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The unprecedented turnout in Mumbai from various parts of the state to back Maratha leader Manoj Jarange Patil has generated extreme political heat. His opponents have made allegations that the agitation triggered by the proponent of Maratha caste’s demand for reservations is actually aimed at destabilising the government of chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. The name of deputy CM Ajit Pawar has been dragged into this attack, which was launched by OBC leader Lakshman Hake. From the beginning Hake has been leading the opposition to Jarange’s agitation. The presence of a handful MLAs belonging to Pawar’s NCP at Jarange’s demonstration in south Mumbai on Friday has unsettled the OBC community. In a retort, OBC leaders have warned the government that they, too, will bring hordes of their supporters to Mumbai to rebut the stir started by Jarange. Reiterating his stand, Fadnavis said the agitations against his government were taking place since ‘resources’ were provided to them. He did not spell out any names but said, “We are committed to providing social justice and have already granted 10% reservation to the Maratha caste.” The gravity of Hake’s charge has increased since it concerns a Mahayuti partner, the NCP of Ajit Pawar. Although Hake has not elaborated on his statement, there is a caste undertone to it as the NCP is seen, by and large, a party of the Marathas. Incidentally, both deputy CMs of Maharashtra – Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar – are Marathas.
Over the past week, the electronic media coverage of Maharashtra has been hovering around just two topics. Firstly, the agitation launched by Manoj Jarange Patil to press the demand for granting reservations to his caste is the hottest issue. Secondly, a meeting between two Thackerays – Uddhav and Raj – has dominated the TV bulletins. The impact of the Trump Tariff, the footage of devastating floods, the destruction caused by incessant rains to the crops and all such subjects have been pushed to the backburner. Jarange monopolised the TV time in connection with his agitation, which is recurring many times over. Last year, too, he had come to Mumbai and went back after getting assurances from the government. Over the three years, he has done eight fasts unto death. As far as the Thackeray cousins are concerned, their second meet, which took place at Raj’s Shivaji Park residence, was constantly in the news, before, during and after. Pressing issues like the pitiable condition of roads, internal and highways, received scant coverage. Those active on Social Media have lambasted the TV Marathi channels for this situation. They have expressed chagrin since the matters concerning the nation have been ignored by the electronic media houses. The honchos administering the media have pleaded that it is their duty to reflect what is going on in the state so that public education is done. However, this defence has few takers.
As Bengal gears up for the 2026 Assembly elections, Nandigram has once again returned to the political spotlight. The constituency, which staged the dramatic face-off between Mamata Banerjee and Suvendu Adhikari in the last polls, is already buzzing with speculation and strategy. The controversy from the previous election still lingers. Trinamool Congress (TMC) had accused the BJP of manipulating votes through orchestrated power cuts, and the case continues in court. Yet, long before a verdict, the battlefield is being readied for the next round. The central question remains whether Mamata Banerjee would contest from Nandigram in 2026 or not. The BJP seems convinced. Pralay Pal, Tamluk district vice-president, declared on social media that “confidential sources” and a “secret report” by TMC’s National General Secretary and Mamata’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee, confirm the West Bengal chief minister’s candidature from Nandigram in 2026. He went further, asserting that the BJP would repeat its victory. The TMC camp, however, is striking back with confidence. However, Bappaditya Garg, president of Nandigram Block 1 TMC, dismissed the BJP’s claims and stressed that the party’s candidate would be revealed in due course. Yet, he was emphatic on one point: Suvendu Adhikari will not fight from Nandigram again. Garg buttressed his claim with electoral data—TMC’s win in Adhikari’s own booth at Nandanayekbari during the cooperative polls, a 412-vote lead in his locality in the Lok Sabha election, and a 2,500-vote lead from Panchayat Samiti voters in the same.
