you. I am very happy. The film we are shooting is progressing well, and I am enjoying every moment of it. Ayodhya is an extraordinary place. It feels as though every street, every corner and every home is blessing you because countless people have offered their prayers here. I just wanted to speak to all of you and say this: self-made people are not afraid of anyone, especially not of abuse. My father used to say that if you don’t accept someone’s abuses, they go right back to the person who uttered them. So enjoy. May your abuses be blessed,” the actor concluded. Anupam Kher and Naseeruddin Shah’s feud In a 2020 interview, Naseeruddin Shah was asked about members of the film industry who had either criticised or supported the government. He replied, “There are fewer than those who oppose it,” and added, “Someone like Anupam Kher is very vocal. I don’t think he needs to be taken seriously. He is a clown. Any number of his contemporaries from NSD and FTII can attest to his sycophantic nature. It’s in his blood. He can’t help it.” Back then, Anupam responded with a video message on X saying he has a history of criticising many celebs from the film industry. He further said that he had never spoken poorly about Naseeruddin Shah but felt the need to respond this time. The Tanvi The Great actor also said that if he could criticise people like Dilip Kumar, A
‘If police acted when we complained, she could’ve been alive’: Mother of Baruipur rape-murder victim“When we filed a missing person complaint at Baruipur police station, it was around 9 pm on Saturday. Had the police started a search operation then, went through CCTV footage, my daughter could have been found alive,” laments the minor’s mother sitting in the verandah of their one-storeyed house in a village in Baruipur.Her 11-year-old daughter was raped and murdered after being abducted Saturday. She was found dead in a village pond on Sunday morning.On Monday, the small town of Baruipur in South Parganas 24 district is still simmering with anger, a day after a youth was mob lynched after being allegedly seen with the suspects. Family seeks capital punishment Talking to The Indian Express, the minor’s grandfather said, “No one could imagine such a young girl being tortured like that… She was known to everyone in the locality for her smiling face and talkative nature.” Talking about the incidents which unfolded on Saturday, he said, “Everybody saw her going with an autorickshaw-van puller. Our neighbours identified those persons [the accused] by seeing the CCTV footage. Even after that, the police did not take proper action. They only sent a message to the nearby police camp. They didn’t even send a police force.” One of the three arrested accused, Ananda Sardar was a rickshaw-van puller associated with the family’s business. Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee participates in a candlelight protest rally in south Kolkata (Express Photo)The grandfather added, “The Chief Minister called us twice and ensured justice…All we want is that the accused should be hanged. We also want punishment for the police personnel who did not react after my son filed a missing person complaint at Baruipur police station.” Heavy police deployed to pacify angry crowdStory continues below this ad Since Monday morning, the local administration has imposed restrictions on huge gatherings in Baruipur and its neighbouring Sonarpur and Narendrapur areas to prevent any untoward incident. Heavy force has also been deployed in the area to keep the situation under control. Despite that, visible anger against the administration was seen in Baruipur. Hundreds of people gathered in the main market area, demanding justice and seeking the suspension of the police personnel who allegedly did not promptly initiate an investigation to find the missing girl. “Everybody knew that girl for her smiling face. I am also a father, I have a 14-year-old daughter. I could not even imagine how such a young child like her could be raped and murdered. We searched for her with her family the entire night. Only one police personnel from the nearby police camp joined us in our search,” said a neighbour of the bereaved family. He further added, “When we found the body dumped in a pond early Sunday morning, only then did the police force come.” The youth lynchedStory continues below this ad Upon going through the CCTV footage, locals identified one person who was detained and later arrested on Sunday. According to a local resident, “Hundreds of people started gathering in the market area after hearing the news. We identified a person and caught him. From him, some youth came to know that one Indrajit Mondol, who is an auto-driver, helped the abductor carry the child in his autorickshaw. After that the mob gheraoed his house and dragged him out around 10 am.” Mondol was lynched to death in front of his house Sunday morning over allegations of being seen with the accused. At Indrajit’s house, his mother Anima claims her son was innocent.Story continues below this ad She told The Indian Express, “My son did not know anything about the incident. He returned to our house around 8pm on Saturday and remained inside. But a mob of 200-300 people came here in the morning, and without even letting him speak, started beating him.” “They killed my son…,” she cried out. “Believe me,
America, which turns 250 this year, has has never agreed on much, but it has always been good at telling stories about itself. The Great American Novel has been an elusive idea that a single novel would somehow capture the experience of being an American, complete with its aspirations, contradictions and history. The phrase dates back to an 1868 essay by novelist John William De Forest.Here are 25 novels, placed in no particular order, that were at one point or another in contention to catch the that white whale, which is the Great American Novel:When one mentions the Great American Novel Moby-Dick invariably is the first book that comes to mind. A sailor named Ishmael joins a whaling ship whose captain, Ahab, is obsessed with hunting down one specific white whale that bit off his leg many years ago. It encapsulates America’s boundless ambition and self-destructive obsession, using the whaling industry as a metaphor for its global reach and capitalist hunger. Melville’s encyclopedic ambition, blending tragedy with digressive essays on whale biology, religion, and fate mirrors the country’s restless intellect. Through Ahab’s defiant, monomaniacal quest, the novel captures the American compulsion to conquer nature and fate itself, refusing to submit. Its tragic ending delivers a sobering counterweight to the national myth of progress, making it an eternal mirror. 