More opposition MPs in touch with BJP; 'our tally will rise soon', claims Maharashtra minister
Mumbai, Jul 20 (PTI): Maharashtra Water Resources Minister Girish Mahajan on Sunday claimed that some MPs in the opposition camp, particularly those belonging to Shiv Sena (UBT), are in contact with the BJP and hinted that the party's tally in Parliament will rise in the coming days.
"The number of MPs of the BJP will increase further. Earlier, four MPs were in touch with us; now three more are likely to join. These MPs belong to various parties, but a majority are from the UBT faction of Shiv Sena," Mahajan told reporters after taking darshan at the famous Pandharpur temple in Solapur district.
In a swipe at Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, the BJP leader said the "Thackeray brand" has lost its relevance in Maharashtra.
In an interview with "Saamana" executive editor Sanjay Raut, Uddhav has stated that Thackeray is not just a brand, but an identity of Maharashtra, Marathi manoos and Hindu pride.
"The Thackeray brand has lost relevance a log time ago. Balasaheb Thackeray was the leader of the real Shiv Sena, but the situation changed after Uddhav Thackeray allied with the Congress in 2019. He abandoned Balasaheb’s ideology. That’s when the Thackeray brand ceased to exist,” Mahajan said.
Reacting to claims made by some opposition leaders that the previous Eknath Shinde-led government was formed due to certain "CDs", Mahajan criticised the Congress leadership, particularly former state unit chief Nana Patole.
"There is a lot of random shooting in the air. They keep talking about some CD from Nashik, or some pen drive. If you have something concrete, submit it to the Speaker (of the Assembly). What is the use of making statements without showing evidence? Anyone can say anything,” he said.
Asked about the recent meeting between Uddhav Thackeray and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in the Assembly premises, Mahajan downplayed the political speculation around it.
"Two leaders met during the legislature session, had some light conversation, and that’s about it. There’s no need for bitterness all the time or making negative remarks,” he said.
Patole had alleged a "honeytrap" scandal involving state officials posted in Thane, Nashik and the Mantralaya (secretariat) in Mumbai.
Reacting to the charge, Fadnavis told the legislative assembly on Friday that no case of blackmailing through honeytraps has come to light in the state.
A woman had lodged a complaint in Nashik, but later it was withdrawn, said Fadnavis, who handles the home portfolio.
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'Go back to your own country': Indian-origin taxi driver attacked in Dublin
London, Aug 5 (PTI): An Indian-origin taxi driver based in Ireland for over 23 years has become the latest to be targeted in an unprovoked attack in the capital Dublin, with local police (Gardai) launching an investigation into the violent assault.
Lakhvir Singh, in his 40s, told local media that he picked up two young men in their 20s on Friday night and dropped them at Poppintree, in the Ballymun suburb of Dublin.
Upon arriving at the destination, the men are said to have opened the vehicle door and struck him twice on the head with a bottle. As the suspects fled, they reportedly shouted: "Go back to your own country".
"In 10 years I've never seen anything like this happen," Singh told ‘Dublin Live’.
"I'm really scared now and I'm off the road at the moment. It will be very hard to go back. My children are really scared," he said.
A Dublin police spokesperson said Singh was taken to the city's Beaumont Hospital with injuries determined as not life-threatening.
"Gardaí are investigating an assault reported to have occurred in Poppintree, Ballymun, Dublin 11 at approximately 11:45 pm on Friday, 1st August 2025. A man, aged in his 40s, was brought to Beaumont Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injury. Investigations are ongoing," the spokesperson said.
The incident followed an Indian Embassy advisory, also issued on Friday, expressing safety concerns following recent attacks in and around the capital Dublin and urging Indian citizens to take safety precautions.
"There has been an increase in the instances of physical attacks reported against Indian citizens in Ireland recently,” states the advisory.
“The embassy is in touch with the authorities concerned in Ireland in this regard. At the same time, all Indian citizens in Ireland are advised to take reasonable precautions for their personal security and avoid deserted areas, especially at odd hours," the statement reads, adding emergency embassy contact details as 0899423734 and cons.dublin@mea.gov.in.
It came in the wake of a brutal attack on a 40-year-old Indian man at Parkhill Road in the Tallaght suburb of Dublin on July 19, described as “mindless, racist violence” by locals.
The Gardai had opened an investigation into the case and Indian Ambassador to Ireland Akhilesh Mishra was among those who took to social media to express shock over the attack.
“Regarding the recent incident of physical attack on an Indian national that happened in Tallaght, Dublin, the embassy is in touch with the victim and his family. All the requisite assistance is being offered. The embassy is also in touch with the relevant Irish authorities in this regard,” the embassy said in a social media post days after the incident.
A Stand Against Racism protest was also held by the local community in condemnation of what was described as a "vicious racist attack" and to express solidarity with migrants.
Last week, Dr Santosh Yadav took to LinkedIn to post details of a “brutal, unprovoked racist attack”.
The entrepreneur and AI expert stressed that it was not an isolated incident and called for “concrete measures” from the governments of Ireland and India to ensure Indians feel safe to walk the streets of Dublin.
His post revealed that a group of six teenagers attacked him from behind as he walked to his apartment in Dublin.
“This is not an isolated incident. Racist attacks on Indian men and other minorities are surging across Dublin — on buses, in housing estates, and on public streets. Yet, the government is silent. There is no action being taken against these perpetrators. They run free and are emboldened to attack again,” reads Yadav's post.
Fine Gael party Councillor for Tallaght South, Baby Pereppadan, was among those who expressed concern following last month’s attack.
“People need to understand that many Indian people moving to Ireland are here on work permits, to study and work in the healthcare sector or in IT and so on, providing critical skills,” he said.
Another violent anti-Indian attack in Ireland
— Journalist V (@OnTheNewsBeat) August 5, 2025
Taxi driver Lakhvir Singh was attacked with glass bottles while doing his job pic.twitter.com/mtkwhLWISx