Sunil Gavaskar was known as a man of “centuries” — with the willow in hands and dispersing the most fearsome fast bowlers of his time. There are a number of centuries to his credit; but a day after his statue was unveiled outside the Mumbai Cricket Association’s brand new Sharad Pawar Cricket Museum that’s located in between the Cricket Centre where the BCCI is a tenant and the Garware Club House, India’s all-time best batting maestro, must have created another century of sorts at his party, humbly shaking hands with over hundred people, all teammates of his school, college, Dadar Union Club, Mumbai and India teams, other teams and of course his dear friends from different walks of life. It’s a much-awaited SMG annual get-together, nay a convivial party with a strict “no no” to speeches, with the little giant of a man playing a perfect host. This time around he remembered teammates and friends who were full of beans in the previous year dos, but had sadly made their departure to the Elysian Fields. Milind Rege, Padmakar Shivalkar, Dileep Doshi, Vijay ‘Papa’ Karkhanis , Anshuman Gaekwad, Ehsan Hakim and Abdul Ismail’s names were displayed on miniature bat at the Boundary Hall of the MCA Recreation Centre. Only recently the Gavaskars had celebrated the centenary birth anniversary of their mother and soon after, the MCA inaugurated his life size statue that prompted Amul to announce to the world that “Sunny dais are here again.” A famous name in the sporting world, Gavaskar has been part of the cricketing canvas and folklore for around six decades!
At an interactive session marking Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s centenary celebrations in Delhi, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat made it clear that there weren’t any differences between the Sangh and BJP. Responding to a bunch of pre-submitted questions at Vigyan Bhawan, he made it clear that while there may be “struggle” between the two organisations, “there is no quarrel”. “There can be matbhed (difference of opinion) here, but no manbhed (heart-to-heart disagreement). We need to move forward in one direction, and not different ones,” he asserted. He added that the goals of the two organisations are the same. A big takeaway from Bhagwat’s interaction was that he clarified on his idea of retiring at 75 years of age, which was widely seen as a reference to PM Modi. Even as the event coordinator read out a question that said, in as many words, that his statement “was seen as a reference to PM Modi — he will turn 75 next month. Bhagwat, who is a week older than Modi, clarified that “I never said I will or someone else should retire. At the Sangh function in Nagpur, I was merely quoting a witticism by Moropant ji (senior Sangh leader Moreshwar Nilkanth Pingle aka ‘Moropant’) about how when someone gives you a ceremonial shawl at 75, you should think of retirement.” So, this is not for the retirement of anybody or myself he said. Another highlight was Bhagwat making it clear that Sangh doesn’t get to choose who will be next BJP president…if the RSS indeed had a say it would probably not have taken so long. In the same breath Bhagwat added that political leaders must have space to act independently.
Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin is currently the man for all reasons of political strategy …dumping an invitation for an Ayyappa event in Kerala, he winged his way to Bihar on August 27, to participate in Rahul Gandhi led Voter Rights Yatra to protest against the sudden deletion of 65 lakh “fake” voters from Bihar electorate. Stalin’s party heavyweights wondered about this trip, even as Stalin was scheduled to visit London and Germany on August 30. Meanwhile, despite his huge show of power, actor Vijay knows that a nascent party like TVK at best can divert votes, what he really needs is a sinewy party to really break the incumbent. And his Chanakyas, Aadav Arjun and John Arogyasami have marketed a Congress alliance like the Holy Grail. Vijay has already sought an appointment with Rahul Gandhi, a play that Rahul is said to have nimbly avoided being lured by the sound and fury of a cinematic organisation. Surely, Rahul and his party are well aware of the 360-degree strategic strength of the DMK. Why rock the boat when this Opposition alliance has gained respectable traction? But the Judas in every party will try their to open trap doors or pull up drawbridges . Established leaders like Thirunavukkarasu, Manikam Tagore, Selvakumar are enticing the party with claims that aligning with Vijay will fetch them 60 to 70 seats, and TVK will share power with Congress.