2. The Scarlet Letter — Nathaniel Hawthorne (1850) Set in a strict Puritan colony in the 1600s, the novel follows Hester Prynne, a woman forced to wear a red letter “A” on her chest as punishment for having a child outside marriage. It traces American guilt and public shaming straight back to their religious roots. Through Prynne, the novel offers an American archetype of the outcast who finds dignity through endurance. Its psychological depth and moral ambiguity established the template for American fiction’s preoccupation with sin, guilt, and the gap between private truth and public performance. 3. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn — Mark Twain (1884) A boy, Huck, fakes his own death to escape an abusive father and ends up rafting down the Mississippi River with Jim, a man escaping slavery. Twain writes the whole book in the voice and dialect of its characters, which helped establish American vernacular speech, the way people actually talked, as legitimate literary language. The river ties the story directly to the country’s geography and westward expansion, and putting a child’s moral awakening about slavery at the center gave it a weight that’s kept people arguing over its language, ending, and politics for more than a century. 4. The Great Gatsby — F. Scott Fitzgerald (1925) Jay Gatsby throws lavish parties at his mansion, hoping to win back Daisy, a woman he loved years earlier who has since married someone else. Narrated by his neighbor Nick, the novel is barely 200 pages, and it still manages to take apart the American Dream, the idea that anyone can reinvent themselves and rise to become wealthy. It captures 1920s Jazz Age excess and class anxiety with a precision that has not aged, and it gave American culture one of its most lasting symbols in the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock, which Gatsby stares at from across the water. Short enough to be taught in nearly every American high school, it probably shaped more people’s idea of “serious literature” than anything else on this list. 5. The Grapes of Wrath — John Steinbeck (1939) The novel documents the nation’s broken promise to its working class people. Set during the Dust Bowl, a 1930s environmental disaster that turned the Great Plains into unfarmable dust, the Joad family loses their Oklahoma farm and drives to California hoping for work. Steinbeck uses their journey to document that catastrophe in detail while arguing that people can hold onto their dignity even after the economy collapses around them. He blends journalism-style realism with a biblical, almost mythic structure, and the novel left
New DelhiJun 28, 2026 03:55 PM IST Yuzi's parents shared that they are not happy about the hate trolls on social media (Image: Instagram/yuzi_chahal23)Social media trolling may target celebrities and influencers directly, but it often affects their families too. In a recent interview with The Urban Guide, India cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal, fondly called Yuzi, and his parents opened up about dealing with online hate comments—and their responses felt deeply relatable to many people online. Yuzi admitted that negative comments used to affect him more initially, but over time, he developed a different mindset.“Starting mein farak padta hai, lekin mera simple sa funda hai—jo cheez aapke haath mein nahi hai, uspar time waste mat karo. Isliye main ignore karta hoon. Jisko pasand karna hai karo, jisko nahi karna mat karo.” (Initially, it does affect you. But my simple belief is: don’t waste time on things that are not in your control. That’s why I ignore it. Whoever wants to like me can do so, and whoever doesn’t, doesn’t have to.) While Yuzi seemed calmer about trolling, his parents admitted that seeing negative comments about their child still hurts emotionally. “Bura toh lagta hi hai,” said his mother Sunita Devi. (Of course, it feels bad) His mother further explained why anger naturally arises when people say hurtful things online.Story continues below this ad “Jo galat bole unke liye gussa toh aata hi hai na. Kyu bol rahe ho tum… agar aap theek ho toh uske baare mein koi bole toh gussa toh aayega na,” Devi said. (Of course, you feel angry at people who speak wrongly. Why are they saying such things? If your child is right and people still say things about them, naturally, you will feel angry.”) Yuzi then jokingly added that he does not take criticism from random troll accountstoo seriously. The cricketer said that the trolls often have no followers and are often teenagers. His father, however, hinted that the hateful bashing is uncalled for, irrespective of who the trolls are.Story continues below this ad Why trolling affects parents so deeply According to Dr Abhinit Kumar, Senior Consultant – Psychiatry, ShardaCare–Healthcity, Greater Noida, parents often remain emotionally protective of their children regardless of age, fame, or success. “Even when a child becomes a successful adult or celebrity, hurtful comments, trolling, or online hate can deeply affect parents because they continue to see their child through an emotional and caring lens,” Dr Kumar said. The psychiatrist explained that negative comments can trigger anger, helplessness, sadness, anxiety, and frustration in parents—especially because they cannot fully shield their child from public judgment.Story continues below this ad “Social media trolling can emotionally impact the entire family, not just the individual being targeted,” he added. The psychiatrist also warned that constant negativity online may gradually create emotional exhaustion and stress for families, which simply want to see their loved ones respected and emotionally safe. That perhaps explains why Yuzi’s parents’ reactions resonated with so many people online. Even in the age of internet fame, one thing remains unchanged: parents rarely stop feeling protective about their children. DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.
