June 30, 2026

NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday took a sharp jibe at the Congress over the alleged Ram Temple donation embezzlement row, saying that “those who used to shoot bullets at Ram bhakts are talking about devotion towards Lord Ram.”Addressing a public gathering in Uttar Pradesh’s Rampur, Adityanath accused the Congress of refusing to believe in Lord Ram and Lord Krishna before 2017.”Those who used to lathicharge people for chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’ are advocating for ‘Ram Bhakti’ today. Those who used to shoot bullets at Ram bhakts are talking about devotion towards Lord Ram today,” Adityanath said.”Those who used to shoot bullets at Ram bhakts are talking about devotion towards Lord Ram today. Congress, which had refused to believe in Lord Ram and Lord Krishna before 2017, is eager to visit Ayodhya today. Lord Ram knows who is right and who is wrong. They are upset over how Ayodhya and Kashi Vishwanath have become so beautiful. Now that they are not able to do anything, they are leaning on lies,” he added.His remarks came hours after the Congress alleged that several of its leaders had been put under house arrest after the party announced that a delegation would visit Ayodhya on Tuesday amid the donation embezzlement row.UP Congress chief Ajay Rai targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party, claiming that the BJP government “got scared” and had him detained to prevent the delegation from visiting Ayodhya.”The BJP government’s authoritarianism has reached its peak! A delegation of the Uttar Pradesh Congress was scheduled to visit Ayodhya on June 30 to offer prayers to Lord Ram,” Rai said.Meanwhile, the UP Congress also claimed that its Pratapgarh district president, Neeraj Tripathi, had been placed under house arrest by the police without any clear reason.”Has it now become a crime in UP to even have darshan of Lord Shri Ram? Yesterday, that is, on June 30, a programme was proposed for the Congress delegation, under the leadership of State President Shri Ajay Rai ji, to visit Ayodhya and have darshan and worship of Lord Shri Ram. But the BJP government, scared of this journey, has started cowardly actions!” the party said in a post on X.Amid the Ram Temple donation embezzlement row, a high-level Congress delegation led by Rai was scheduled to visit Ayodhya on Tuesday.The delegation included Amethi MP Kishori Lal Sharma, Rakesh Rathor, Ujjwal Raman Singh and Tanuj Punia, according to a statement issued by the Congress.The Congress had also informed the local administration about the proposed visit.On Monday, a special court in Ayodhya remanded all eight accused arrested in the alleged Ram Temple donation theft case to 14 days of judicial custody after the investigating agency chose not to seek their custodial remand.The development came as the police continued to gather documentary, financial and witness evidence.The accused are Ramshankar Yadav alias Tinnu Yadav, Anukalp Mishra, Avinash Shukla, Karunesh Pandey, Manish Yadav, Lavkush Mishra, Ramashankar Mishra and Subhash Srivastava.Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.About the AuthorTOI News DeskThe TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. The TOI News Desk is your trusted source for staying informed and connected to the ever-evolving global landscape, ensuring that our readers are equipped with the latest developments that matter most.”Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosDelhi’s Biggest EV Policy Yet! 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Vamsikrishna03 mins mins
NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday took a sharp jibe at the Congress over the alleged Ram Temple donation embezzlement row, saying that “those who used to shoot bullets at Ram bhakts are talking about devotion towards Lord Ram.”Addressing a public gathering in Uttar Pradesh’s Rampur, Adityanath accused the Congress of refusing to believe in Lord Ram and Lord Krishna before 2017.”Those who used to lathicharge people for chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’ are advocating for ‘Ram Bhakti’ today. Those who used to shoot bullets at Ram bhakts are talking about devotion towards Lord Ram today,” Adityanath said.”Those who used to shoot bullets at Ram bhakts are talking about devotion towards Lord Ram today. Congress, which had refused to believe in Lord Ram and Lord Krishna before 2017, is eager to visit Ayodhya today. Lord Ram knows who is right and who is wrong. They are upset over how Ayodhya and Kashi Vishwanath have become so beautiful. Now that they are not able to do anything, they are leaning on lies,” he added.His remarks came hours after the Congress alleged that several of its leaders had been put under house arrest after the party announced that a delegation would visit Ayodhya on Tuesday amid the donation embezzlement row.UP Congress chief Ajay Rai targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party, claiming that the BJP government “got scared” and had him detained to prevent the delegation from visiting Ayodhya.”The BJP government’s authoritarianism has reached its peak! A delegation of the Uttar Pradesh Congress was scheduled to visit Ayodhya on June 30 to offer prayers to Lord Ram,” Rai said.Meanwhile, the UP Congress also claimed that its Pratapgarh district president, Neeraj Tripathi, had been placed under house arrest by the police without any clear reason.”Has it now become a crime in UP to even have darshan of Lord Shri Ram? Yesterday, that is, on June 30, a programme was proposed for the Congress delegation, under the leadership of State President Shri Ajay Rai ji, to visit Ayodhya and have darshan and worship of Lord Shri Ram. But the BJP government, scared of this journey, has started cowardly actions!” the party said in a post on X.Amid the Ram Temple donation embezzlement row, a high-level Congress delegation led by Rai was scheduled to visit Ayodhya on Tuesday.The delegation included Amethi MP Kishori Lal Sharma, Rakesh Rathor, Ujjwal Raman Singh and Tanuj Punia, according to a statement issued by the Congress.The Congress had also informed the local administration about the proposed visit.On Monday, a special court in Ayodhya remanded all eight accused arrested in the alleged Ram Temple donation theft case to 14 days of judicial custody after the investigating agency chose not to seek their custodial remand.The development came as the police continued to gather documentary, financial and witness evidence.The accused are Ramshankar Yadav alias Tinnu Yadav, Anukalp Mishra, Avinash Shukla, Karunesh Pandey, Manish Yadav, Lavkush Mishra, Ramashankar Mishra and Subhash Srivastava.Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.About the AuthorTOI News DeskThe TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. The TOI News Desk is your trusted source for staying informed and connected to the ever-evolving global landscape, ensuring that our readers are equipped with the latest developments that matter most.”Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosDelhi’s Biggest EV Policy Yet! 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Experts Sound AlarmSarla Bhat Murder Case: SIA Files 737-Page Chargesheet, Yasin Malik Named Main AccusedWhat West Bengal’s New Public Safety and Anti-Goonda Bill Means and Why It Is ControversialSonam Wangchuk Begins Indefinite Fast, Urges Nation To Join Education Reform Movement123PhotostoriesForget Paneer and Besan: Try these 11 unusual Indian sweets made with vegetablesPsychology says loving fresh bedsheets isn’t just about hygiene; it may be your mind’s way of finding calm and control5 topical minoxidil alternatives to increase hair growthInside Gauahar Khan’s luxurious Rs 15 crore duplex house: Royal interiors, grand staircase and cosy cornersLord Karuppa Swamy’s red chillies offering to Pothuraju’s turmeric abhishekam: 5 South Indian folk deities that are worshipped with unique objectsLove quote of the day by Emraan Hashmi: ‘It’s a relation of trust’4 Zodiac Signs That Leave a Lasting Impression8 foods you should never leave outside during monsoonPsychology says parents who do these 7 things often teach children to hide their feelings9 traditional regional dishes and the Indian trains on which one can enjoy them123Hot PicksKarnataka SIRJohn CenaSergio GorWWE Summerslam PredictionsiPhone 18 Pro data leakNoida schools timingSachin AhirDK ShivakumarAP EAPCET Result 2026Top TrendingDelhi EV Vehicle Policy 2026Bengal Refinery FireSonam RaghuvanshiFIFA World Cup 2026CBSE Three language GuidelinesBengaluru TechieAnukalp MishraSergei IvanovMK StalinJosh Hokit


Congress delegation Ayodhya visit row: Yogi Adityanath slams party, says it is 'leaning on lies'

NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday took a sharp jibe at the Congress over the alleged Ram Temple donation embezzlement row, saying that “those who used to shoot bullets at Ram bhakts are talking about devotion towards Lord Ram.“Addressing a public gathering in Uttar Pradesh’s Rampur, Adityanath accused the Congress of refusing to believe in Lord Ram and Lord Krishna before 2017.“Those who used to lathicharge people for chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’ are advocating for ‘Ram Bhakti’ today. Those who used to shoot bullets at Ram bhakts are talking about devotion towards Lord Ram today,” Adityanath said.“Those who used to shoot bullets at Ram bhakts are talking about devotion towards Lord Ram today. Congress, which had refused to believe in Lord Ram and Lord Krishna before 2017, is eager to visit Ayodhya today. Lord Ram knows who is right and who is wrong. They are upset over how Ayodhya and Kashi Vishwanath have become so beautiful. Now that they are not able to do anything, they are leaning on lies,” he added.His remarks came hours after the Congress alleged that several of its leaders had been put under house arrest after the party announced that a delegation would visit Ayodhya on Tuesday amid the donation embezzlement row.UP Congress chief Ajay Rai targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party, claiming that the BJP government “got scared” and had him detained to prevent the delegation from visiting Ayodhya.