It rains pleas at Varsha, the official residence of the Maharashtra chief minister in Mumbai’s Malabar Hill. The sprawling bungalow brims with people, some coming in with grievances and others with appeals from far-flung areas. Aided by a team of efficient bureaucrats, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde tries to resolve issues on the spot.
The day Shinde agreed to meet THE WEEK for an interview was a relatively lean day. The interview was supposed to happen a day earlier, late in the night after he had finished work. But Shinde had a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah that day and hit the bed at only around 2am. So, he invited us for lunch the next day. We were more than happy—meeting the chief minister in a relaxed setting is always better than a hurried, late-night meeting.
Politicians rarely get to sleep in. And, on the day of the interview, Shinde is up by 6am, as he has events lined up since 7am. Talk about having a lean day!
When we reach Varsha, we are ushered into a big, but simply done waiting room. A platter of fruits is served and an aide informs us that the chief minister will see us shortly. Ten minutes later, we are taken to the dining room, where Shinde, 59, stands waiting for us. Dressed in his trademark white outfit and sporting rimless glasses, Shinde greets us with a namaste. “Sorry for the delay,” he says, warmly, and we sit down for lunch.
“The doors of this house are open to everyone, 24x7,” says Shinde. “I know I am here because of the people. I am here to serve them, so I will never close my doors on them. You know how the situation was earlier (when Uddhav Thackeray was chief minister). There was no access; people were not allowed, not even our party legislators.”
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة May 21, 2023 من THE WEEK India.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
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هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة May 21, 2023 من THE WEEK India.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
A golden girl
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The interest in wine is growing delightfully in India
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COVER DRIVE
Usage-driven motor insurance policies offer several benefits
GDP as the only measure of progress is illogical
Dasho Karma Ura, one of the world's leading happiness experts, has guided Bhutan's unique gross national happiness (GNH) project. He uses empirical data to show that money cannot buy happiness in all circumstances, rather it is family and health that have the strongest positive effect on happiness. Excerpts from an interview:
India is not a controlling big brother
Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay considers India a benevolent elder sibling as the \"big brotherly attitude\" is happily missing from bilateral ties. He thinks the relationship shared by the two countries has become a model of friendship not just for the region, but for the entire world. \"India's attitude is definitely not of a big brother who is controlling and does not allow the little brother to blossom and grow,\" says Tobgay in an exclusive interview with THE WEEK.
Comrade with no foes
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Pinning down saffron
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MAKE IN MANIPUR
Home-made rockets and weapons from across the border are escalating the conflict
SAHEB LOSES STEAM
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