Vijay Devarakonda and Rashmika Mandanna in Ranabaali.Vijay Deverakonda has been at the centre of a fabricated controversy this week, after fake screenshots designed to look like genuine news reports began circulating on X, claiming he had made unreasonable demands on the sets of his upcoming film, Ranabaali. However, his team clarified to SCREEN that they were fake, calling them part of a deliberate misinformation campaign. The screenshots, made to resemble an article from the entertainment portal 123Telugu, carried a headline claiming Vijay had demanded 6 caravans and 50 assistants on the Ranabaali set, and that producers Mythri Movie Makers had been forced to approach the Producers Council to resolve the issue. The claims spread quickly once shared on social media.Talking to SCREEN, a source from his team replied, “These claims have no basis whatsoever. We honestly can’t understand what is the origin of these screenshots, which sprung out of nowhere,” 123Telugu, the publication whose branding had been used in the fake screenshot, also issued its own clarification, stating that it had never published any such article and warning of legal action against those responsible for misusing its name. Official statement from https://t.co/iKzcTtleo3 regarding the circulation of a fabricated news image misusing our identity. https://t.co/glLoexkrnB pic.twitter.com/l7PY3JKLZv — 123telugu (@123telugu) June 25, 2026 This is not the first time Vijay has had to push back against fabricated stories. In 2020, the actor had launched a public campaign against what he called fake news and gossip websites after a similar report wrongly accused him of insulting people he was trying to help during the COVID-19 lockdown, a controversy that drew support at the time from Chiranjeevi, Mahesh Babu and several others in the industry. Also Read: Ranabaali director on how Vijay Devarakonda and Rashmika Mandanna’s marriage helps his film About Ranabaali Ranabaali, directed by Shyam Singha Roy filmmaker Rahul Sankrityan, marks Vijay’s on screen reunion with his wife Rashmika Mandanna, following their earlier successes Geetha Govindam and Dear Comrade. The couple, who kept their relationship largely private for years, got engaged in Hyderabad last October and married earlier this year in the presence of family and close friends. The period action drama is currently slated for a theatrical release on September 11, with the controversy around the fake reports doing little, so far, to slow down anticipation for the film.