“The BJP government’s authoritarianism has reached its peak! A delegation of the Uttar Pradesh Congress was scheduled to visit Ayodhya on June 30 to offer prayers to Lord Ram,” Rai said.Meanwhile, the UP Congress also claimed that its Pratapgarh district president, Neeraj Tripathi, had been placed under house arrest by the police without any clear reason.“Has it now become a crime in UP to even have darshan of Lord Shri Ram? Yesterday, that is, on June 30, a programme was proposed for the Congress delegation, under the leadership of State President Shri Ajay Rai ji, to visit Ayodhya and have darshan and worship of Lord Shri Ram. But the BJP government, scared of this journey, has started cowardly actions!” the party said in a post on X.Amid the Ram Temple donation embezzlement row, a high-level Congress delegation led by Rai was scheduled to visit Ayodhya on Tuesday.The delegation included Amethi MP Kishori Lal Sharma, Rakesh Rathor, Ujjwal Raman Singh and Tanuj Punia, according to a statement issued by the Congress.The Congress had also informed the local administration about the proposed visit.On Monday, a special court in Ayodhya remanded all eight accused arrested in the alleged Ram Temple donation theft case to 14 days of judicial custody after the investigating agency chose not to seek their custodial remand.The development came as the police continued to gather documentary, financial and witness evidence.The accused are Ramshankar Yadav alias Tinnu Yadav, Anukalp Mishra, Avinash Shukla, Karunesh Pandey, Manish Yadav, Lavkush Mishra, Ramashankar Mishra and Subhash Srivastava.



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Ro Khanna accused Trump of abandoning America’s traditional global leadership and pursuing a foreign policy driven by coercion rather than values NEW DELHI: The US-India relationship is at its lowest point in three decades because of President Donald Trump’s foreign policy, Indian-American Congressman Ro Khanna said on Monday, accusing the US President of eroding trust between the two countries during an address at the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum Leadership Summit in Washington.Khanna, a Democratic Congressman from California and a presumptive 2028 presidential hopeful, said Trump’s approach towards Iran and other foreign policy decisions had damaged America’s standing globally and strained ties with India. 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Ro Khanna accused Trump of abandoning America’s traditional global leadership and pursuing a foreign policy driven by coercion rather than values NEW DELHI: The US-India relationship is at its lowest point in three decades because of President Donald Trump’s foreign policy, Indian-American Congressman Ro Khanna said on Monday, accusing the US President of eroding trust between the two countries during an address at the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum Leadership Summit in Washington.Khanna, a Democratic Congressman from California and a presumptive 2028 presidential hopeful, said Trump’s approach towards Iran and other foreign policy decisions had damaged America’s standing globally and strained ties with India. He also criticised the administration’s immigration and student visa policies, arguing that they undermined the United States’ ability to attract global talent.”The US-India relationship has been at its lowest point in the last 30 years,” Khanna said. “Trump’s policies of getting into a war with Iran have been utterly destructive. It has been utterly destructive to the prices of gas in India. Talk to (external affairs minister S) Jaishankar if you don’t believe me.”Referring to a recent visit to China, Khanna claimed an Indian diplomat had expressed concerns over the long-term impact of Trump’s policies on bilateral ties.”I was in China, and the Indian Ambassador there told me that a generation of trust has been lost by President Trump. 