MUMBAI: Maharashtra govt on Friday introduced a bill with stringent provisions to prevent religious conversions through coercion, fraud, or marriage if it involves inducement, coercion or deceit, joining other BJP-governed states that have enacted ‘freedom of religion’ laws. The Freedom of Religion Bill, 2026, tabled in the legislative assembly for debate sets a prison term of seven years for persons “involved in unlawful conversions on the pretext of marriage” and a fine of Rs 1 lakh. Treating the offence as non-bailable, the bill makes it mandatory for an officer heading a police station to register a complaint. Civil society bodies have opposed it, saying laws are being weaponised to create a climate of fear against inter-faith marriages. The bill says any child born out of a marriage or a “relationship in the nature of a marriage” due to unlawful conversion shall be “deemed to belong to the religion of the mother before such marriage or relationship”.

It mandates that any person intending to convert, as well as any individual or institution organising a conversion ceremony, must give notice in a prescribed form at least 60 days in advance to the competent authority. Upon receiving this, the authority will display the details on the notice board of its office as well as at the office of the village panchayat or the local authority concerned. It will invite objections from the public within 30 days of its publication. The bill requires that the converted person and individual or institution organising the ceremony submit a declaration to the authority within 21 days after the conversion. It allows relatives by blood, marriage or adoption to lodge an FIR if they suspect unlawful conversion. The bill also prescribes a jail term of seven years along with a fine of Rs 5 lakh for those “involved” in mass conversions. Repeat individual offenders may get a jail sentence of 10 years and fine of Rs 5 lakh. Inducements that may be treated as illegal include gifts, employment, education, a better lifestyle or divine healing. The burden of proof that a conversion was not carried out in violation of the provisions of the Act will lie on the person who caused, assisted or abetted the conversion. The bill, described as draconian by critics, says “forceful” and “involuntary” religious conversions in the state are increasing. “The right to freedom of religion guaranteed under the Constitution of India is not absolute, but is su-bject to public order, morality, health and to other provisions of Part III of the Constitution relating to the fundamental ri-ghts of citizens,” says the bill. Dolphy D’Souza of The Bombay Catholic Sabha said, “We are very disappointed that the bill was tabled without discussions with various stakeholders who are going to be affected. It takes away the right to one’s conscience to follow the religion of their choice or marry a partner of their choice. We urge the opposition to raise their voices and also demand that it be referred to a select committee for discussion as some of the clauses are draconian, to say the least.“ Legal challenges against anti-conversion laws by civil rights groups such as Citizens for Justice and Peace have been taken up by HCs in Karnataka, UP, Uttarakhand and MP. Sections of these laws have been stayed and states have gone before SC.

