India News
Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray Swearing-in LIVE Updates: Sena chief takes oath, PM Modi tweets “Congratulations”

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray took oath as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra at the historic Shivaji Park in Mumbai’s Dadar. The head of the Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)-Congress alliance, Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi, Uddhav has become the first chief minister from the Thackeray family and the third from the Sena after Manohar Joshi and Narayan Rane.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the first ones to congratulate the new Maharashtra Chief Minister. “Congratulations to Uddhav Thackeray Ji on taking oath as the CM of Maharashtra. I am confident he will work diligently for the bright future of Maharashtra,” PM Modi tweeted.
Six ministers — Shiv Sena’s Eknath Shinde and Subhash Desai, NCP’s Jayant Patil and Chhaggan Bhujbal and Congress’ Balasaheb Thorat and Nitin Raut — also took oath at the grand ceremony.
Top opposition leaders attended the anti-BJP show of strength. Industrialist Mukesh Ambani, his wife Nita Ambani and son Anant were also seated on stage.
MNS chief Raj Thackeray, Uddhav Thackeray’s estranged cousin, who was invited by him personally last evening made sure he attended the ceremony.
Former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who quit three days after taking oath at a surprise ceremony on Saturday, also attended the oath.
Thackeray, 59, will hold the first cabinet meeting of the new alliance government around 8 pm.
Here are the updates:
07:08 pm: The ceremony culminated with the singing of the National Anthem.
07:02 pm: Congress’ Balasaheb Thorat and Nitin Raut sworn in as ministers.
06:57 pm: Chhaggan Bhujbal of the NCP also sworn in. He was arrested in a money-laundering case in 2016 and was in jail before the Bombay High Court granted him bail in May 2018.
06:54 pm: NCP’s Jayant Patil takes oath as minister in Uddhav’s cabinet.
06:46 pm: Shiv Sena’s Eknath Shinde and Subhash Desai also take oath as ministers at Shivaji Park.
06:44 pm: Firecrackers can be heard in the background.
06:41 pm: Uddhav Thackeray takes oath as the Chief Minister.
06:40 pm: Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar are on the stage.
06:38 pm: Former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis was seen next to the Ambani family on the stage.
06:37 pm: Top industrialist Mukesh Ambani along with wife Nita are seen on the stage with son Anant Ambani.
06:35 pm: Governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari is expected any moment now.
06:30 pm: MNS Chief and cousin Raj Thackeray has arrived.
06:25 pm: Dr Manmohan Singh, who also skipped the ceremony, in a letter to Uddhav Thackeray said: “I am very happy to know that you are taking oath as the 19th Chief Minister of Maharashtra. It is a historic event and I commend you on your visionary leadership.”
06:20 pm: Congress’ Ahmed Patel, Kapil Sibal, Prithviraj Chavan, KC Venugopal, Mallikarjun Kharge, Sushil Shinde, Ashok Chavan and Abhishek Manu Singhvi are among the Congress leaders present on the stage. NCP leader Praful Patel, DMK leader MK Stalin and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath are present too. Mamata Banerjee and Arvind Kejriwal, who were also invited, have skipped the event.
06:10 pm: Balasaheb Thorat of the Congress, who is likely to take oath along with Uddhav, has arrived at Shivaji Park.
06:07 pm: Shiv Sena’s Eknath Shinde and Sanjay Raut have reached the venue. Sources say that NCP chief Sharad Pawar is on his way. He is accompanied by his daughter Supriya Sule.
06:05 pm: Supporters and workers of all three parties have gathered at the Shivaji Park for the grand ceremony.
05:55 pm: “I will not be taking oath today. Today six leaders will be taking oath from each party,” Ajit Pawar said after a meeting with uncle and NCP chief Sharad Pawar and other party leaders.
05:50 pm: Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi in a letter to Uddhav Thackeray said: “I am glad that Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi has come together to defeat the BJP’s attempt to undermine our democracy. I regret that I am unable to be present at the function.”
05:15 pm: After swearing in ceremony, Uddhav Thackeray will hold first cabinet meeting at Sahyadri guest house at 8 pm, NCP’s Jayant Patil said.