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Photo credit: PTI NEW DELHI: The government has proposed a national framework to standardise the sharing of electricity sector data, paving the way for easier access to information on power generation, transmission, distribution, demand and renewable energy, while putting in place safeguards for consumer privacy and critical infrastructure.The draft National Electricity Data Sharing Framework seeks to create a common system for collecting, classifying and sharing electricity-related data generated by power producers, transmission and distribution companies, load despatch centres, regulators and other agencies.Ministry of power has shared the draft framework with stakeholders for comments.While adoption of framework would be voluntary, govt has also proposed establishment of a National Electricity Data Centre and a National Electricity Data Portal to create a nationwide ecosystem for sharing electricity data.Electricity sector data is currently scattered across multiple agencies, follows different formats and definitions, and lacks a standard mechanism for access, making it difficult for policymakers, researchers and industry to use the information effectively.Framework proposes classifying shareable data into two categories: public and access-controlled. Public datasets, such as installed generation capacity, generation mix, market prices and aggregated statistics, would be available freely. Access-controlled datasets, including feeder-level operational data, detailed load flow studies and de-identified smart meter data, would be available only after registration and KYC verification.The draft makes it clear that sensitive information, such as cyber defence protocols, real-time strategic telemetry, transmission vulnerabilities and power exchange bid data before market clearing, will remain outside its scope.To protect consumer privacy, framework requires personally identifiable information to be anonymised or de-identified before being shared. It recommends techniques such as anonymisation, aggregation, pseudonymisation and tokenisation, in line with Digital Personal Data Protection Act.Each utility adopting the framework may appoint a data governance officer to oversee data classification, process requests, ensure data quality and handle grievances. Public datasets are proposed to be available free for viewing, although utilities may charge for bulk downloads or commercial API access. Academic institutions may receive concessional or free access, while govt agencies would not be charged.Framework also envisages wider use of APIs and secure data environments to enable data sharing without requiring datasets to be downloaded. It says data issuers may provide preferential access to Indian AI developers and startups through such secure platforms.The draft says Central Electricity Authority will prescribe common data formats to ensure uniformity across sector.Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.About the AuthorAtul MathurAtul Mathur is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Times of India with over 27 years of experience in journalism. Based in Delhi, he has spent much of his career reporting on governance, public policy and politics, churning out researched, data-driven stories that impact daily lives. Atul is known for investigative depth and strong human-interest narratives as he strives to bring clarity and context to complex issues. He currently tracks the energy sector, writing on power, renewable energy, coal and mines.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosIndia’s Oil Import Price Fell Below $70— Why Petrol & Diesel Prices Won’t Drop Yet |West Asia CrisisDelhi’s Biggest EV Policy Yet! 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The Sena’s status was elevated as it moved from managing factory unions to the lucrative BMC. Earlier this month, the Shiv Sena completed 60 years of its existence. The milestone came in the backdrop of a bitter power struggle, marked by defections and betrayals.Once run as a tightly-controlled family enterprise, the Uddhav Thackeray (UBT) faction now stares at an existential crisis. Even as it embarks on a period of soul-searching to establish itself as the rightful political heir in the minds of the collective consciousness, its future remains in choppy waters. Watch Six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs Join Shinde Camp, Uddhav Suffers Fresh Political BlowFor sixty years, the Sena wooed the art of reinvention with finesse. Governments came and went, ideologies shifted at the centre of power – and, yet, through all these transitions, the Sena made itself useful to remain relevant.Identity MattersIn 1966 Bal Thackeray (then a cartoonist with the Free Press Journal) launched the party from Shivaji Park, primarily, as an agency for the Marathi worker who found himself increasingly sidelined in jobs by the migrant Tamil labour, and the neighbouring Gujarati, and North Indian. From textile mills to engineering companies, ports, banks and government offices, the Marathi-speaking youth found himself a spectator, and not a stakeholder in the city’s commercial success and prosperity.The Shiv Sena saw this as a window, and tapped into the growing economic anxiety faced by the Marathi manoos. It accorded a local-vs-outsiders tenor to the (economic) struggle, and snatched the idea of a macro industrial conflict that was controlled by the powerful, Communist trade unions.Uddhav Thackeray (left) pay tributes at the Bal Thackeray statue in Colaba on Monday. (Right) The portrait that was unveiled at the central hall of the assemblyThe narrative was no longer about “How should workers be treated?”