Mumbai: Against the backdrop of the Iran–Israel conflict, the Maharashtra government has initiated several measures to ensure uninterrupted supply of domestic and commercial gas cylinders. To prevent any disruption in domestic LPG supply and to coordinate effectively in case of a potential shortage, the state government has decided to establish special committees at the district level, said the minutes of the meeting of state government authorities with all concerned stakeholders.Additional chief secretary of the food, civil supplies and consumer protection department, Anil Diggikar, has directed all concerned agencies to take necessary steps to maintain smooth LPG supply and ensure proper monitoring of distribution across the state.The department has assured citizens that the supply of domestic LPG cylinders will remain uninterrupted and there is no need for concern.During March, the availability of domestic LPG cylinders is higher than the supply recorded over the last six months. In view of the ongoing geopolitical situation, instructions have been issued to all agencies to ensure uninterrupted LPG supply. Industry minister Uday Samant has said that the issues of export finance and alternative fuel arrangements faced by industries amid the ongoing West Asia crisis will be taken up by the state government with the Centre.He was speaking to reporters after a meeting with industrial associations and factory owners in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on Thursday evening. To prevent disruptions in domestic LPG supply and to facilitate coordination in case of a potential shortage, district-level committees will be constituted. These committees will include the district collector, superintendent of police, district supply officer and officials from all government gas companies.Their key responsibilities will include monitoring the LPG supply chain, maintaining law and order, and submitting daily reports on the situation.In the Mumbai–Thane rationing area, a committee will function under the controller of rationing and will include the deputy commissioner of police and deputy controller (rationing). Coordination with all deputy commissioners in Mumbai and Thane will be carried out by the joint commissioner of police (administration).Authorities have also been instructed to explore the possibility of using alternative fuels such as coal or kerosene, while strictly adhering to the norms of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board. District-level committees will also hold meetings with hotel and restaurant associations to encourage the use of alternative fuels where feasible.Institutions providing essential services such as hospitals, government hostels, mess facilities in government schools and colleges, the mid-day mmeal dcheme, and government-run ashram schools will receive priority supply of domestic or commercial LPG cylinders. A list of such institutions will be issued and a separate priority order will be implemented.To prevent rumours regarding gas supply, instructions have been given to disseminate information daily through radio, FM channels, television and print media. The Directorate General of Information and Public Relations along with district committees will handle this communication. Action will also be taken against fake or misleading information circulated on social media.Oil companies have been directed to resolve technical issues related to gas booking apps and missed-call services immediately. Control rooms will also be set up at the state, divisional, district and taluka levels, and a WhatsApp facility will be made available for grievance redressal.Considering upcoming religious festivals, priority will also be given to ensure uninterrupted LPG supply to public institutions.Local representatives and Gram Panchayat members will assist in preventing panic among citizens regarding gas supply. Police authorities will provide necessary protection to LPG transport vehicles and gas agencies.District administrations, rationing controllers and oil companies have been mandated to submit daily stock status and updated reports to the state-level control room.The average daily demand for LPG in Maharashtra is around 9,000 metric tonnes. To meet this demand, LPG production at refineries has been increased from 9,000 metric tonnes to about 11,000 metric tonnes per day over the past two days. Authorities have clarified that there is no shortage of domestic LPG in the state and sufficient production and stock are available to meet demand.For commercial LPG, priority allocation is being implemented as per the guidelines of the Central Government. Essential services such as hospitals, mid-day meal schemes in schools, ashram schools, community kitchens and mess facilities in government educational institutions are being given priority.Adequate stock of Piped Natural Gas (PNG) for domestic use is also available. Similarly, the state has sufficient reserves of petrol and diesel. Refineries in Maharashtra are operating at full capacity to meet market demand, producing approximately 15,000 kilolitres of petrol and 38,000 kilolitres of diesel per day. The department has appealed to citizens not to panic regarding fuel supply, assuring that adequate arrangements have been made to meet all requirements.

Death, black marketing, theft, hotels overcharging, restaurants shutting down causing job losses – shortage of LPG cylinders due to the ongoing conflict between Iran and the US and Israel is upending lives and livelihood in a multitude of ways across the country. Domestic LPG cylinder prices are being blackmarketed at double the rates – Rs 1,400 normally, Rs 2,800 now – in Tamil Nadu. About 40% eateries in Kerala and 30% in Karnataka have temporarily shut down, hotel associations of these states say. At Hingna industrial estate near Nagpur, over 70% MSMEs claimed to face serious operational difficulties due to restrictions of commercial LPG cylinders and rising fuel prices. In TN, consumer helplines received 70 calls related to overcharging at hotels and tea shops citing gas crunch. In Thiruvanthapuram’s Chalai market area, a thief was spotted on CCTV walking away with a commercial cylinder from a hotel. There’s much more. The iconic 200-year-old Sri Ganesh Temple in Secunderabad has stopped distribution of annadanam and prasadam. Sweets cooked in high temperature flames – labanga latika, kalojaam, pantua, darbesh, among others – are off the shelves in Kolkata. So are dishes like handi biryani, mutton rezala, and dal makhani, which take more time to cook, from restaurant menus in the eastern megapolis. In schools and colleges, menus too are being trimmed. In Bhopal, a crippling shortage of commercial gas cylinders has forced the town’s premier educational institutions such as National Law Institute University and Indian Institute of Science Education and Research to slash hostel meals. It is a similar story in competitive coaching hub Kota town in Rajasthan. Several hostels and mess operators have downsized the menu, stopped serving snacks, and shifted to cooking in coal wherever possible. A hotel of Bharwad community in Gujarat reduced the number of rotis being served to students from 700 to 300. In Kolkata, Desun Hospital has temporarily restricted its menu to vegetarian and egg-based meals since non-vegetarian dishes generally require more fuel, said CMD Sajal Dutta. The effort is to prioritise the needs of patients over everybody else. At Sehna village in Punjab’s Barnala district, Bhushan Kumar, 60, was customer number 25 among 125 who had queued up for a LPG cylinder at 5am. At 7.50am, he collapsed. He was taken to hospital but died on the way. In several tea stalls in Chennai, prices were hiked from Rs 3 to Rs 5. In Mogappair and Anna Nagar, the price of a glass of tea was hiked from Rs 12 to Rs 15 and coffee from Rs 15 to Rs 18. Vendors said the revised prices would remain until the gas issue settled. “Commercial gas now costs as much as Rs 5,000. We are also unsure about when we get a refill,” a vendor said. Hoteliering was hit hard in Kerala. “The worst hit are the eateries in urban hubs like Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram, where fire-safety norms and congested buildings make switching to traditional firewood impossible. Out of the nearly one lakh hotels, small and big, nearly 40% have downed shutters,” said N Abdul Razzak, general secretary, Kerala Hotel & Restaurant Association. Families and small eateries across the country were adopting various methods to cope with the situation. In Punjab, dhabas are moving to earthen chulhas. This has increased demand for wood and coal. Some families are opting for small tandoors and kerosene stoves. Demand for induction cooktops has spiraled in Kanpur’s Maniram Bagiya market, which has more than 150 shops selling electrical goods, according to Manoj Mehgani, president of Maniram Bagiya Electric Market.

