Shivaji statue vandalism: Shiv Sena, NCP hit out at Modi, Shah
The Hindu
Both failed to condemn Karnataka BJP, they say. Sena demands resignation of Bommai
A day after a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji was allegedly desecrated in Bengaluru, the Shiv Sena launched protests across Maharashtra against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Government in Karnataka and called for the resignation of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.
The Nationalist Congress Party — the Sena’s ally in the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi Government — joined in as well, with particularly intense protests in Mumbai and Pune as activists raised slogans against Mr. Bommai and the Karnataka Government.
Hitting out at the BJP leaders and their “acolytes” for remaining silent, Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not taking action against the Karnataka BJP’s leadership which permitted the desecration to take place.

The Centre has rejected reports that the definition of the Aravalli hills was changed to permit large-scale mining, citing a Supreme Court-ordered freeze on new leases. It said a court-approved framework will bring over 90% of the Aravalli region under protected areas and strengthen safeguards against illegal mining. The clarification follows controversy over the “100-metre” criterion used to define hills across states.