. Instead, the Sena managed to steer it towards “Who deserves the jobs?”. And thus it secured a loyal constituency – the working class – that led to altering the city’s political vocabulary, eventually as its shakhas disseminated the ‘local-first’ message via shakhas in working-class neighbourhoods. Electoral politics apart, the Sena managed to carve a spot through ‘friendly’ mediation, employment networks and local patronage.The ordinary worker became the Sena’s political hero.No Full Stops in Bombay And stayed so, till about the early ‘80s when the contours of Bombay changed.On January 18, 1982, approximately 250,000 workers from over 60 textile mills halted operations in solidarity, demanding better wages and higher bonus payments. The Great Bombay Textile Strike of 1982 stretched over 18 months as trade unionist Dr Datta Samant led the workers to demand the scrapping of restrictive labor laws.As Bombay stopped being a city defined by industrial labour, the Sena gradually moved away from labour politics. Over the next three decades, as winds of liberalisation blew across the country’s economy, the metropolis transformed into India’s financial capital.The Sena, too, had a new script to follow.Even though Marathi pride remained at its core, by the late 1980s, the Sena was warming up to the idea of Hindutva that was being pushed by the Bharatiya Janata Party with whom a later alliance would follow suit after the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. This partnership gave the Sena room to blend regional identity with religious nationalism, and propped up its political fortunes.The Sena’s status was elevated as it moved from managing factory unions to the lucrative Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which ranks among the richest municipal corporations in India and Asia. Control of the BMC yielded contracts, welfare, influence, and was good for optics as the shakhas micro-managed neighbourhoods and continued with their political mobilisation.One-Man ShowAt the centre of the Sena stood, or sat, rather, Bal Thackeray in his princely home, Matoshree. The cartoonist founder of the party became its emotional centre and anchorage, traversing multiple political arcs over the years. (The Sena supported Mrs Gandhi’s Emergency, supporting the Communists etc). Never anointed as CM, yet he managed to keep the Vajpayee govt on its toes at the Centre when the alliance was in power.The cartoonist founder of the party became its emotional centre and anchorage, traversing multiple political arcs over the years.From invoking Marathi pride to jobs for locals to becoming a de facto patron figure of the Hindi film industry, Thackeray senior had the rich and the powerful seek him out as the Sena became an influential urban political organisation. In the aftermath of the 1992-93 riots, the party projected itself as the uncompromising defender of Hindu interests even as critics slammed it for playing the communal card.1995 saw the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance first forming the government in Maharashtra. The symbolic renaming of Bombay as Mumbai validated the Sena’s long-standing emphasis on regional Marathi identity, a plank that would be used by it in later years.Existential CrisisFor almost three decades thereafter, the BJP and Shiv Sena stuck it out together, trying to make the union work. As the BJP started to gain prominence in the national consciousness under Narendra Modi, it became the primary custodian of Hindutva. A spectacular show at the electoral booths in 2014 gradually dented the Sena’s monopoly over the ideological space that it had once helped build.Uddhav Thackeray; Bal Thackeray; Eknath ShindeTensions surfaced, and eventually exploded after the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections. Despite contesting jointly, disagreements over the chief minister’s post led Uddhav Thackeray to sever ties with the BJP and form the Maha Vikas Aghadi government with the Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress (parties the Sena had spent decades opposing). It was perhaps the most extraordinary ideological pivot in the party’s history.After three years, the MVA experiment proved short-lived. In 2022, Eknath Shinde led a rebellion that split the party down the middle. Backed by the BJP, his faction eventually secured official recognition as the “real” Shiv Sena, including its iconic bow-and-arrow symbol. The split was more than organisational; it represented competing visions of the Sena itself.Heir & Now: Sense of PurposeFor Uddhav Thackeray, the youngest of Bal Thackeray’s sons (he is estranged from his older brother Jaidev, and his oldest brother Bindumadhab passed away in 1996), the challenge no longer lies in proving that