Apparently eyeing a larger role in Maharashtra politics, Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) is now making attempts to shed its “anti-North Indian” image by reaching out to the community, which accounts for sizeable number of voters in the state.

“MNS was never against North Indians.

“North Indians have lot of misunderstanding about our party spread by media by twisting Raj’s statements. He has entrusted me the task of initiating a dialogue among the community members in Mumbai and clear the misconception and explain the MNS chief’s development agenda for Maharashtra,” Vageesh Saraswat, a journalist-turned politician and a key aide of Raj told.

The toning down of MNS stand on North Indians was evident last month when the party invited megastar Amitabh Bachchan for a event organised for Cine Artistes Welfare.

“It was not about toning down of anti-North India rhetoric. Bachchan began his speech in Marathi. He has considered Maharashtra as his ‘karmbhoomi’. We were never against Bachchan. Criticism about the legendary actor was issue based.

“We just said Bachchan is a huge icon respected all over the country. We opposed his being brand ambassador of other states while he lives in Mumbai. But he is committed to Mumbai and the state as well,” he said.

Saraswat claimed that MNS has never indulged in violence against North Indians but insisted that the party will react if the sentiments of Marathi-speaking people are hurt.

“We consider those who are dedicated to Maharashtra and Marathi as our own irrespective of which part of the country they come from. Marathi-speaking people will definitely react angrily if their sentiments are hurt and if migrants consider Mumbai as a ‘kamdhenu’ (cow) and just want to milk it.”

Depressed over their health and financial problems,?a 72-year-old woman and her two sons, both in their fifties, allegedly committed suicide at their home in the city, police said on Friday.

Vijaya Gajanan Kale and her sons – Pramod (55) and Milind (52) – ended their lives by hanging themselves in their house at Purva apartments of Shingada-Talao locality.

Police said the three apparently took the extreme step two days back, but the matter came to light last evening when their neighbours complained of bad smell coming out of the house.

Later, police broke open the house and found the bodies hanging from the kitchen roof and adjacent room.

The three had been living in the apartment for the past six years after settling down here from Mumbai.

Though the exact reason behind their suicides was yet to be ascertained, police suspect that their illness and poor financial condition might have prompted them to take the extreme step.

Their neighbours told the police that the three did not interact with other residents of the society and were often seen ill.

The bodies have been sent for post-mortem, police said.

A corporator from the local civic body and her husband were nabbed by the Anti-Corruption Bureau of Thane Police for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 2 lakh from a complainant.

Jayshree Dyaneshwar Patil, the corporator from Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation, and her husband Dyaneshwar Gajanan Patil were arrested on Wednesday night after they allegedly accepted Rs 2 lakh from a builder for not bringing his plot under reservation (for public utility), Commissioner of Police (ACB) Sandeep Karnik said.

The builder Ram Nandalal Wadhwa had complained to the ACB regarding bribe demand following which a trap was laid to nab them, sources said.

Besides, one Sanjay K Gupta was held yesterday after he allegedly tried to bribe a UMC official with Rs 50,000 for obtaining permission for his unauthorised construction, the ACB said.

In another case, an officer at the Ulhasnagar sub division office, Prakash Gaikwad, was arrested last evening after he allegedly accepted a bribe of Rs 10,000 from a local journalist for transferring his name in the property card.

Offences have been registered against those arrested under relevant sections of Prevention of Corruption Act, the ACB added.

Maharashtra government today sanctioned Rs 403 crore to develop infrastructure facilities in Vasai-Virar, Nandurbar, Deglur and Bhusawal towns.

A statement from Chief Minister’s office said issues of water supply and road construction will be resolved with the help of these funds.

“For Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation, Rs 269.79 crore have been sanctioned for water supply schemes. “Water pumps, automation system and pipeline at Surya and Masvan rivers will be facilitated. A pump house will be set up to enable water supply to the township,” the statement said.

The government will share 50 per cent of the cost and provide Rs 134.89 crore to the civic body.

For Nandurbar Municipal Corporation, Rs 100.82 crore has been approved for road development in which state government will share 80 per cent of the cost. An amount of Rs 80.66 crore will be given to the civic body to facilitate road repairs, construction of new roads, dividers, footpaths and bridges.

Deglur Municipal Council has been sanctioned Rs 21 crore for water supply schemes out of which 80 per cent of the cost (Rs 16.81 crore) will be shared by the state government.

In Bhusawal, Rs 11.99 crore has been sanctioned for road development out of which the state government will bear 50 per cent cost (Rs 5.99 crore).

The funds will be provided under Maharashtra Suvarna Jayanti Nagarothan Mahabhiyan, which aims to support municipal bodies not falling under the JNNURM.

Justice Mridula Bhatkar today granted Teesta and Anand interim relief from arrest for three weeks. One of the riot victims from Gulbarg Housing Society, which was burnt during the 2002 Godhra riots, had lodged a complaint with Ahmedabad police against Teesta, Anand and the NGOs run by them – Citizens for Justice and Peace and Sabrang Trust. According to the complaint, the accused had allegedly collected funds in the name of converting part of the housing society into a museum and had allegedly misappropriated funds.

Teesta and Anand’s advocate Arshad Shaukh said that even though the case was registered in Ahmedabad they could get anticipatory bail from Bombay high court as there are judgments of the Supreme Court which say that a person can get relief from the high court in the state where they reside for a case registered in another state. According to Teesta and Anand, they have been implicated in the case and are victims of political vendetta. They claim that they are being targeted by the perpetrators of the riots. In 2006, the social activists decided to build a museum – Museum of Resistance – in the remains of the Gulbarg society. Accordingly in 2009, a part of the plot was sold to Sabrang Trust. However, in 2012, the idea of museum was dropped as the prices escalated. The same was communicated to the society. However, according to the complaint filed against Teesta, funds were collected by her despite the idea being dropped.

Shiv Sena on Friday opposed the use of the logo ‘Reliance Metro One’ for the metro railway stations in Mumbai, and said it should be just ‘Mumbai Metro One’.

Anil Ambani-owned Reliance Infra owns a 69 per cent stake in Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd (MMOPL), the execution agency for the yet-to-be operational project. State-run Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority holds 26 per cent equity in it.

In a letter to the Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, Sena leader Subhash Desai on Friday pointed out that the project had received funding from both the state and the Centre. “Why should the platforms of metro rail have the logo Reliance Metro?” he asked. ‘Mumbai Metro One’ logo should be displayed appropriately, he said, saying that “no other name will do.”

Sena ally Republican Party of India (Athawale) too had met Chavan with the same demand a few days ago. MMOPL spokesperson had earlier said that the logo ‘Reliance Metro’ was being used “rightfully” and it was within the contract’s ambit and “as per industry practise”.

Though India is advancing at a much faster rate when it comes to classy airports, but that is not the only section that requires development. The Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport has got new terminal which has been built by the GVK-led consortium and the cost of the complete construction has been 12,500 crores.

While the commuters of flight are being granted lavish facilities, the common man and the traveler of Indian railways are deprived of even basic facilities. It is one of the most shocking facts that ten people die each and every day at the railway stations of Mumbai and nothing is done in this regards plus the medical facilities provided are also awful.

The passenger often lose their balance and go off track in the overcrowded railway stations which even result in deaths and another major cause of death at stations is the deadly gaps between the train and the platform.

The site of the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport and the railway stations in Mumbai is like the two sides of a coin. The level of difference in both the modes of travelling around is depressing. When it comes to the airport a person is delighted with promises of heavenly journey, while other person traveling in a train is not even sure of getting out safe.