05:05 pm: Sonia Gandhi wrote to Uddhav Thackeray saying “Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress have come together under quite extraordinary circumstances at a time when country faces unprecedented threats from BJP. I regret I’ll not be able to attend the ceremony.”
Aaditya Thackeray flew down to Delhi last evening and met several political leaders including Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to invite them to his father’s oath ceremony.
04.50 pm: NCP’s Ajit Pawar, who took oath as Devendra Fadnavis’ deputy in a dramatic, unannounced ceremony on Saturday, is set to be Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra once again after his dramatic betrayal and homecoming, sources in the party said this evening. But it isn’t happening today.
India News
Gorakhnath temple attack convict sentenced to death by NIA court
Gorakhnath temple attack convict Ahmad Murtaza Abbasi was sentenced to death, Monday, by a special anti-terror court.

Gorakhnath temple attack convict Ahmad Murtaza Abbasi was sentenced to death, Monday, by a special anti-terror court.
A report quoting Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order), Prashan Kumar, said that Abbasi was awarded the death penalty under Section 121 of the Indian Penal Code by a special NIA court for attacking security personnel stationed at Gorakhnath temple in Uttar Pradesh’s Gorakhpur in April last year.
Abbasi, a chemical engineer, was arrested following an attack with a sharp-edged weapon on Uttar Pradesh Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) personnel posted at the Gorakhnath temple.
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Police said that after interrogation, Abbasi revealed he was in cahoots with the Islamic State and had taken an oath to fight for the global terrorist group. They said that Abbasi was also providing financial aid to the terror group’s sympathizers and supporters.
Ahmad Murtaza Abbasi, a resident of Civil Lines area in UP’s Gorakhpur, is an IIT-ian with a degree in chemical engineering from IIT-Mumbai.
According to the police, Abbasi suffered from mental health issues for which he underwent treatment from several doctors and ultimately led to him separating from his wife in 2017.
On April 3 last year, Abbasi tried to force his way inside the Gorakhnath temple, when stopped, he proceeded to attack the security men deployed there with a sickle in which two constables were injured. However, he was overpowered and arrested.
The ATS investigation revealed that the Abbasi’s attack was part of a “deep conspiracy.” The UP Home Department had said the attack could be termed as a terror incident.
Mughal Garden: Opening date, timing, entry price and how to book Amrit Udyan tickets online
India News
Mughal Garden: Opening date, timing, entry price and how to book Amrit Udyan tickets online
Mughal Garden, now renamed Amrit Udyan, at Rashtrapati Bhavan is all set to open for the public from January 31. President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday graced the opening of the gardens of Rashtrapati Bhavan, Udyan Utsav 2023.

Mughal Garden, now renamed Amrit Udyan, at Rashtrapati Bhavan is all set to open for the public from January 31. President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday graced the opening of the gardens of Rashtrapati Bhavan, Udyan Utsav 2023.
Mughal Garden has been renamed to commemorate the 75 years of independence. In keeping with the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav celebration’s theme, the garden has also been given a new name, Amrit Udyan.
Amrit Udyan’s opening and closing date
Amrit Udyan opens once a year to the public. This year, it will remain open for the general public from January 31 to March 26. However, it will be closed on all Mondays and on March 1 and 2 due to G20 meetings and March 8 on the occasion of Holi.
The garden will be accessible to special groups from March 28 to March 31. Amrit Udyan will open for farmers on March 28, people with disabilities on March 29, members of the armed forces, paramilitary groups, and police on March 30, and self-organized groups of tribal women on March 31.
Entry and exit for all visitors will be from gate number 35 of the President’s Estate, close to where North Avenue meets Rashtrapati Bhavan.
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Amrit Udyan timings
People can visit Amrit Udyan during the time period between 10 am and 4 pm.
How to book Amrit Udyan tickets online?
- Go to the official website of Rashtrapati Bhavan at https://rashtrapatisachivalaya.gov.in or https://rb.nic.in/rbvisit/visit_plan.aspx.
