The opposition Congress and the NCP dug out an old tweet made by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, in a bid to corner the BJP-led Maharashtra government and prove that the party had promised good governance merely to “deceive” the people.

On August 13, 2013, Fadnavis had tweeted that for the first time in the country’s history items of need, comfort and luxury were being sold at the same price.

“Fact: For the first time in the history of India “Need”, “Comfort” and “Luxury” are sold at the same price. Onions, petrol and beer all at Rs 80,” Fadnavis had tweeted.

Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam dug out this old tweet and said that the BJP-led Fadnvis government had “shamelessly” failed to bring down inflation levels despite making it a poll plank prior to the 2014 assembly election.

“One of the BJP’s poll plank on which they fought election was inflation. The BJP had then alleged that the Congress government has failed to keep the growth rate steady and failed to decrease prices of essential commodities.

Today, the situation is the same. Commodities are still being sold at the same price they were sold in 2013,” Nirupam said.

NCP leader Sachin Ahir said that after being in power for a year, it seems that promises were made purely to deceive the people.

“It has been almost a year since they (the BJP and Shiv Sena) came to power, but they failed to keep their poll promises. They kept on taunting us and kept on accusing us of inefficiency, but change have they brought about? Middle class finds it difficult to buy essential commodities which are sold at luxury rates,” Ahir said.

The Maharashtra government has decided to abolish the Local Body Tax (LBT) within 15 days on petrol and diesel to end the disparity between fuel dealers and other traders.

The decision comes after discussions between the state government and petrol/diesel pump owners over its imposition.

State Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar however said that the government will impose an alternate tax in place of LBT.

“The fuel dealers’ contention is that those whose pumps are within the jurisdiction of any of the 25 Municipal Corporations in the state are required to pay the LBT while others are not,” Mungantiwar said.

“They say the LBT eats into the businesses of those who pay the tax and hence wanted us to abolish the LBT,” he said.

The minister claimed that the fuel dealers are ready to accept the imposition of an alternate tax in lieu of LBT.

“When we met representatives of fuel dealers, they said that they do not have any problem if the government imposes an alternate tax in place of LBT. All they want is parity between all pump owners.

“We have told them that will abolish the LBT within a month’s time. But, the state government has decided to make a formal announcement within 15 days,” Mungantiwar said.

When asked about the financial implications of the government’s decision, Mungantiwar said that abolishing LBT will cost the government Rs 280 crore.

The state government has already exempted traders having an annual turnover below Rs 50 crore from paying LBT across the state from August 1.

According to the government, more than 99 per cent of traders benefited from the decision.

However, petrol and diesel retailers were not considered for LBT exemption.

There are around 800 petrol and diesel pumps within 25 municipal corporations in the state.

The Bombay High Court rejected the ‘paper-book’ in 2002 hit-and-run-case, in which Bollywood actor Salman Khan has been convicted, saying it doesn’t conform to rules and should be prepared anew by September 11. Paper-book is compilation of evidence, documents and the lower court’s orders/verdict, prepared by the HC registry and submitted to both the sides before the appeal is heard.

The HC is hearing an appeal filed by Salman against the five-year sentence awarded on May 6 by the sessions court for ramming his car into a bakery, killing one person and injuring four others, in suburban Bandra on September 28, 2002.

Last month, the court had asked the registry to prepare a fresh paper-book by adding some documents which Salman’s lawyer, Amit Desai, said were “missing”. The revised paper-book was submitted today but advocate Desai said it was still not in keeping with the HC manual.

The charge-sheet was included when it is not needed, he said. “The charges are to be listed but here the charge sheet has been added….the (present) paper-book is a prejudicial material, it is in conflict with law, conflict with manual,” he said.

Justice A R Joshi then ordered the HC registry to prepare the paper-book again, strictly complying with rules as the appeal cannot be heard without completing this exercise.

Among other things, the paper-book did not have a document pertaining to a media interview given by Ravindra Patil, a policeman who was then Salman’s bodyguard and eye- witness to the accident. Patil, who died during the trial, had contradicted in the interview his own statement before the magistrate, the application by Salman’s lawyer says. It is a very vital document for the defence to prove that Patil was not telling the truth, it says. Patil had told the magistrate that Salman was driving the car and was drunk.

The actor, who is on bail, did not come to the court today. His sister Alvira was present.

A court at Baramati in Pune district today refused to entertain a complaint of “cheating” against Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for giving a “false” promise of carving out a quota for Dhangar (shepherd) community in Maharashtra.

Hemant Patil, a local activist and member of BSP, had filed an application before the judicial magistrate seeking registration of FIR against Fadnavis.

However the judge said no offence of cheating was made out.

Patil had alleged that Fadnavis had promised during last year’s election campaign that after coming to power the BJP government would provide reservation to Dhangar but he didn’t keep his word though his party got the votes on the basis of the promise.

In view of the prevailing drought conditions, the Maharashtra government today decided to waive off educational fees of the farmers’ children upto standard 12 in the districts hit by the natural calamity.

“We have decided to waive off educational fees of farmers’ children upto standard 12 in the districts affected by drought,” State Revenue Minister Eknath Khadse said.

He said similarly children of farmers in the drought-hit areas studying engineering and medicine will get 50 per cent concession in their fees.

As many as 69 tehsils in the state are affected by drought. Parts of the Marathwada region have been hit by the calamity.

Meanwhile, the government also decided to provide an accident policy insurance cover to 1.35 crore farmers in the state wherein their kin will be entitled to an amount of Rs 2 lakh.

“The premium installment for the Rs two lakh insurance cover will be paid by the government. The policy will be a safeguard for the farmer against accident or death. Suicide is not covered in the policy,” Khadse added.

When asked what would be the financial burden on the state exchequer, the minister said, “the number of tehsils reeling under drought would go up. Only after we get a final number of tehsils, we can work out the financial burden.”

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis visited Solapur district on Sunday and took stock of the situation.

Former Thane mayor and Shiv Sena leader Anant Tare’s mobile phone and wallet were allegedly stolen by an unidentified person here.

Tare was distributing blankets and shawls to the needy at Meenatai Thackeray chowk in the city Sunday afternoon when the theft took place, Rabodi police station’s senior inspector Kashinath Chavan said.

Somebody took advantage of the crowd and stole Tare’s mobile phone worth around Rs 40,000 and wallet containing about Rs 8,000 cash, he said.

A case has been registered under section 379 (theft) of IPC, he said, adding that probe was on into the matter.

Every year on September 6, Tare undertakes the activity of distributing items to the needy.

Thane’s Guardian Minister Eknath Shinde, local MP Rajan Vichare and Mayor Sanjay More were present at the function where the alleged theft took place, police added.