Naveen Patnaik headed Biju Janata Dal (BJD) is in a sticky situation. Being the principal opposition party in Odisha, all eyes are on BJD’s position vis a vis Vice-President election on September 9. The Congress is rooting for INDIA Bloc candidate B Sudershan Reddy. The question is who will BJD Supremo Patnaik support? NDA or INDIA Bloc… Once upon a time it would have been NDA because of his close proximity and respect for PM Modi. It was mutual. But post 2024 polls where BJP turfed out BJD, the scenario has changed. Political observers say BJD’s decision has consequences over V-P poll. Should he go with the INDIA Bloc then he is openly challenging PM Modi. That does not augur well for a party whose future is hanging in balance because of succession issue. His man Friday VK Pandian who went under the radar for more than a year is now openly seen with Patnaik. He was holding his mentor’s hand and leading him out of the hospital. An speculations are rife that Pandian could well take over the reins of the party. What goes against him, he is an outsider –Tamilian from Tamil Nadu. If Naveen goes by Pandian’s advise chances are BJD will back NDA candidate. In the end the options before Patnaik is: One, abstain from voting , two, side with Congress instead, three, go for conscience voting like last time which divided BJD party members, four , support NDA’s choice.
Karnataka government’s decision to invite Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate Mysuru Dussehra festivities was censured after a video went viral in which she was seen criticising the worship of the Kannada language in the form of Goddess Bhuvaneshwari. At the 2023 Jana Sahitya Sammelana, Banu Mushtaq had said the appropriation of Kannada as Goddess Bhuvaneshwari draped in yellow and red, the colours of turmeric and vermilion, was “exclusionary” to people like her (minorities). BJP state president BY Vijayendra asked Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate the Mysuru Dussehra only after accepting the Sanatana culture and rituals. “The Sanatana Dharma includes idol worship and offering prayers to the deity. Do you agree with that?” He also took exception to Siddaramaiah’s decision to invite only Banu Mushtaq and ignore translator Deepa Basthi. Hindutva proponents asked how Banu Mushtaq agreed to “bow down before Chamundeshwari’s grandeur when “she cannot tolerate Kannada Bhuvaneshwari”. BJP MP Tejasvi Surya claimed that there was a bigger “game plan” behind having Banu Mushtaq. He felt these were not isolated moves… “The so-called Anti-Communal Task Force, the Hate Speech Bill, the Rohith Vemula Bill pushed at Rahul Gandhi’s insistence on the dubious Dharmasthala SIT, and now the Congress government’s decision to invite Banu Mushtaq…are part of a single, well-orchestrated game plan scripted by urban naxals and Marxists, executed with the full enthusiasm of Siddaramaiah government.” On her part, Banu Mushtaq made course corrections. She termed Dussehra a state festival and said referring to Mother Chamundeshwari with love and affection is a part of our culture. “That’s why it is dear to me as well. People call her Mother Chamundeshwari. I respect the people’s sentiment.”
Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin has decided to skip the ‘Global Ayyappa Sangamam’ being organised by the Travancore Devaswom Board at Pampa in Kerala as part of its 75th anniversary on September 20. Oddly, he has cited “prior commitments” in his letter to his Kerala counterpart Pinarayi Vijayan, and has deputed two state ministers to participate. The political buzz is that Stalin most likely excused himself from the event because of the pressure exerted by the BJP. The invitation from Kerala CM had kicked up a political row with the BJP criticising the invitation extended to Stalin. TN BJP president Nainar Nagenthran, in his post on X, wrote that deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin, minister TRB Rajaa, former Minister K Ponmudy and DMK treasurer TR Baalu had made “disgraceful remarks” against Hindus. Nagenthran had said if Stalin intends to attend the event, as a first step, he should make the above DMK leaders apologise for their remarks. Besides, Kerala BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar strongly objected to Stalin’s participation. He demanded that both chief ministers apologise to Hindus “Pinarayi, Stalin and his Deputy Chief Minister son Udhayanidhi Stalin have hurt the sentiments of the Hindus and are trying to sabotage Hindu beliefs. Pinarayi government jailed many Ayyappa devotees and unleashed brutal police attacks against devotees who tried to protect the belief on restriction on women’s entry to Sabarima Ayyappa temple,” Chandrasekhar said in a statement. It is most likely in this backdrop that Stalin has chosen to skip visiting Kerala.
