Kolhapur, Ashwini Khondre  

Padma Shri Dr. D. Y. Patil, eminent educationist, former Governor of Bihar, and a visionary who made significant contributions to the fields of education, healthcare, and social welfare, was cremated with full state honours in Kolhapur on Wednesday. He was 90.

Thousands of mourners, along with prominent political leaders, industrialists, artists, and dignitaries from across the country, gathered to pay their final respects. Dr. Patil's mortal remains were kept at his residence in Kasba Bawda for public homage before the funeral procession began at around 4 p.m.

Among those who paid their respects were Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, several senior ministers from the Maharashtra Cabinet, Members of the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council, along with leaders from various political parties.

The funeral procession, which commenced from Kasba Bawda, witnessed an overwhelming public response, with lakhs of people joining to bid farewell to the veteran educationist.

As a mark of respect, shops across Kasba Bawda remained closed since Tuesday. Residents paid heartfelt tribute to the man who shared a lifelong bond with the locality and was widely regarded as one of its most respected personalities.

Earlier in the day, Union and state leaders, legislators, and eminent personalities from various fields visited the residence to offer condolences. Those present included Industries Minister Uday Samant, Forest Minister Ganesh Naik, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Ambadas Danve, Medical Education Minister Hasan Mushrif, retired Justice B. G. Kolse Patil, actor Bharat Jadhav, former MP Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati, MLAs Amit Deshmukh, Jayant Patil, Amal Mahadik, and Shivajirao Patil. Congress MP Shahu Maharaj Chhatrapati, a close associate of Dr. Patil, shared emotional memories while paying tribute.

Several other political leaders and dignitaries, including Chhagan Bhujbal, Pankaja Munde, Prakash Abitkar, Chandradeep Narke, Sanjay Mandlik, Ravindra Mane, actor Sayaji Shinde, industrialist Sanjay Ghodawat, Rahul Pramod Mahajan, Harshwardhan Sakpal, Chandrakant Patil, Vijay Wadettiwar, Sachin Sawant, Balasaheb Thorat, Yashomati Thakur, Sunil Kedar, Balasaheb Patil, Vishwajeet Kadam, Mansingrao Naik, Hemant Ogale, Harshwardhan Patil, Vikram Sawant, and many others also attended the funeral and offered floral tributes.

Dr. D. Y. Patil dedicated his life to making quality higher education accessible to the common people. He established numerous educational institutions, medical colleges, engineering colleges, universities, and hospitals across India, creating opportunities for thousands of students and significantly strengthening the country's educational and healthcare infrastructure.

Born in Kolhapur, Dr. Patil rose to national prominence through his exemplary work in education and public service. He also served with distinction as the Governor of Bihar. In recognition of his outstanding contribution to education, the Government of India honoured him with the prestigious Padma Shri award.

Following the news of his demise, condolences poured in from across the country. Leaders from all walks of life remembered him as a visionary educationist, philanthropist, and institution builder whose legacy will continue to inspire generations to come.

Mumbai, Jul 14

Amid speculation that the "Operation Tiger" strategy could now be replicated in the Nashik Municipal Corporation, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray has convened a meeting of the party's corporators from Nashik at his Matoshree residence on Wednesday, in an apparent bid to prevent a possible split. The Shiv Sena (UBT) has 15 corporators in the Nashik civic body.

Political circles are abuzz with claims that around 10 to 12 of them are in touch with the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and could switch sides at any time.  If that happens, it could significantly alter the political equations in the corporation. The development comes in the wake of the recent split in the party's Lok Sabha ranks, where six of the nine Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs first formed a separate group before joining the Shinde faction.

Before that rebellion, Thackeray had called a meeting of the party MPs and issued a whip, but the six MPs skipped the meeting.

Following the parliamentary split, Thackeray held rallies and public meetings in the constituencies of the rebel MPs to retain the support of party workers and office-bearers.

He had also adopted an aggressive stand against the defectors.  Political observers will now be closely watching whether Thackeray's outreach succeeds in preventing a similar rebellion among the Nashik corporators.

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Nagpur, Correspondent

Senior IAS officer Tukaram Mundhe's remark that he would retire from the Indian Administrative Service but "never retire from public service" has sparked widespread speculation in Maharashtra's political, social and administrative circles over his future role.

In a post on social media platform Instagram, Mundhe wrote, "A person who goes against the direction of the current is not a fool; rather, he is courageous. If I cannot, who else can? #Leadership."

The post has fuelled discussions about his next move, though the officer has made no official announcement regarding his future plans.

Widely known for his strict administrative style and uncompromising adherence to rules, Mundhe's statement is being interpreted as an indication that he intends to remain actively engaged in public service even after his retirement from the IAS.