he is the political heir of the Sena. It lies in establishing the Sena’s sense of purpose in politics.The MVA experiment, in its own way, drove a silent wedge between the party and its core vote bank. Many Sena loyalists saw it as an ideological departure from the predominant Hindutva stance that had been painstakingly established by Bal Thackeray over the years. And it is perhaps this perception that helped Eknath Shinde to present his rebellion not simply as a revolt against leadership but as a return to the party’s original convictions and roots.The MVA experiment, in its own way, drove a silent wedge between the party and its core vote bank, and gave Eknath an advantage. For the Uddhav camp, that perception has cast a long shadow.While the INDIA alliance has accorded political relevance to the UBT after the split by widening its social coalition, it has also raised an uncomfortable truth about its own history. Can the UBT permanently coexist within an alliance led by the Congress, the party against whom it had been in opposition? Can the Sena hold on to its faithful while seeking a new user base that is (perhaps) more moderate?The Road AheadThe textile mills that once dotted the Sena’s horizons have largely disappeared. Mumbai’s economy is now driven less by industrial labour and more by BFSI, tech, media and real estate. For the GenZ Marathi voters, aspirations are different.This changing social landscape presents the Sena with its greatest challenge: its original ‘sons of the soil’ politics no longer carries the same urgency in a globalised Mumbai. Hindutva is now a crowded political space in which the BJP is the overwhelmingly dominant force, and the Shiv Sena a smaller force.The Shiv Sena has spent sixty years adapting to a changing Maharashtra, and reinventing itself. For the first time, however, it is looking to craft a new narrative.Can it?Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.About the AuthorLopamudra GhatakA new-media professional who has straddled the worlds of television and digital. Has worked extensively in the Internet news space for over a decade, and has seen the rise (and fall) of Orkut, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. A news and people junkie, likes most things digital and dramatic. Is fascinated by emerging tech trends and wonders if social media is a boon or bane! Guilty pleasures include Nordic crime – books and shows – and Netflix. And an MS Dhoni fan, for life!Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosDelhi’s Biggest EV Policy Yet! 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Experts Sound AlarmSarla Bhat Murder Case: SIA Files 737-Page Chargesheet, Yasin Malik Named Main AccusedWhat West Bengal’s New Public Safety and Anti-Goonda Bill Means and Why It Is ControversialSonam Wangchuk Begins Indefinite Fast, Urges Nation To Join Education Reform Movement123PhotostoriesLove quote of the day by Emraan Hashmi: ‘It’s a relation of trust’4 Zodiac Signs That Leave a Lasting Impression8 foods you should never leave outside during monsoonPsychology says parents who do these 7 things often teach children to hide their feelings9 traditional regional dishes and the Indian trains on which one can enjoy themPsychology says people who wait for sales aren’t just saving money; they enjoy the satisfaction of making a smart purchase as much as owning the itemWhat would you do? 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The Sena’s status was elevated as it moved from managing factory unions to the lucrative BMC. Earlier this month, the Shiv Sena completed 60 years of its existence. The milestone came in the backdrop of a bitter power struggle, marked by defections and betrayals.Once run as a tightly-controlled family enterprise, the Uddhav Thackeray (UBT) faction now stares at an existential crisis. Even as it embarks on a period of soul-searching to establish itself as the rightful political heir in the minds of the collective consciousness, its future remains in choppy waters. Watch Six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs Join Shinde Camp, Uddhav Suffers Fresh Political BlowFor sixty years, the Sena wooed the art of reinvention with finesse. Governments came and went, ideologies shifted at the centre of power – and, yet, through all these transitions, the Sena made itself useful to remain relevant.Identity MattersIn 1966 Bal Thackeray (then a cartoonist with the Free Press Journal) launched the party from Shivaji Park, primarily, as an agency for the Marathi worker who found himself increasingly sidelined in jobs by the migrant Tamil labour, and the neighbouring Gujarati, and North Indian. From textile mills to engineering companies, ports, banks and government offices, the Marathi-speaking youth found himself a spectator, and not a stakeholder in the city’s commercial success and prosperity.The Shiv Sena saw this as a window, and tapped into the growing economic anxiety faced by the Marathi manoos. It accorded a local-vs-outsiders tenor to the (economic) struggle, and snatched the idea of a macro industrial conflict that was controlled by the powerful, Communist trade unions.Uddhav Thackeray (left) pay tributes at the Bal Thackeray statue in Colaba on Monday. (Right) The portrait that was unveiled at the central hall of the assemblyThe narrative was no longer about “How should workers be treated?”