'Pakistan would not have existed if Savarkar was PM'

Agencies
September 18, 2019

Mumbai, Sept 18: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday said Pakistan would not have come into existence had Hindutva ideologue Veer Savarkar been the country's Prime Minister at the time, and demanded that he be awarded Bharat Ratna.

Thackeray was speaking at the launch of a biography titled "Savarkar: Echoes From A Forgotten Past".

"Savarkar must be awarded the Bharat Ratna. We don't deny the work done by (Mahatma) Gandhi and (first PM Jawaharlal) Nehru, but the country saw more than two families being born on the political scene," Thackeray said.

"I'd have called Nehru as Veer (brave) if he had survived jail for 14 minutes against Savarkar who stayed in prison for 14 long years," Thackeray added.

Taking a swipe at Rahul Gandhi, who has in the past taken jibes at Hindutva icons including Savarkar, Thackeray said the former Congress chief should be given a copy of the book.

Thackeray told the author of the book, Vikram Sampath, that he would buy copies and ensure that every school and college in the state stocks it in libraries, adding it should be compulsory reading for MPs and MLAs too.

Sampath said Savarkar's story deserves to be "written, heard and read", claiming the latter's life was an "addiction" for him ever since a controversy erupted in 2003-04 over the removal of a plaque at Andaman's Cellular Jail.

He said Savarkar's name gets dragged into heated political debates often, from Rahul Gandhi's "defamatory" remarks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi paying homage to the freedom fighter at Cellular Jail.

Incidents like dropping off the honorific prefix "Veer" from his name, as was done in textbooks in Rajasthan, to opinions on his mercy petitions to the British, all show great interest in the man, Sampath said.

Speaking on his book, Sampath said it is the first of two volumes and covers the period between 1883 to 1924, from Savarkar's birth at Bhagur in Nashik district to his days as a firebrand student leader in Pune's Fergusson College, as well as his fight for freedom that ended in a life sentence in the infamous Cellular Jail.

Savarkar was conditionally released from jail in 1924.

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News Network
December 19,2025

Mangaluru: The Mangaluru CEN police have arrested a 23-year-old man for allegedly posting provocative and misleading content on an Instagram page named “mr_a_titude”, targeting the Bajpe police.

Mangaluru Commissioner of Police Sudheer Kumar Reddy C H identified the arrested as Abhishek M, a resident of Katipalla in Mangaluru.

A case has been registered at the Bajpe Police Station under Sections 353(1)(c), 353(2), 56, and 57 read with Section 189 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in connection with the post.

According to police, the accused uploaded a photograph of a hotel on the Instagram page and alleged that accused persons in a murder case under the Bajpe police jurisdiction were being given “royal treatment” by the police, including being served beef meals daily from the hotel.

The post further accused the police of supporting criminals, misusing their authority, and betraying public trust. Police said the content was provocative in nature and aimed at inciting public outrage against the police.

Following the post, a case was registered at the Bajpe police station, and further investigation was transferred to the CEN police station.

Police records indicate that the accused has a criminal history, with multiple cases registered against him, including murder, attempt to murder, assault, and robbery at the Surathkal Police Station, and one case at the Kaup Police Station.

The Commissioner said the accused was traced and arrested using technical evidence.

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News Network
December 22,2025

saudisnow.jpg

Saudi Arabia has witnessed rare snowfall in several parts of the country, including the northern regions, where such an event has been reported for the first time in 30 years, leaving residents in awe. 

The white blanket of snow covered vast desert areas, from the Tuwaiq mountain range in the west to regions near Riyadh. The rare event has sparked excitement and disbelief among residents, who have shared videos and photos of the Gulf nation blanketed in white.

A video shared on X captured an unusual scene: a group of camels standing in a desert area covered in snow, with dark clouds looming overhead.

Snowfall transformed parts of the country into an unexpected winter playground. Another video showed adults enjoying the snow by skiing, celebrating, and capturing a scene rarely seen in the Kingdom.

Local TV channels have described the snowfall as historic, while many residents have expressed concerns over the cold conditions and icy roads. The National Meteorology Center (NCM) had earlier warned of a sharp drop in temperatures and urged the public to take safety precautions.

Additionally, the Trojena Highlands and parts of the Tabuk region experienced unusually low temperatures due to snow last week. Jabal Al-Lawz in Tabuk reported heavy snowfall on Wednesday, accompanied by thick fog and strong winds, according to the Saudi Gazette.

The NCM has forecast a high chance of snow in the Qassim region and northern parts of Riyadh on Thursday, as an intense weather system continues to affect large areas of the kingdom. Authorities have cautioned the public to exercise extreme care during the severe weather.

While snow in Saudi Arabia is rare, it is not unprecedented. Last February, the Trojena Mountains saw snowfall and sub-zero temperatures, and parts of Al-Jawf reportedly experienced snow for the first time.

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December 22,2025

bhagavat.jpg

Kolkata: Stressing that India is a "Hindu nation," Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday said that no constitutional approval is needed as it is the "truth".

Addressing an event marking 100 years of the RSS, Bhagwat said that India is, and will remain, a Hindu nation until Indian culture is appreciated in the country.

"The Sun rises in the east; we don't know since when this has been happening. So, do we need constitutional approval for that, too? Hindustan is a Hindu nation. Whoever considers India their motherland appreciates Indian culture, as long as there is even one person alive on the land of Hindustan who believes in and cherishes the glory of Indian ancestors, India is a Hindu nation. This is the ideology of the Sangh," he said at the '100 Vyakhyan Mala' program of RSS in Kolkata.

"If Parliament ever decides to amend the Constitution and add that word, whether they do it or not, it's fine. We don't care about that word because we are Hindus, and our nation is a Hindu nation. That is the truth. The caste system based on birth is not the hallmark of Hindutva," he added.

RSS has always argued that India is a "Hindu Nation," given the culture and majority's affiliations to Hinduism. However, 'secular' was not originally part of the Preamble of the Constitution, but it was added along with the word 'socialist' by the Constitution (42nd Amendment) Act, 1976, during the Emergency imposed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

Bhagwat also urged people to visit the organisation's offices and 'shakhas' to understand its work, so that what he dubbed as the “false perception” of the organisation as anti-Muslim can be dispelled!

Bhagwat said that people have understood that the organisation advocates for the protection of Hindus, and are "staunch nationalists," but not anti-muslim.

"If there is a perception that we are anti-Muslim, then, as I said, the RSS work is transparent. You can come anytime and see for yourself, and if you see anything like that happening, then you keep your views, and if you don't see it, then you change your views. There is a lot to understand (about RSS), but if you don't want to understand, then no one can change your mind," Bhagwat said.

He said, but anyone unwilling to learn cannot be helped.

"After seeing, people have said that you are staunch nationalists. You organise Hindus, and you advocate for the protection of Hindus. But you are not anti-Muslim. Many people have accepted this, and those who want to know more should come and see the RSS for themselves," he said.

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