IT BECAME TOO BIG, BUT I HAD TO SAY THOSE THINGS ’

First India Bureau

Mumbai: Lyricist-writer Javed Akhtar on Friday said his comments on the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks during his recent visit to Pakistan have become “too big” but he had to set the record straight on certain things while he was there.

Calling himself as someone who has made remarks that were “slightly controversial and sensitive in nature” in India, Akhtar said he was not scared to speak his mind while in Pakistan.

Akhtar, who was in Pakistan for a festival in memory of celebrated Urdu poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz last week, said Pakistanis should not feel offended when India talks about the

Soon, Raut will be sent to the ‘silent zone’: Shirsat

2008 terror attack. “It became too big. It’s embarrassing for me. Now I think I should not gloat over it. When I came here, I felt like I won World War III. There were so many reactions from people as well as media that I just stopped taking calls. I was embarrassed that ‘aisa maine kya teer maar diya’. I had to say these things. Should we keep quiet?” the lyricist said during a session at the ABP Ideas of India 2023 Summit.

The writer-poet said he has now got to know that his comments have caused a stir in Pakistan. “I got to know that people are abusing me there. They are asking, ‘why was he given visa?’ Now I will only remember what kind of place it was. I have been saying things that are slightly controversial and sensitive in nature in the country where I was born, I live and where I will die, then what was to fear there? When I don’t feel scared here, then why would I fear anything there?” The lyricistpoet had also spoken about Pakistan not welcoming Indian artistes, the way India welcomed talent from

NCP’s Awhad slams govt, cops over assault case

First India Bureau

across the border.

At the summit, Akhtar said he had to answer that question as it came from the audience. “During a Q&A session in a huge hall... They were asking very friendly and warm questions. It was going on nicely but someone asked me that they meet us very nicely but they don’t get that warmth from us. There was little room for me to move away without answering, so I did. And in the most polite manner possible. I told them to set their record right,” he said. Akhtar said India had hosted ghazal great Mehdi Hasan and even Faiz Ahmed Faiz visited the country during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s time.

“We don’t have anything against them but

Name change of Aurangabad and Osmanabad: Centre agrees

First India Bureau

Mumbai: The Union government has approved renaming of Maharashtra’s Aurangabad city as `Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar’ and Osmanabad city as `Dharashiv’.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis shared the news on Twitter.

First India Bureau

Mumbai: On Friday, MLA Sanjay Shirsat fired salvos on Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, who is constantly accusing the Shinde group, and stressed that he will soon be sent to a ‘silent zone’.

Shirsat said, “We are worried about Sanjay Raut, who is going to drown a big party in Maharashtra. That is why we are going to send him to the silence Zone.”

Interestingly, Raut had claimed that CM Eknath Shinde’s son Shrikant, a parliamentarian, had given his ‘supari’ to a local gangster.

“Shrikant Shinde is a doctor. I gave the information I got to the police. There is no reason for Shrikant to become so uncomfortable.

The marches going against me from Shinde group are not right. If a person is complaining, he should be investigated. A party is supporting a gangster, it is an attempt to change the culture of Maharashtra,” Raut had said.

Aurangabad derives its name from Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, while Osmanabad was named for a 20th century ruler of the princely state of Hyderabad.

Chhatrapati Sambhaji, eldest son of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, was the second ruler of Maratha state founded by his father. Sambhaji Maharaj was executed on Aurangzeb’s orders in 1689.

Dharashiv, the name of a cave complex near Osmanabad, dates back to the 8th century as per some scholars.

Hindu right-wingers had been demanding renaming of the two cities for long. they never hosted Lata Mangeshkar.” The writer, however, said “no country is a monolith” and should not be defined by the policies of the government and establishments. “The fact is that it is very unfortunate that we’re unaware that it is a huge segment of Pakistan that wants to have good relations with India and it is totally understandable. They are seeing a country next door that witnessed so much development, industries, corporates, culture, films, music. So naturally, an average citizen would be curious and would like to come and witness this himself,” he said.

Fadnavis tweeted two letters from Ministry of Home Affairs to the deputy secretary of the state General Administration Department dated February 24.

The letters stated that the Centre had no objection to the change in the names of these two central Maharashtra cities.

