Mumbai Apr 25 PTI The BJP on Monday boycotted the all-party meeting called by the Maharashtra home department to discuss directives on the use of loudspeakers at religious places and sought to know whether state Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil has any authority to take a decision on it Talking to reporters Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Devendra Fadnavis said his partys stand is very clear on the issue - that directions given by courts in the matter should be followed strictly Earlier we would be awake the entire Navratra play garba play bhajans Be it Ganesh Chaturthi there would be events till mid-night The moment the Supreme Court barred the use of loudspeakers from 10 pm we strictly followed it We only use it on 15 days on which relaxation is allowed Fadnavis said The Supreme Courts order must be followed the former state chief minister said On the reason behind not attending the all-party meeting Fadnavis referred to the clash between Shiv Sena activists and states independent lawmakers - MLA Ravi Rana and his MP wife Navneet Rana - on Saturday The Rana couple had earlier given the call for reciting Hanuman Chalisa outside Chief Minister Uddhav Thackerays private residence Matoshree in suburban Bandra After the Shiv Sainiks protested outside the residence of Ranas here over it former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya had alleged that he was attacked and his car vandalised on Saturday when he went to Khar police station where the Rana couple was taken The Ranas were later arrested and charged with sedition Whatever is happening in Mumbai is at the behest of the chief minister Fadnavis claimed What will the home minister do if there is no chief minister present at the all-party meeting the BJP leader asked If you want to use the ways of Hitler we will prefer struggle over dialogue This has become our mindset so we have decided to boycott the meeting If our leaders and activists are being attacked in front of people and even then we have to struggle to file an FIR then what is the use of attending such meetings the BJP leader said Meanwhile after the all-party meeting Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil said there is no provision for the state government to either install or remove loudspeakers PTI PR GK GK

Mumbai Mar 30 PTI Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposing to move the multi-billion dollar refinery project planned in Ratnagiri to another site in the coastal district a senior official in the CMs office said on Wednesday The project was earlier proposed to be built at Nanar in Ratnagiri district but has got stalled due to opposition from local organisations and the ruling Shiv Sena in the state The CM wrote a letter to the prime minister in January regarding shifting of the refinery project to another site the official said The nearly USD 60 billion project is to be jointly constructed by Saudi Aramco and the UAEs Abu Dhabi National Oil Company ADNOC A nuclear power plant of over 9000 MW is also scheduled to come up at Jaitapur in Ratnagiri On Tuesday during his visit to Ratnagiri state Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray had said the refinery project planned in the Konkan region will come up only after locals are consulted and their consent is obtained Speaking to people in Ratnagiri he had also said the project will not be built at Nanar its original proposed site The Shiv Sena headed by CM Uddhav Thackeray has been opposed to the refinery project in Ratnagiri district on the ground that locals are against it Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan had reportedly stated on Sunday that there was hope of revival of the project as the Maharashtra government seemed to be changing its mind about it PTI PR GK GK

Mumbai Dec 29 PTI Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Wednesday expressed concern over the rise in the number of fresh as well as active COVID-19 cases in the state and termed it as an alarming situation Talking to reporters here Tope urged people and authorities to exercise caution He said in the last 8-10 days the active cases in the state stood in the range of 5000-6000 On Tuesday the state had 11492 active cases On Wednesday the number of active cases could rise over 20000 he said The rise in active cases in the state is alarming the minister said He also expressed concern over the fast doubling rate of cases in the state and the rising number of infections in Mumbai On Tuesday Maharashtra reported 2172 fresh coronavirus cases up by 50 per cent from 1426 infections recorded a day before and 22 new deaths the health department earlier said With these additions the states COVID-19 tally rose to 6661486 while the death toll increased to 141476 it said PTI PR GK GK