Congress demands resignation over provocative statements in Maharashtra

In Mumbai, Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar criticized Ports Minister Nitesh Rane for making inflammatory remarks related to recent violence in Nagpur. Wadettiwar called for the resignation of the minister, questioning why Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had not acted. He claimed the minister's comments, such as stating there were no Muslims in Shivaji's army, were provocative. Wadettiwar highlighted that Nagpur is the chief minister's home and suggested that if the riots were planned, it was a failure of intelligence. He noted that police took an excessive 1.5 hours to respond to the violence, despite media reports on the situation. Additionally, BJP MLA Pravin Datke spoke about a female police constable who was allegedly molested during the riots. He urged the chief minister and his deputy to take the incident seriously and ensure justice. The Shiv Sena (UBT) also weighed in, criticizing the BJP for allegedly prioritizing Aurangzeb over Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. In its publication, Saamna suggested that removing the protected status of Aurangzeb's tomb could help reduce tensions in the state. Wadettiwar further addressed women's safety, lamenting the low budget allocations for initiatives aimed at protecting women. He pointed out recent incidents of violence against women and questioned when the state would implement the Shakti Act. He also mentioned budget overruns in a water project in Navi Mumbai, emphasizing fiscal mismanagement.