Fadnavis thanked PM Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for the decision.

The state government headed by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde ‘’did what was promised ‘’, he said.

Notably, to rename Aurangabad as Sambhajinagar and Osmanabad as Dharashiv was last cabinet decision of the Shiv Sena-NCPCongress government which collapsed last June following Shinde’s rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray. New government headed by Shinde scrapped cabinet decision and took a fresh decision.

He also said that it is not wise to club “every Pakistani with Pakistani army, bigots and its establishments”.

Thane: Nationalist Congress Party MLA Jitendra Awhad on Friday alleged the Maharashtra government and Thane police had tried to mislead the Supreme Court in connection with an assault case registered against him.

Thane-based civil engineer Anant Karmuse (40) had alleged he was assaulted on April 5, 2020 by Awhad and some policemen over a morphed picture and criticism of the MLA.

Karmuse had alleged he was assaulted in Awhad’s bungalow after he criticised the latter, who was minister in the Uddhav Thackeray cabinet at the time, on social media for opposing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to light lamps as part of efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Observing that a victim has a fundamental right to a fair trial, the Supreme Court on Friday ordered Maharashtra police to further investigate the alleged assault.

While refusing to order a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation, a bench of Justices MR Shah and CT Ravikumar said the Bombay High Court has not committed any error in refusing to transfer the investiga - tion to the central agency.

Addressing a press conference here, Awhad said the Thane police had claimed he had tried to create a feud between two communities, adding cases mentioned in the affidavit in SC were related to acts as a politician.

None of them pertain to attempt to murder, assault or serious offences, he claimed.

“The Maharashtra government and police have told the SC there are 24 cases against me. I have been portrayed as a gangster.,” he said.

He said he was being “fixed” by a “sarvochh shaktiman” (all powerful) person from Thane, adding recent FIRs in connection with a ruckus in a mall and an alleged molestation were to make the case against him strong in the apex court.

First India Bureau

Pune: Chief Minister Eknath Shinde was in Pune on Friday to campaign in favor of BJP candidate Hemant Rasane in Kasba bypoll. Shinde’s road show in Kasba Peth Assembly constituency drew huge crowds. At the same time, after the end of the roadshow, Shinde targeted Uddhav Thackeray during his speech and responded to the criticism made on the symbol of bow and arrow.

Shinde attacked the Mahavikas Aghadi by claiming that victory of Hemant Rasane was assured in the Pune town elections and made fun of Uddhav Thackeray’s online speech.

“Eknath Shinde is an ordinary worker, those who are giving speeches online, let them stay online,” Shinde said.

Apart from this, Thackeray had accused Eknath Shinde of steal-

LAYING THE ‘TRACK’

VICTORY IS WHAT MATTERS, STRESSES

CM SHINDE DURING ROADSHOW

Kasba: Conducting a road show in the Kasba constituency on Friday, Shinde responded to the criticism during the road show and said, “While responding to the MPSC question, I was made fun of. But note that whether it is Election Commission or the Public Service Commission, it is victory which is more important. When the farmers demanded water, we do not show them the dam,” he said. “The election should be unopposed, but there is a low level of campaigning here. Mukta Tilak had shown what loyalty was. In fact, the election of Kasba should have been unopposed. When Andheri’s by-election was held, Raj Thackeray and Pawar requested us, and we withdrew, but that did not happen in this election. The propaganda has begun at the lower level,” said Shinde. “I bow down to people for their response to our rally. The Kasba constituency has seen a rare, rare picture,” concluded Shinde.

STRAIGHT!

ing the name and bow and arrow election symbol of Shiv Sena. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has commented on this for the first time and directly attacked Uddhav Thackeray.

“The bow and arrow given to Congress and NCP two and a half years ago has been mortgaged. It is a government that meets the people and not a government that takes from people. There was no development in two and a half years and works were stalled,” Shinde said.

In fact, various allegations and counter-allegations are going on between Eknath Shinde and Uddhav Thackeray regarding Shiv Sena and symbol. Thackeray does not leave any chance to criticize 40 MLAs including Eknath Shinde. Similarly, now Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is also attacking Uddhav Thackeray.