. Instead, the Sena managed to steer it towards “Who deserves the jobs?”. And thus it secured a loyal constituency – the working class – that led to altering the city’s political vocabulary, eventually as its shakhas disseminated the ‘local-first’ message via shakhas in working-class neighbourhoods. Electoral politics apart, the Sena managed to carve a spot through ‘friendly’ mediation, employment networks and local patronage.The ordinary worker became the Sena’s political hero.No Full Stops in Bombay And stayed so, till about the early ‘80s when the contours of Bombay changed.On January 18, 1982, approximately 250,000 workers from over 60 textile mills halted operations in solidarity, demanding better wages and higher bonus payments. The Great Bombay Textile Strike of 1982 stretched over 18 months as trade unionist Dr Datta Samant led the workers to demand the scrapping of restrictive labor laws.As Bombay stopped being a city defined by industrial labour, the Sena gradually moved away from labour politics. Over the next three decades, as winds of liberalisation blew across the country’s economy, the metropolis transformed into India’s financial capital.The Sena, too, had a new script to follow.Even though Marathi pride remained at its core, by the late 1980s, the Sena was warming up to the idea of Hindutva that was being pushed by the Bharatiya Janata Party with whom a later alliance would follow suit after the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. This partnership gave the Sena room to blend regional identity with religious nationalism, and propped up its political fortunes.The Sena’s status was elevated as it moved from managing factory unions to the lucrative Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which ranks among the richest municipal corporations in India and Asia. Control of the BMC yielded contracts, welfare, influence, and was good for optics as the shakhas micro-managed neighbourhoods and continued with their political mobilisation.One-Man ShowAt the centre of the Sena stood, or sat, rather, Bal Thackeray in his princely home, Matoshree. The cartoonist founder of the party became its emotional centre and anchorage, traversing multiple political arcs over the years. (The Sena supported Mrs Gandhi’s Emergency, supporting the Communists etc). Never anointed as CM, yet he managed to keep the Vajpayee govt on its toes at the Centre when the alliance was in power.The cartoonist founder of the party became its emotional centre and anchorage, traversing multiple political arcs over the years.From invoking Marathi pride to jobs for locals to becoming a de facto patron figure of the Hindi film industry, Thackeray senior had the rich and the powerful seek him out as the Sena became an influential urban political organisation. In the aftermath of the 1992-93 riots, the party projected itself as the uncompromising defender of Hindu interests even as critics slammed it for playing the communal card.1995 saw the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance first forming the government in Maharashtra. The symbolic renaming of Bombay as Mumbai validated the Sena’s long-standing emphasis on regional Marathi identity, a plank that would be used by it in later years.Existential CrisisFor almost three decades thereafter, the BJP and Shiv Sena stuck it out together, trying to make the union work. As the BJP started to gain prominence in the national consciousness under Narendra Modi, it became the primary custodian of Hindutva. A spectacular show at the electoral booths in 2014 gradually dented the Sena’s monopoly over the ideological space that it had once helped build.Uddhav Thackeray; Bal Thackeray; Eknath ShindeTensions surfaced, and eventually exploded after the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections. Despite contesting jointly, disagreements over the chief minister’s post led Uddhav Thackeray to sever ties with the BJP and form the Maha Vikas Aghadi government with the Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress (parties the Sena had spent decades opposing). It was perhaps the most extraordinary ideological pivot in the party’s history.After three years, the MVA experiment proved short-lived. In 2022, Eknath Shinde led a rebellion that split the party down the middle. Backed by the BJP, his faction eventually secured official recognition as the “real” Shiv Sena, including its iconic bow-and-arrow symbol. The split was more than organisational; it represented competing