Delhi revels in Eid festivities
New Delhi: Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations began in Delhi on Saturday morning after special prayers were held in mosques and eidgah across the city.
A huge congregation offered namaz at the historical Jama Masjid around 6.30 am. The special Eid prayers at the Fatehpuri Masjid, Eidgah and Sunehri Masjid drew large crowds.
People greeted each other after the prayers and took part in the festivities. The main markets of the city, especially those around Jama Masjid and Chandni Chowk, saw brisk shopping for the festival.
Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal greeted people on the occasion.
"Congratulations to all on this auspicious occasion of Eid ul Fitr. I wish this festival of joy, peace, harmony and blessings brings progress, richness and happiness in the lives of all," Saxena said in a Hindi tweet.
Kejriwal wished for peace, brotherhood and happiness across the country and India becoming the number one country in the world.
People visit their neighbours, friends and relatives on Eid and share delicacies like "Sewai".
Eid-ul-Fitr is celebrated across the world on different days, based on the sighting of the crescent moon, which is supposed to denote the start of the Shawwal month in the lunar Islamic calendar.
It marks the end of the fasting month of Ramzan.
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Ajit Pawar rues Marathi-speaking areas of Karnataka still not part of Maharashtra
Mumbai, May 1 (PTI): Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Thursday said even 65 years after the formation of Maharashtra, there is one regret - that Belgaum and Karwar, parts of adjoining Karnataka, were still not merged with the western Marathi-speaking state.
Speaking at a party event organised on the occasion of Maharashtra Day, Pawar, who heads the ruling NCP, asserted his outfit will not abandon the ideology of legendary social reformers Shahu Maharaj, Mahatma Jyotirao Phule and B R Ambedkar.
Recalling the work of chief ministers of Maharashtra from the first CM Yashwantrao Chavan to the incumbent Devendra Fadnavis, Pawar said each one of them have contributed to development of the state since its formation in 1960.
"Maharashtra was formed out of struggle. Even if Maharashtra has completed 65 years of its existence, here is one regret in our hearts. Even today, the Marathi manoos (Marathi-speaking people) of Belgaum and Karwar are still not with us. The case is going on in the Supreme Court.
"The day they are merged with Maharashtra, we can confidently said Maharashtra is now complete," he said.
Maharashtra has been demanding that Marathi-speaking areas in Karnataka -- Belgaum, Karwar, Nipani -- be merged with the state, a stand strongly opposed by the southern state.
Pawar noted India's population in 1947 was 35 crore, but it has now multiplied four times to 140 crore. The population of the state has also increased accordingly, he said.
He emphasised that those in power now and in the past have been working to address the water woes of Maharashtra, but with a growing population, the sources have become limited.
The deputy CM said some people oppose the bullet train project in India, but China and Japan have progressed because of such high-speed transport modes.
The erstwhile Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government (November 2019-June 2022) had stopped the bullet train project connecting Mumbai to Ahmedabad which is currently under construction.
