Uddhav Thackeray meets Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena says Maharashtra govt strong
Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray held a meeting with NCP president Sharad Pawar here, senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said on Tuesday while asserting that the state government is "strong".
The two leaders met for about one-and-a-half hours late Monday evening, Raut said while dismissing speculations about the Thackeray-led government's stability.
The Sena Rajya Sabha MP, however, did not reveal what transpired between the two leaders. The meeting between Thackeray and Pawar took place after the NCP chief met state Governor B S Koshyari on Monday morning.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar and Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray had a meeting for one-and-a-half hours. Those doubting about the stability of this government are doing so out of their own grudge. This government is strong," Raut tweeted in Marathi.
Earlier, Pawar met Koshyari on Monday morning, following which the NCP claimed the meeting took place on the invitation of the governor and no political issues came up for discussion.
However, the timing of the meeting is significant as it took place against the backdrop of strained relations between the Shiv Sena, which heads the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, and the Raj Bhavan.
The NCP is one of the key constituents of MVA.
Pawar was one of the key leaders from Maharashtra who had openly complained about Koshyari's "intervention" in the functioning of the state administration.
Recently, senior BJP leader and former state chief minister Devendra Fadnavis complained to the governor about the "failure" of the Thackeray government in handling the COVID-19 crisis.
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FIR against five students of Pune law college for ‘ragging’ junior
Pune (PTI): Police have registered a case against five students of a reputed law college in Pune for allegedly ragging a junior, more than a year after he first approached the institution authorities with a complaint.
A first information report (FIR) was registered on Saturday against the students under the Maharashtra Prohibition of Ragging Act at Deccan police station, officials said on Sunday.
While the college initially investigated the matter, the complainant was not satisfied. He escalated it through the University Grants Commission's (UGC) anti-ragging mechanism and made repeated follow-ups, as per the FIR.
The complainant, then a first-year LLB student, alleged sustained mental harassment, intimidation and ragging inside the hostel. The accused were a year senior to him.
According to the FIR, the harassment began after he objected to smoking on the premises. He alleged repeated verbal abuse and psychological harassment, including being locked in his room, eggs being thrown at his door and gutka being spat outside.
He also claimed loud music was played at night to disturb him and that he was at times restricted from moving freely in the hostel, including accessing the washrooms. The student said the incidents led to social isolation, severe mental distress and affected his academic performance.
College authorities said the matter dates back to 2024 and arose from disputes among hostel residents. They said the institute acted in accordance with UGC anti-ragging guidelines after receiving the complaint. A detailed report was also submitted to the UGC, they said.
“The institute’s anti-ragging committee conducted a probe, but prima facie, no evidence of ragging was established. Since the allegations were not substantiated, no action was warranted. Had any instance of ragging been proved, immediate disciplinary action would have been taken,” the authorities said.
The student first approached the college in October 2024 and later contacted the UGC anti-ragging helpline. Since he was not satisfied with the internal inquiry, he pursued the matter with supporting documents, following which the case was registered, according to the police.
A senior police official said the case was registered after taking cognisance of the facts placed before them.
“The investigation is in progress, and due legal procedure will be followed. Further action will be taken based on the findings,” he said.
