Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday criticised former Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud, accusing him of undermining the rule of law for politicians who switched parties in Maharashtra.

This statement from Raut follows his party’s disappointing performance in the recent state Assembly elections, where they secured only 20 out of the 95 seats contested within the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance. The results for the alliance’s partners were similarly poor, with Congress winning 16 of 101 seats and the NCP (SP) claiming just 10 of the 86 seats they contested for.

Raut asserted that by failing to rule on the disqualification petitions, Chandrachud enabled defections to occur freely.

Speaking to reporters, Raut said: “Chandrachud has eradicated the fear of the law among defectors. His actions will be remembered negatively in history.”

After the split of the Shiv Sena in 2022, the faction led by Uddhav Thackeray filed petitions in the Supreme Court seeking the disqualification of MLAs who defected to join Eknath Shinde. The Supreme Court subsequently assigned the responsibility to the Assembly Speaker, who earlier this year ruled that the Shinde-led faction represented the real political party.

Raut said the result of the Maharashtra Assembly election 2024 could have been different if Chandrachud had not delayed the decisions regarding disqualification petitions.

 “If he would have given a timely verdict in disqualification petition of Shiv Sena (UBT), the scenario in Maharashtra would have been different. History will never forgive him,” he said. 

“The choice of Maharashtra’s Chief Minister will be dictated by the Gujarat lobby. Perhaps the swearing-in ceremony should take place in Gujarat instead of Maharashtra,” he said. Additionally, Raut credited the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for their role in the success of the Mahayuti coalition, alleging that their aggressive campaigning techniques significantly influenced the election results.

In the customary all-party meeting convened by the government ahead of the winter session of Parliament on Sunday, the Congress demanded that the BJP-led central government discuss allegations against the Adani Group and the Manipur violence.

Congress leader Pramod Tiwari said that his party demanded discussions on issues such as the Adani Group bribery allegations, the Manipur crisis, pollution, and train accidents in the parliamentary session, which is starting on Monday.

Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju announced during a press conference that an all-party meeting was held to discuss the upcoming winter session of Parliament. A total of 42 political representatives were present, consisting of 30 party leaders and party floor leaders, each contributing their suggestions, he added.

Rijiju stated that these suggestions would be reviewed with the business advisory committee and the Speakers of both Houses to determine which issues would be addressed in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. He emphasised the desire for constructive and peaceful discussions in both Houses.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi highlighted several key issues raised by the Congress and the INDIA alliance during the meeting. He pointed out that a significant concern was the financial sector scam recently highlighted by the US government, urging the BJP-led NDA government to provide clear answers regarding the matter.

Regarding the issues discussed, AAP leader Sanjay Singh noted that corruption related to the Adani group was damaging India’s global reputation and warranted further discussions.

He also mentioned the ongoing violence in Manipur, which has persisted for a year and a half without government intervention. Additionally, Singh said he raised concerns about irregularities during the Uttar Pradesh bypolls, where voters faced intimidation, questioning the integrity of the electoral process.

Singh expressed skepticism about the government’s claim to implement the Waqf Bill without awaiting the Joint Parliamentary Committee’s report.

SAD leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal said she brought to attention several issues concerning farmers, stating that they are being exploited by a central government, receiving less than the minimum support price (MSP) for their crops.

She noted that a significant percentage of DAP fertiliser supplied by the Centre is reportedly fake, and highlighted concerns regarding land transfers to Haryana in Chandigarh, which violate the Punjab Reorganization Act.

In the meeting, Badal also criticised the forced acquisition of farmland for the Bharatmala Expressway and suggested that there may be a collaborative effort between the Centre and the Opposition to stall House proceedings, emphasising that the responsibility to manage the House lies with the government.

The Congress party, which is the largest Opposition party in the House, is expected to prioritise discussions on the situation in the Northeast, the ongoing border tensions at the Line of Actual Control, and allegations surrounding businessman Gautam Adani.

The government has prepared 16 bills for consideration, including the Waqf Amendment Bill, which is under review by the Joint Parliamentary Committee.

Moreover, there may be discussions regarding the contentious ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi has supported as a means to optimise resources and enhance democracy, although it has faced opposition from Congress.

The winter session of Parliament is scheduled to continue until December 20, with no sessions planned for November 26 in observance of Constitution Day.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday hailed the Chennai library which is created for children, saying it has become a hub of creativity and learning. He also mentioned the “Prayog Library” in Bihar’s Gopalganj district for its service to the people of 12 villages.

Addressing the 116th episode of his monthly “Mann Ki Baat” radio broadcast, PM Modi said these days many experiments are being conducted for the education of children and the effort is to enhance the creativity of children and their love for books.

PM Modi noted that books are humans’ best friends and what better place than the library to strengthen this friendship?

Sharing one such example from Chennai, PM Modi said the “Prakriti Arivagam” library which has become a hub of creativity and learning, was the idea of of Shriram Gopalan, who is associated with the world of technology.

PM Modi said during his work abroad, he remained connected with the world of the latest technology. But, he also kept thinking about developing the habit of reading and learning in children, Modi added. After returning to India, Shriram Gopalan established “Prakrith Arivagam,” he said.

The “Prakriti Arivagam” has more than three thousand books, which children eagerly wait to read. Apart from books, different types of activities being organised in this library also attract children. Be it Story Telling sessions, Art Workshops, Memory Training Classes, Robotics Lessons or Public Speaking, there is something or the other, to the liking of everyone.

The Prayog Library in Bihar, which has been talked a lot about in many cities in the neighbouring states, facilitates youths of around 12 villages to read books. Apart from this, the library is also providing other important facilities to the students in preparing for competitive examinations.

“It is indeed very heartening to note that the library is being used in the best possible way to strengthen the society. You too should develop friendships with books and see how it brings a change in your life,” PM Modi said.

Speaking on the issue of sparrows extinctions, PM Modi reminded people of how seeing sparrows chirping on rooftops or in trees during childhood was not so rare but due to rapid urbanisation, sparrows have become rare and many children today may only know them from pictures or videos.

It is known as “Kuruvi” in Tamil and Malayalam, “Pichhuka” in Telugu, and “Gubbi” in Kannada, these birds play an essential role in maintaining biodiversity, PM Modi noted.

The Prime Minister said, fortunately, efforts are being made to reintroduce sparrows to children. In Chennai, the “Kudugal Trust” engages schoolchildren in campaigns to increase the sparrow population by teaching them to build wooden nests, he added. Over the past four years, they have helped create thousands of nests, leading to a rise in the local sparrow population, said Modi.

In Mysuru, Karnataka, the “Early Bird” campaign educates children about birds through a library and a Nature Education Kit filled with storybooks and games, he said. “This organization takes children from cities to villages, helping them recognise various bird species.”

“Through these initiatives, we can encourage children to understand and appreciate their environment, helping sparrows once again become a part of our lives,” PM Modi said.