visions of the Sena itself.Heir & Now: Sense of PurposeFor Uddhav Thackeray, the youngest of Bal Thackeray’s sons (he is estranged from his older brother Jaidev, and his oldest brother Bindumadhab passed away in 1996), the challenge no longer lies in proving that he is the political heir of the Sena. It lies in establishing the Sena’s sense of purpose in politics.The MVA experiment, in its own way, drove a silent wedge between the party and its core vote bank. Many Sena loyalists saw it as an ideological departure from the predominant Hindutva stance that had been painstakingly established by Bal Thackeray over the years. And it is perhaps this perception that helped Eknath Shinde to present his rebellion not simply as a revolt against leadership but as a return to the party’s original convictions and roots.The MVA experiment, in its own way, drove a silent wedge between the party and its core vote bank, and gave Eknath an advantage. For the Uddhav camp, that perception has cast a long shadow.While the INDIA alliance has accorded political relevance to the UBT after the split by widening its social coalition, it has also raised an uncomfortable truth about its own history. Can the UBT permanently coexist within an alliance led by the Congress, the party against whom it had been in opposition? Can the Sena hold on to its faithful while seeking a new user base that is (perhaps) more moderate?The Road AheadThe textile mills that once dotted the Sena’s horizons have largely disappeared. Mumbai’s economy is now driven less by industrial labour and more by BFSI, tech, media and real estate. For the GenZ Marathi voters, aspirations are different.This changing social landscape presents the Sena with its greatest challenge: its original ‘sons of the soil’ politics no longer carries the same urgency in a globalised Mumbai. Hindutva is now a crowded political space in which the BJP is the overwhelmingly dominant force, and the Shiv Sena a smaller force.The Shiv Sena has spent sixty years adapting to a changing Maharashtra, and reinventing itself. For the first time, however, it is looking to craft a new narrative.Can it?Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.About the AuthorLopamudra GhatakA new-media professional who has straddled the worlds of television and digital. Has worked extensively in the Internet news space for over a decade, and has seen the rise (and fall) of Orkut, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. A news and people junkie, likes most things digital and dramatic. Is fascinated by emerging tech trends and wonders if social media is a boon or bane! Guilty pleasures include Nordic crime – books and shows – and Netflix. And an MS Dhoni fan, for life!Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosDelhi’s Biggest EV Policy Yet! No New Petrol Bikes From 2028 | ₹15,000 Crore Plan ExplainedIndia, US Close to Major Boeing Defence Deal, Says Sergio Gor; Cites $20.5 Billion Investment BoostRajya Sabha Numbers Tilt Towards NDA, Bringing Two-Thirds Majority Within Striking DistanceIndia Condemns Pakistan’s Airstrikes In Afghanistan, Calls Them Assault On Sovereignty & Peace’No Official Role, No Official Support’: India Distances Itself From India-Pakistan Track-2 DialogueUS Ambassador Says Trump’s India Visit Could Happen Soon, Confirms Quad Meeting in PhilippinesAre We Learning Nothing From Deadly Fire Accidents Across India? Experts Sound AlarmSarla Bhat Murder Case: SIA Files 737-Page Chargesheet, Yasin Malik Named Main AccusedWhat West Bengal’s New Public Safety and Anti-Goonda Bill Means and Why It Is ControversialSonam Wangchuk Begins Indefinite Fast, Urges Nation To Join Education Reform Movement123PhotostoriesLove quote of the day by Emraan Hashmi: ‘It’s a relation of trust’4 Zodiac Signs That Leave a Lasting Impression8 foods you should never leave outside during monsoonPsychology says parents who do these 7 things often teach children to hide their feelings9 traditional regional dishes and the Indian trains on which one can enjoy themPsychology says people who wait for sales aren’t just saving money; they enjoy the satisfaction of making a smart purchase as much as owning the itemWhat would you do? I realized I am nobody’s best friend anymore; 6 women share what they did nextPsychology says kids rarely remember the mistake, but they never forget these 8 parental reactions5 British-inspired decor ideas that fit beautifully into Indian homes7 small shade trees that keep your garden cool and colourful through the seasons123Hot PicksKarnataka SIRJohn CenaSergio GorWWE Summerslam PredictionsiPhone 18 Pro data leakNoida schools timingSachin AhirDK ShivakumarAP EAPCET Result 2026Top TrendingDelhi EV Vehicle Policy 2026Bengal Refinery FireSonam RaghuvanshiFIFA World Cup 2026CBSE Three language GuidelinesBengaluru TechieAnukalp MishraSergei IvanovMK StalinMumbai Local Train News

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