Someone has rightly said, “Music is like water, it flows and has no boundaries, no limits”. The sad demise of India born but Karachi based Ghazal Emperor-Mehdi Hassan found big coverage on Marathi news channels. Those who paid tributes, recalled his most popular compositions like 'Patta, Patta, boota boota' and 'Ab ke hum bichhade', ‘ Dil e Nadaan, tujhe hua kya hai’; from his biggest collection of almost five-decade-long musical journey. He had migrated from Rajasthan to Pakistan after partition. But, his mesmerizing Ghazals spread across the globe and had more admirers in India.

At the home front, chief minister of Maharashtra Mr. Prithviraj Chavan was in news for different reasons. First, it was while taking a test run of the metro project in Mumbai; when he suggested that another project of having elevated route may now be converted into underground route. During the week, he was also quoted to have said that the Mulshi project off Pune, be converted into a new Hill station. This certainly raised the eyebrows of many political opponents and critics; because the same CM had spoken against the irregularities in the Lavasa project. When the existing project has remained in controversy over flouting Environment norms; what guarantee is there that the new hill station will follow all the rules? This was a doubt expressed by many critics.

Another news that sparked the debate was about the Supreme Court refusing to allow stay on the Andhra Pradesh High Court High Court ruling, which questioned as to how the reservation up to 4.5% was permitted for Minorities on the basis of religion under the OBC quota. “We are not inclined to grant stay," said the court order, while issuing notices to the petitioner; on whose PIL the high court had quashed the 4.5 percent sub-quota in central educational institutions like the IIT.

The papers submitted by Central Government in the Supreme Court were not found sufficient to allow the stay on the High Court ruling. The opposition leaders called it a slap on the face of Government, which had taken this decision, to please a particular community, keeping in mind the elections.

The SSC results announced on 13th June, also received good coverage, with discussions taking place about the toppers and their parents. The news about the future president of India is also inviting attention, with the spokespersons of ruling and opposition parties speaking about the support to prospective candidates. But, the name of Mr. Pranab Mukherjee is the talk of the nation. There were also discussions going on, whether Ms. Mamata Banerjee would support him. At the same time, there seems to be some confusion over former NCP senior leader Mr. Sangma also in the race of prospective president of India. It all remains to be seen, how the NCP leadership would deal with this issue.

And last but not the least, the arrival of monsoon and its spreading over Maharashtra has found coverage, being a good news for the farmers involved in agricultural produce.

  
by Ulhas Shirke © MMW