- On the homepage, select the option that reads Mughal Garden Visit.
- Enter the required details such as name, date of visit, etc.
- After that, you are required to submit your photo ID.
- Click on the register button.
People can also buy Amrit Udyan tickets offline. Walk-in visitors have to register themselves at the facilitation counters as well as at the self-service kiosk near Gate 12 of Rashtrapati Bhavan. The visitors will have 6 slots to choose from, so it is advised to make prior bookings to avoid rushing at the gate.
The number of guests that can be reserved at once is 30. However, schools and colleges reserve a maximum of 50 at a time.
Amrit Udyan entry/ticket price
There is no fee for the booking of slots or entry to the Gardens of Rashtrapati Bhavan during Udyan Utsav. Visitors must, however, pay Rs 50 to enter Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Rashtrapati Bhavan will be open five days a week from Wednesday to Sunday and the Rashtrapati Bhavan Museum six days a week from Tuesday to Sunday. People can also witness the change of guard ceremony every Saturday, except on gazetted holidays.
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India News
Bank holidays February 2023: Banks to remain shut for 10 days, check dates here
Apart from festivals, banks will also remain shut on the second and fourth Saturdays.

Every month banks across the country remain shut due to festivals and other public and private holidays. In February 2023, both private and public banks will not function for 10 days. However, the holidays differ from state to state.
Festivals like Guru Ravidas Jayanti, Hazrat Ali Jayanti, Maha Shivaratri, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, and others will be celebrated in February which might affect the functioning of banks in several states.
Full list of bank holidays in February 2023
DATE | DAY | HOLIDAY | STATES |
5 February 2023 | Sunday | Hazrat Ali Jayanti | Uttar Pradesh |
5 February 2023 | Sunday | Guru Ravidas Jayanti | Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana & Punjab |
15 February 2023 | Wednesday | Lui-Ngai-Ni | Manipur |
18 February 2023 | Saturday | Maha Shivaratri | Several states of India |
19 February 2023 | Sunday | Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti | Maharashtra |
20 February 2023 | Monday | State Day | Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram |
21 February 2023 | Tuesday | Losar | Sikkim |
Apart from this, banks will also remain shut on the second and fourth Saturdays.
DATE | DAY | HOLIDAY | STATES |
12 February 2023 | Saturday | Second Saturday | All States |
15 February 2023 | Tuesday | Lui-Ngai-Ni | Manipur |
19 February 2023 | Sunday | Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti | Maharashtra |
25 February 2023 | Saturday | Fourth Saturday | All States |
For those unversed, the Reserve Bank of India categorises holidays into three categories-Holiday under the Negotiable Instruments Act and Real-Time Gross Settlement Holidays, Holidays under the Negotiable Instruments Act, and Banks’ Closing of Accounts.
In January 2023, banks across the country will remain shut for 14 days.
Date | Day | Holiday | State |
---|---|---|---|
January 1, 2023 | Sunday | New Year Bank Holiday & Weekend Bank Holiday | All over India |
January 2, 2023 | Monday | New Year Bank Celebration | Mizoram |
January 5, 2023 | Thursday | Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti | Haryana and Rajasthan |
January 8, 2023 | Sunday | Weekend Bank Holiday | All over India |
January 11, 2023 | Wednesday | Missionary Day | Mizoram |
January 14, 2023 | Saturday | Second Saturday Bank Holiday | All over India |
January 15, 2023 | Sunday | Weekend Bank Holiday | All over India |
January 22, 2023 | Sunday | Weekend Bank Holiday | All over India |
January 23, 2023 | Monday | Netaji Subash Chandra Bose Jayanti | Tripura and West Bangal |
January 25, 2023 | Wednesday | State Day | Himachal Pradesh |
January 26, 2023 | Thursday | Republic Day | All over India |
January 28, 2023 | Sunday | Fourth Saturday Bank Holiday | All over India |
January 29, 2023 | Sunday | Weekend Bank Holiday | All over India |
January 31, 2023 | Monday | Me-Dam-Me-Phi | Assam |
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