Uddhav thackeray calls EC decision dangerous for democracy, says he will move SC
Mumbai, Feb 17: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray on Friday said the Election Commission's order recognising Eknath Shinde faction as the real Shiv Sena was "dangerous for democracy", and he would challenge it in the Supreme Court.
Speaking at a press conference hours after the EC decision, Thackeray accused the poll panel of having become the Union government's slave.
"It may even take away our symbol of flaming torch tomorrow," he said.
He also appealed to his followers not to give up, and fight the battle to win. The party and people were with him, he said.
'Let the thieves rejoice for a few days," he said, reacting to the setback to his faction.
The Supreme Court is the last hope to ensure that democracy is alive in the country, Thackeray said.
If this hope vanished, we should stop holding elections forever and become a one-man rule, he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi should announce that after 75 years of independence the country was not a democracy any longer but moving towards tyranny, he added.
"Those who think they have got state recognition for their theft will always remain thieves,' Thackeray said, referring to rebel Sena MLAs led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Shinde.
He also accused Shinde of stealing party founder Balasaheb Thackeray's photo, party and symbol, adding that he will not be able to "digest this theft for long".
"The party and people are with me. We complied with everything that the EC sought and submitted all papers about membership and organisational strength, and still the EC ruled against us," Thackeray said.
The EC's decision in the Shinde faction's favour was also an indication that civic polls in Mumbai and elsewhere will happen soon, Thackeray said.
The EC decision was a conspiracy as recently deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union minister Narayan Rane had publicly said that the Shiv Sena's symbol will be given to the Shinde faction, he alleged.
"The Shinde group might have stolen the bow and arrow symbol on paper but the real bow and arrow which Balasaheb Thackeray used to worship is with me," Thackeray said.
He described the prevailing situation like the one that existed on June 19, 1966, when Shiv Sena was formed.
"The Shiv Sena will rise again and will not be finished, he said.
"Maharashtra has always fought against injustice and people will teach the thieves a lesson," he said.
After the press conference, Thackeray visited his father Balasaheb Thackeray's memorial at Shivaji Park late in the evening and paid respects.
Meanwhile, reacting to Uddhav Thackeray's remarks, chief minister Shinde, who celebrated the EC order with his supporters at his official residence `Varsha', said he freed the bow and arrow symbol which "Uddhav Thackeray had mortgaged to Congress and NCP in 2019".
Thackeray had broken the alliance with the BJP in 2019 and formed government with the Congress-NCP.
"You might be the owner of (Bal Thackeray's) property, but not of the party and ideology,'' Shinde said.
''How can the elected MLAs, MPs, corporators be thieves? It is time you introspected about what went wrong," Shinde advised his former leader.
''If we are all thieves, who are you," the CM asked.
Reacting to the development, Thackeray's ally and NCP president Sharad Pawar said there was no need for discussion after the EC order.
''Get a new symbol, people will accept it," he said.
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Trump says he called off dispatching envoys to Iran talks
Dubai (PTI): US President Donald Trump said he told his top envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner not to travel to Pakistan to negotiate with Iran, stating on Fox News that "they can call us any time they want”.
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country won't negotiate while the United States imposes a blockade on its ports. Pezeshkian told Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during a phone call Saturday night that the US “should first remove operational obstacles, including the blockade,” to allow a new round of negotiations, according to the ISNA and Tasnim news agencies in Iran.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi left Pakistan on Saturday evening, two Pakistani officials told The Associated Press. Iran's state-run IRNA news agency said Araghchi is expected back in Pakistan's capital Islamabad on Sunday.
Trump said Thursday that Israel and Lebanon agreed to extend a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah by three weeks after talks at the White House. The meeting was the second high-level negotiation between the two countries this month. The initial 10-day ceasefire had been due to expire Monday.
The Trump administration is placing economic sanctions on a major China-based oil refinery and roughly 40 shipping companies and tankers involved in transporting Iranian oil.
The move announced Friday is part of the administration's threat to impose secondary sanctions on entities doing business with Iran in an effort to cut off Iran's oil exports, which are a key source of its revenue.
Airlines worldwide have begun cancelling flights as the war in the Middle East strains jet fuel supplies and pushes up prices. Experts have offered information to travelers about what to do if a flight is cancelled.
Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country won't negotiate while the United States imposes a blockade on its ports, according to Iranian media.
Pezeshkian told Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during a phone call Saturday night that the US “should first remove operational obstacles, including the blockade”, to allow a new round of negotiations, the ISNA and Tasnim news agencies reported.
The Pakistani premier described the call as a “warm and constructive discussion”.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi concluded a one-day trip to Pakistan's capital Islamabad on Saturday after meeting with Pakistani military and government officials.
The trip did not produce a breakthrough in efforts to relaunch negotiations after US President Donald Trump canceled a planned trip by his envoys to Islamabad.
Iran's state-run IRNA news agency said Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will return to Pakistan after his current visit to Oman on his way to visiting Russia.
The report said he was expected to be back in Pakistan's capital Islamabad on Sunday and would join other members of his delegation who had gone to Tehran for consultations and “instructions on the topics related to the end of the war.”