Following the incident, Tawde on Thursday wrote to the BMC commissioner, Ashwini Bhide, seeking an inquiry against the supervisor and the assistant engineer from F/North ward. A day after a civic official fell into an open chamber during Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde’s inspection drive at the water logged Gandhi Market, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has suspected that the fiasco was staged to tarnish the Mayor’s image. Meanwhile, Tawde has sought an inquiry against the responsible civic officials who fell into an open chamber. Amidst torrential downpour battering the city on Wednesday, Mayor Tawde launched an inspection drive across flooded locations. After a visit at Hindmata, Tawde arrived at Gandhi market where a supervisor from the F/North ward – who was overlooking the cleanliness drive near Gandhi market – fell into a chamber during her inspection. The entire incident was captured on camera and went viral, leaving Tawde red faced. According to officials from BMC, the chamber had been barricaded to protect people. “The mukkadam was well aware of the chamber as he was himself responsible for cleaning it. However, he moved the barricades to take a short cut and cross the path owing to which he fell,” a civic official said. Following the incident, Tawde on Thursday wrote to the BMC commissioner, Ashwini Bhide, seeking an inquiry against the supervisor and the assistant engineer from F/North ward. Speaking to The Indian Express, Ganesh Khankar, leader of the house and senior BJP corporator said, “The entire incident should not have happened. Even though the worker was aware of the chamber, he avoided the detour around the barricades and instead walked towards the chamber. The entire incident looks intentional to create a fiasco.” “We will be launching an inquiry to determine why the worker came directly towards the chamber by removing the barricades even when all the protective measures were in place. The inquiry will try to understand what was his intention and why he walked in the direction of the chamber,” said Khankar. Confirming the inquiry, a source privy to the developments said, “The Mayor had written an email to the civic chief and has sought an inquiry against the assistant engineer as well as the supervisor who fell into the open chamber. Despite signs and barricades, the supervisor moved them and fell. The inquiry will seek answers on why the staffer went from the closed direction and how the barricades were removed.”Story continues below this ad “On the basis of the inquiry results, further action will be initiated,” added the source. Meanwhile, speaking to the media, the supervisor – who fell into the open chamber – refuted the allegations of association with any political party. “My leg accidentally slipped into the chamber, which was opened to let out the waste, and I fell. I have been working here for three years and I have not been sent by any political party.” The worker was rescued shortly and sustained no injuries. © The Indian Express Pvt Ltd Nayonika Bose is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express’ Mumbai bureau. While in the early stages of her career, her focused reporting on local governance and community welfare already demonstrates clear Expertise and Trustworthiness in covering essential civic issues impacting Mumbai's residents. Expertise & Authority (E-E-A-T) Specialized Focus: Nayonika's reporting is dedicated to civic and community issues, providing readers with highly relevant, ground-level information about the functionality and administration of India's largest metropolitan area. Core Coverage Areas: Her articles highlight a strong focus on the fundamental quality of life and public safety in Mumbai, including: Civic Infrastructure: Reports on critical failures and initiatives related to public works, such as the recurring problem of unauthorized building collapses in Navi Mumbai, the construction of new infrastructure projects (like
MNS chief Raj Thackeray on Tuesday lashed out at State Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar for “butchering” Marathi language and for not being able to read even the written Marathi text. “While proposing the obituary motion for the late Padma Vibhushan Asha Bhosle, the way Legislative Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar butchered the Marathi language, and the sight of him being unable to even read the Marathi written on the paper in front of him, filled me with both anger and distress. Had he been eating ‘bhel’ off that paper before reading it?,” Raj asked in a social media post.The MNS chief said it would have been better if Narwekar presented the motion in Swahili or Hebrew; at least then it would have been understandable. “It was a tragedy that Narwekar kept referring to Deenanath Mangeshkar as ‘Deendayal Mangeshkar’ and kept reading the Marathi text in whatever haphazard way he pleased. Yet, not a single MLA present in the House felt the need to raise an objection. It seems Narwekar neither knows who Deenanath Mangeshkar is nor who Deendayal Upadhyaya was. The BJP has begun a process of such indiscriminate induction of members that they have ended up in a position where they have lost both their core and their credibility,” he said. The MNS chief said, “I do not know exactly who was present in the House, but there must have been many senior MLAs there—did not even one of them show opposition? I do not know if Mr. Devendra Fadnavis was present, but even if he were, I do not think it would have made any difference to him. A man like Fadnavis… should have understood the gravity of paying tribute to such a legendary personality in the state assembly. But for him, it is simple: as long as the tasks of breaking parties are being carried out correctly and the formalities of the session are being completed, that is enough. What difference does it make whether one says ‘Deendayal Mangeshkar’ or ‘Deenanath Chauhan’? To him, the obituary motion is just another formality that has been concluded. Do these people not have the awareness or realization that earlier and current generations of Maharashtra are watching this, and future generations will watch this recorded speech of the Speaker? A man should be educated, but more importantly, he should be wise. Will the Chief Minister ever make the Speaker realize this?” And Eknath Shinde, Raj said, has absolutely no reason to be concerned about this either. “His grasp of the study of the Marathi language is flying at an altitude of 50,000 feet, so he is nowhere near related to it! This is the state of our Maharashtra today. When the Speaker of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly cannot read the Marathi written on the paper in front of him, what regard will that House have for the Marathi language, and what action will it take against the suppression of Marathi? Yesterday, Narwekar did not propose an obituary motion for the death of Asha-tai, but rather a motion for the death of the Marathi language itself—and by not uttering a single word, not a single member of the House, as if they gave their consent to this. The Marathi people should ponder what kind of people and what kind of government they are electing.”Story continues below this ad The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena strongly condemns this attitude of Rahul Narwekar, who dragged the Marathi language through the streets in the Maharashtra Assembly and ran his irresponsible bulldozer over it, literally making a mockery of it, he added.
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