Amid the continuing political crisis in Maharashtra, Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari wrote to the state Director General of Police (DGP) to provide security to the MLAs of Eknath Shinde camp and their families on an immediate basis. “I have received a representation dated 25 June 2022 from 38 MLAs, of Shiv Sena, two MLAs of Prahar Jan Shakti Party and seven Independent MLAs stating that the police security of their families has been illegally and unlawfully withdrawn,” the Governor said in his letter to DGP. 

“They have also raised serious concerns about the safety of their homes and families in the context of the provocative and threatening statements being made by certain political leaders,” Koshyari said.

Already, offices and homes of some of the MLAs have been vandalised with the police being a mute spectator, he added. “I, therefore, direct you to provide adequate police protection to the MLAs, their families and homes on an immediate basis,” the Governor said.

The Central government has provided ‘Y+’ category armed CRPF security cover to 15 rebel Shiv Sena MLAs, who are currently in Assam’s Guwahati, top government sources said on Sunday.

The MLAs provided with round the clock CRPF security are Ramesh Bornare, Mangesh Kudalkar, Sanjay Shirsat, Latabai Sonawane, Prakas Surve, Sadanand Saranavnkar, Yogesh Dada Kadam, Pratap Sarnaik, Yamini Jadhav, Pradeep Jaiswal, Sanjay Rathod, Dadaji Bhuse, Dilip Lande, Balaji Kalyanar and Sandipan Bhumare. The security was provided on Sunday by the CRPF which received an order from the Ministry of Home Affairs on Saturday.

The Central security cover was provided to these MLAs after Shinde on Saturday alleged that the Maharashtra government has withdrawn the security cover provided at the residences of 16 rebel legislators, including himself, and dubbed the action as “political vendetta”, although Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil denied any such move.

Shinde had also tweeted a letter signed by 16 MLAs that was addressed to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and state’s Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil.

In the letter, the legislators said CM Thackeray and the leaders of the ruling MVA alliance will be responsible if any harm is caused to their family members. In their letter, the legislators demanded that their security cover be reinstated.

Security forces have been deployed outside the office of Samadhan Sada Sarvankar, son of rebel Shiv Sena MLA, Sada Sarvankar. Also, security has been heightened outside the residence of rebel Shiv Sena MLA Mangesh Kundalkar. CRPF personnel have been deployed along with Mumbai Police.

Amid twists and turns in the political drama of Maharashtra, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut took a potshot on the Eknath Shinde-led faction of rebel MLAs on Sunday. Raut asked how long they will hide in Guwahati in Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled Assam as they will have to return to Mumbai finally.

The political turbulence in Maharashtra was triggered by the faction war in Shiv Sena after Minister Eknath Shinde flew to Surat with some MLAs and then to Guwahati where he claims of having the support of 38 MLAs of the party, thus achieving the two-thirds majority in the Shiv Sena.

Taking to Twitter, Raut said, “Kab tak chhipoge Gauhati mein…Aana hi padega Chowpatty mein (How long will you hide in Guwahati, you have to come back to Chowpatty).”

According to sources, Maharashtra deputy speaker Narhari Zirwal has sent notices to the 16 Shiv Sena rebel MLAs.

The MLAs have to be present in Mumbai on Monday for the hearing of disqualification.

Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray claimed that on 20 May, CM Uddhav Thackeray had asked Eknath Shinde to become CM if he wanted to, but at that time he did drama and now just a month later, he rebelled.

Aditya said this at the Yuva Sena national executive meeting. “But they (Shinde faction) aren’t capable of doing so, this isn’t rebellion, this is separatism. They took undue advantage of CM’s ill-health to do all this,” he said.

While terming rebel MLAs as “traitors”, Aditya said Maharashtra will never forgive those who have betrayed Shiv Sena. “Shiv Sena’s doors are open for those who want to leave and those who want to return to the party. Those rebel MLAs who are traitors will not be taken back into the party,” he said.

Attacking the group of MLAs who are currently in Guwahati hotel, Aaditya said it is good that some dirt has gone away from the party.

He challenged rebel MLAs and asked them to resign and fight the election. “This is happening for the first time in the state that the ruling party MLAs left the party to sit in the opposition. People are telling their numbers but I want to say that we have the figures. I challenge them to resign and contest the elections. The truth will come out,” Shiv Sena’s leader said.

Aditya alleged that Rs 9 lakh a day is being spent on rebel MLA Eknath Shinde-led faction while flood-affected people in Assam are left to fend for themselves. He also alleged some MLAs had been taken to Guwahati “forcibly”. Aditya said, “Lakhs of rupees being spent on our MLAs who were forcibly taken there; Rs 9 lakhs a day. Lakhs of flood-affected people are there in the very same Assam, they are left on their own. For the first time, the Opposition is supporting a faction leaving the ruling party.”

While addressing the Shiv Sena workers in Mumbai on Sunday, he said, “Looking at the last two to four days in #Maharshtra, it feels that those who left, left for good… the entire country saw that the person who did the most powerful work during #Covid-19 had to leave his official residence.”