Can Opposition leaders like Trinamool Congress Supremo Mamata Banerjee or Congress CM Siddaramaiah or AAP CM Bhagwant Mann shun a high-level panel being set up by the Centre to prepare for the centennial birth anniversary of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee? Just because they are politically opposed to PM Modi. Of course, not. The Ministry of Culture has notified three high-level committees for the commemoration of 150th birth anniversaries of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Birsa Munda, and the centennial birth anniversary of Vajpayee. PM Modi will chair each committee which as members have several CMs as well as union ministers. The committee for Sardar Patel will have 124 members is top heavy panel and includes former Presidents Pratibha Patil, Ramnath Kovind, Rajya Sabha deputy chairman Harivansh Singh, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and has 21 CMs, including Opposition CMs Siddaramaiah, Omar Abdullah, Sikhvinder Singh Sukkhu, MK Stalin and Revanth Reddy. The committee also has Patel’s family members Nandini and Diribhai Patel. The committee on Birsa Munda has 118 members, including President Patil and President Kovind, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, several cabinet ministers and 20 Governors and L-Gs. The committee also has over 20 CMs, including Opposition CMs Hemant Soren, Pinarayi Vijayan and Revanth Reddy, besides Naidu and Advani. The Committee on Vajpayee has 124 members, and in addition to the former Presidents and Cabinet ministers, Advani and Naidu, 19 Governors and L-Gs and 17 CMs including Mamata Banerjee and Bhagwant Mann, besides Soren and Siddaramaiah. This committee also has as members Ranjan Gogoi, spiritual guru Ravi Shankar, Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, Ram Madhav, Suresh Prabhu, Kapil Dev, Azim Premji as well as Advani’s daughter Pratibha Advani.
“The best brains of the nation may be found on the last benches of the classroom”. This was former President of India, Dr A P J Abdul Kalam’s take on students dubbed as backbenchers for lagging behind in academic and co-curricular activities. Kerala, which has made advanced strides in the education and health sector, however has a different take on the backbencher concept. General Education Minister, V Sivankutty has pointed out that being branded a ‘backbencher’ could impact a student’s confidence level. The state government is considering a proposal to change the seating arrangement in classrooms from the conventional row system to U-shaped model. A committee of experts is being constituted to suggest the best seating pattern for the state’s education system. Interestingly, the Minister has derived his inspiration from a Malayalam movie Sthanarthi Sreekuttan in which a school student proposes a change in the conventional seating pattern after being humiliated for being a backbencher. A section of academics has welcomed the proposal as it would enable the teacher to give equal attention to all students. According to J Prasad, former director of the State Council for Educational Research and Training, the semi-circular seating arrangement has been informally implemented in schools where classrooms have been built according to latest infrastructure standards. The general take is that such seating arrangements will ensure that teachers have direct eye contact, proximity towards students and two-way engagement, making the classroom sessions more vibrant. However, there is a contrarian view too. Some academicians are asking how superficial changes to classroom seating could improve the teaching-learning process? There is no scientific study to establish the efficacy of a semi-circular seating arrangement, says Prof Amruth G Kumar, Department of Education, Central University of Kerala.
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Editor’s Note: Short Post Noticed By People Who Matter
Four years have zipped by and we are crossing another milestone on 31st January 2025 – it’s our 4th Anniversary. It feels good.
Looking back at the 1460 days, I must say Short Post has made its mark with people who matter via 4000 stories published in the areas of politics, business, entertainment and sports. All made possible by the unflinching commitment and dedication of our senior editors, most of whom have been part of this journey from Day One.
Small pack, big impact is in essence the story of Short Post which was launched at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021. It shows our conviction. In all humility, I can say, we have created a new niche in the news segment space like Hindustan Unilever which created a new segment, when it launched CloseUp Gel.
Yes, we have created a brand (in a limited sense), created demand (readers) and created supply (senior journalists). But we are facing teething problems like all start-ups. What makes us happy and confident is the recognition of our efforts. For instance, we have an arrangement with the OPEN Magazine, part of the $4.5 billion Kolkata-based Sanjiv Goenka-RPG Group. This arrangement sees around 10 Short Post stories posted on OPEN Magazine website every week. This arrangement is testimony that our content has been well received! Also, I may add that the Maharashtra government has recognised Short Post and has allowed our senior editor to cover the Assembly sessions. Ditto: Odisha.
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