His remarks have also triggered speculation that he could take on a larger role in the social sector or even enter politics, although there has been been no official confirmation.

Mundhe is currently serving in the Food and Drug Administration Department, where he has been spearheading statewide drives against food adulteration and counterfeit medicines. In recent months, he has remained in the spotlight for his key administrative decisions and stringent actions.

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Mumbai, Correspondent

Maharashtra's political landscape witnessed fresh turbulence on Sunday as six Members of Parliament from the Shiv Sena (UBT) were set to formally join Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, dealing another blow to Uddhav Thackeray's camp.

The development comes amid reports of the ongoing "Operation Tiger," a political outreach initiative that has allegedly been underway for over a year to attract leaders from the Thackeray faction into the Shinde camp.

In response to the latest developments, Uddhav Thackeray convened a meeting of party MLAs at Shivalaya in Mumbai to assess the situation and prevent further defections. However, the absence of three MLAs from the meeting sparked fresh speculation about possible cracks within the party ranks.

Political circles were already abuzz over the departure of six MPs, and the absence of the legislators has intensified discussions about whether more leaders could switch sides in the coming days.

Meanwhile, hectic political activity was reported at Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's residence, where meetings with the incoming MPs were underway ahead of their formal induction into the Shiv Sena. Sources indicated that senior leaders, MPs, MLAs and local representatives are expected to be present during the joining ceremony, which is likely to be projected as a major show of strength by the Shinde camp.

Security was tightened along key routes in Mumbai amid reports that Shinde and the newly inducted MPs would travel through the area where Thackeray's meeting was being held.

The developments come close on the heels of the Nanded Local Authorities Constituency Legislative Council election, where BJP-Mahayuti candidate Amarnath Rajurkar secured a decisive victory. In a related setback for the opposition bloc, Krishna Nagesh Patil Ashtekar, son of rebel leader Nagesh Patil Ashtekar, suffered a heavy defeat in the contest.

With the Shiv Sena (UBT) already grappling with the loss of several senior leaders over the past few years, the latest defections could further complicate Thackeray's efforts to consolidate the party ahead of upcoming political battles in Maharashtra.

New Delhi / Mumbai

Sources close to Shrikant Shinde, leader of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, said about six “rebel” Sena (UBT) MPs are already in Delhi.

Even as speculation grows over a possible split within the Shiv Sena (UBT), with six of its nine Lok Sabha MPs reportedly preparing to approach Speaker Om Birla for separate recognition, the Uddhav Thackeray-led party has issued a whip directing all its lawmakers to attend a parliamentary party meeting Thursday.

Sena (UBT) leader Anil Desai told reporters in Delhi that all MPs had expressed support for the party at a June 14 meeting, but added that they needed to remain cautious amid reports circulating in the media and on social platforms.

Desai said the party has submitted a memorandum to the Speaker and that the Sena (UBT) parliamentary party would meet Thursday.

However, a clear picture will emerge only after the rebel MPs meet the Lok Sabha Speaker.

Meanwhile, Sena (UBT) MP Bhausahab Wakchaure told reporters he had not been contacted by anyone from the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and would continue to support Uddhav Thackeray.

‘Apna Sapna Money Money’

While Desai said that the Sena (UBT) has faith in its MPs, party leader Sanjay Raut alleged that the lawmakers were being offered Rs. 50 crore to shift sides.

“Apna Sapna Money Money! …The Minimum Support Price is fixed at Rs 50 crore per MP. Rs 15 crore is just the advance. Frankly, these people aren’t even worth Rs 50,000. Their price has only gone up because of the Shiv Sena and TMC brand label,” Raut said on X.

Sources close to Shrikant Shinde, leader of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, said about six “rebel” Sena (UBT) MPs are already in the national capital. They had planned to meet Birla at his house in the morning, but they may now see the Speaker in Parliament later in the day.

“Mostly, two-thirds of the Sena (UBT) will make the shift today, thus not attracting the anti-defection law,” said a source.

However, while Shinde-led Shiv Sena is claiming support of two-thirds of the nine Shiv Sena (UBT) Lok Sabha MPs, Arvind Sawant of Sena (UBT) said that democracy had been reduced to a “market”. “Those accused by the Prime Minister of being corrupt are made chief ministers,” he said.

Sawant added that the party had written to the Speaker to save the Constitution. “The party is the party. Individual MPs and MLAs are not the party,” he said, adding that the Sena (UBT) had issued a whip for a meeting Thursday.

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Pandharpur, Correspondent

Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) MLA Rohit Pawar today issued a stern warning to the BJP-led Maharashtra government saying that he will launch a fresh farmers’ agitation from Marathwada on July 4 if the demand for an unconditional farm loan waiver were not accepted.