Aditya questioned rebel MLAs who went to Surat, then Guwahati, to break the party, “Many people told me that many leaders will come but no one will be like this CM …

Why did rebel MLAs go to Surat, then Guwahati, to break the party? Many MLAs there look like they were forced to be there. 10-15 MLAs are in touch with us and they can vouch for this.”

SANGRUR: It is a victory of party workers and the teachings of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, said Simranjit Singh Mann after winning Sangrur Lok Sabha by-poll on Sunday.He also said that he will raise the issues of “Indian Army committing atrocities in Kashmir,” “killing of tribal people in Bihar and Chhattisgarh calling them Naxalites.” Mann was a candidate from Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) and won the by-poll defeating Aam Aadmi Party’s candidate in Sangrur, the home turf of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann.Speaking to the media after his victory, he said, “It is a historic victory with which all the parties including BJP, Akali Dal, Congress, AAP will be perplexed because we have won after a long time. We will oppose the political parties in Parliament. Now there will be protests against us because we were mocked that we will not be able to win.”“It’s a win of our party workers and of the teachings that Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale has given. The Sikh community is very upset with the death of Deep Singh Sidhu and Sidhu Moose Wala and now the Indian government will not behave in the same way that it is behaving with the Muslims, like their localities are being questioned, like the Indian Army is committing atrocities in Kashmir and killing Muslims on a daily basis. The tribal people in Bihar and Chhattisgarh are being shot dead calling them Naxalites.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sambit Patra said that Teesta Setalvad along with Sonia Gandhi and Congress party were the driving force behind defaming Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Gujarat riots. “You all saw how the Prime Minister Narendra Modi swallowed poison for 20 years. Saw how false allegation was levelled against him on 2002 Gujarat riots?” Patra said while addressing the media.“You will be surprised to know that Teesta Setalvad was not alone. These people have cheated the judicial system of India. The Supreme Court has strongly criticised them. The driving force behind this was Sonia Gandhi and the Congress party,” he added.“Supreme Court has said very clearly that those people, who conspired and played with the law also will have to come before the court and face the law,” he added.“Some people like Teesta Setalvad who have been detained today, have deliberately created a false story. The Supreme Court has made a strong stand. It has named Teesta Setalvad in its judgment,” he added.The action came after Union Minister Amit Shah in an interview with ANI said that Teesta Setalvad-run NGO gave baseless information about the 2002 Gujarat riots to the police.“I will give a few examples of how Teesta Setalvad and Company worked to mislead the country regarding the Gujarat riots– Teesta Setalvad’s NGO was giving instructions to Zakia Jafri and many witnesses along with her,” he said.Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that the troika of BJP’s political rivals, politically motivated journalists and NGOs, together made false allegations against the BJP and its leaders.

Kartikeya Sharma, founder of Pro Sportify and Member of Parliament-elect (Rajya Sabha) from Haryana was on Sunday conferred with “Indian Sports Fan Award 2022” for his unmatched contribution to Indian Sports in a glittering ceremony here on Sunday evening.

Kartikeya Sharma was bestowed with the award in recognition of his immense contribution to sports and for exemplary devotion in promoting Olympic sports through the medium of leagues. 

Christened as “Mahara Chorra”, he has been supporting Indian sports and is the brain behind the Pro Wrestling League, Big Bout Indian Boxing League, The Indian Arena Polo League and two other upcoming leagues.

Mr. Sharma who has been supporting sports since a decade was handed over the glittering trophy by Shri Sandeep Singh, Minister of Sports, Haryana, Indian superfans Sudhir Kumar Gautam, Sugumar Kumar, India’s first female Olympian Karnam Malleshwari and London Olympics bronze medalist Yogeshwar Dutt in presence off bevy of Indian sporting luminaries including Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna awardees, Arjuna awardees and Dronacharya awardees.

Kartikeya Sharma was chosen for this award by Indian Sports Fans – India’s

largest sports fan community and a non-commercial venture which is the oldest and largest fans community on the social media platform. It has over 1 million fans and followers throughout the globe including 21 countries.

“It is a truly unique concept for nominating Kartikeya Sharma who brought smiles and gave joy to sporting fans. This will set a new precedent for sports in India and I wish them all the best for their future endeavours,” said Sandeep Singh, former Indian Hockey captain and Minister of Sports, Haryana.

Sandeep Singh who is fondly known as ‘Flicker Singh’ by his fans globally, captained India for many years including 2012 London Olympics. Sandeep Singh was renowned for his fast and guile drag flicks and scored 110 goals in 147 international matches.

“This award is a reflection of the love and appreciation of sports fans from across the world. On this occasion, I respectfully share my joy and love with all the sports fans across the world,” Kartikeya Sharma, an Oxford Graduate said.

“Kartikeya Ji, the founder & promoter of Pro Wrestling & Big Bout Indian Boxing League has enabled us to create world beaters and this award in an apt recognition to the sport visionary and promoter in the country. The experience of playing in the Pro Wrestling League has been etched in my memory and I thank him for creating the biggest wrestling spectacle in the world which has allowed the country to witness the biggest stars from wrestling” Babita Phogat, CWG Gold Medalist said.

Famous Indian superfans Sugumar and Sudhir were the first recipients of Indian Sports Awards which was conceptualised in 2019 as Global Sports Fan Awards in Manchester.