Although Pawar has temporarily suspended his hunger strike demanding a blanket loan waiver for farmers, he cautioned the movement would be revived if the government fails to make necessary changes to the recently announced loan waiver scheme.

The state government’s loan waiver plan currently covers only farmers with outstanding loans of up to Rs 2 lakh. Farmers with loans exceeding Rs 2 lakh are required to repay the entire amount first before becoming eligible for the waiver benefit. Rohit Pawar has opposed this condition, arguing that financially distressed farmers cannot afford such repayments.

He has instead demanded a comprehensive and unconditional loan waiver for all farmers, along with a complete clearance of debt records. Pawar had launched an indefinite hunger strike in Pandharpur to press for these demands.

Following discussions with Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan, the NCP (SP) MLA agreed to suspend the protest. Mahajan accepted a memorandum outlining farmers’ concerns and assured that the state government is sensitive to their issues.

He said a meeting with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is expected before the monsoon session of the state legislature begins on June 22. He has urged the government to amend the loan waiver scheme before its implementation deadline of June 30.

Rohit Pawar also proposed that several farmer leaders and opposition representatives be included in the discussions with the Chief Minister. These leaders include Raju Shetty, Ajit Navale, Shashikant Shinde, Harshvardhan Sapkal, Ravikant Tupkar, leaders from the Shiv Sena (UBT), Jayant Patil, and Mahadev Jankar.
He said the proposed meeting should focus on finding a consensus solution to farmers’ debt-related concerns and ensuring that relief measures reach all eligible cultivators without restrictive conditions, he added.

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Kolhapur | Ashwini Khondre, June 9

Thousands of farmers from across Kolhapur district staged a massive protest march to the District Collector's office on Monday, demanding the immediate cancellation of the proposed Shaktipeeth Highway project. Protesters declared that they would not surrender their land under any circumstances, warning that they were prepared to sacrifice their lives to protect their farms.

The march was led by Congress MP Shahu Chhatrapati, Congress leader Satej Patil, Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana chief and former MP Raju Shetti, former MLA Ruturaj Patil, former MLA Satyajit Patil and Vijay Devane.

The rally began at Dasara Chowk and proceeded to the District Collectorate, with participants carrying placards opposing the highway project. Farmers from 78 villages likely to be affected by the proposed route joined the demonstration. A large number of women farmers also participated, expressing strong opposition to the project.

Protesters raised slogans such as, “The land belongs to us, not to anyone else,” and “We will shed blood but will not allow the highway to be built.” They argued that the acquisition of agricultural land would render many small and marginal farmers landless, threatening their livelihoods and future generations. Demonstrators also contended that adequate road connectivity already exists to major religious destinations in the region, making a separate Shaktipeeth Highway unnecessary.

Addressing the gathering outside the Collector's office, Satej Patil accused the government of attempting to suppress the protest and alleged that land measurement activities continued despite widespread opposition. He challenged authorities to conduct surveys in the presence of protesting farmers and announced that farmers from 12 districts would soon decide the future course of the agitation.

Supporting the movement, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) leader Jayant Patil said farmers across Kolhapur, Sangli and Satara districts were united in their opposition to the project. He urged the state government to take note of public sentiment and withdraw the proposal.

Raju Shetti criticized the estimated ₹1 lakh crore cost of the project, warning that the financial burden would ultimately fall on ordinary citizens.

Protesters said the loss of farmland would jeopardize the future of farming families, making it difficult for future generations to survive. They reiterated their resolve to oppose the highway project under all circumstances, describing it as a matter of livelihood and survival.

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Mumbai / Ramesh Autade

Maharashtra has become the first state in the country to receive FCRA (Foreign Contribution Regulation Act) certification for utilizing foreign donations — from individuals, institutions, and CSR companies — to help fund treatment for needy patients. By combining these foreign contributions with the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, the state has emerged as a model for healthcare support to the underprivileged.

To provide access to expensive medical treatments for economically weaker patients, the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund Cell is working in coordination with corporate companies, hospitals, and in some cases, partial contributions from the patients themselves. This initiative will help financially backward patients receive treatment, particularly those with serious and life-threatening illnesses that require treatment costs exceeding ₹10 lakh.

Patients will need to submit their applications through a dedicated online portal developed by the CM Relief Fund Cell. As per charitable hospital norms, 10% of their total beds must be reserved free of cost for families with an annual income of up to ₹1.80 lakh. Another 10% of beds must be reserved at concessional rates for families with an income up to ₹3.60 lakh.

If any hospital fails to reserve these beds, patients are advised to call the toll-free helpline number 1800 123 2211, as stated by Rameshwar Naik, Head of the CM Relief Fund and Charitable Hospital Assistance Cell.

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