Former Australian cricketer Ricky Ponting gave star England allrounder Will Jacks a perfect 10/10 rating for his performances in the T20 World Cup. Indian stars Sanju Samson and Jasprit Bumrah followed closely with 9.5/10.Sanju Samson was named Player of the Tournament for his impressive performances in the second half of the campaign. Players from Pakistan, New Zealand, England, and South Africa were also among the nominees.Samson was India’s top run-scorer and finished third overall in the tournament, while Bumrah ended as joint-highest wicket-taker, including a four-wicket haul in the final against New Zealand.

Ponting also highlighted other top performers: openers Tim Seifert and Sahibzada Farhan led the run charts, earning ratings of 9/10 and 9.5/10, respectively.India became the first team to successfully defend their T20 World Cup title, defeating New Zealand by 96 runs in the final at Narendra Modi Stadium on March 8, and also became the first team to win the tournament three times.

In the final, New Zealand won the toss and chose to field first, but Abhishek Sharma made them regret it with a blazing 52 off 21 balls, including six fours and three sixes. He shared a 98-run partnership with Sanju Samson, who then added a century stand with Ishan Kishan (54 off 25 balls, four fours and four sixes), helping India cross the 200-run mark by the 16th over.Shivam Dube finished unbeaten on 26 off just eight balls, taking India to 255/5, the highest total in a T20 World Cup final. James Neesham was New Zealand’s best bowler with 3/46.In reply, India’s bowlers, led by Axar Patel and Jasprit Bumrah, reduced New Zealand to 72/5, despite a quick fifty from Tim Seifert (52 off 26 balls). A brief partnership between Daryl Mitchell (17) and captain Mitchell Santner (43 off 35 balls) wasn’t enough, as India kept taking wickets and bundled the Kiwis out for 159, securing a comfortable victory.

Pakistan batter Hussain Talat suffered a nasty blow on the field as he hit one of the advertising boards at the Sher-E-Bangla International Stadium in Dhaka. The batter looked in extreme distress before the physios rushed in.

Pakistan are not having its finest outing in Bangladesh. They lost their first game in a humiliating fashion and then lost wickets in a surprising collapse triggered by the unanticipated runout of Salman Ali Agha.

Their problems started getting resolved with their captain striking early alongside Mohammad Wasim Jr, as they sent the top three of the Bangladesh batting unit back to the pavilion without troubling the scorers much. However, an unfortunate incident doomed the flow of the game.

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Pakistan batter Hussain Talat suffers a painful injury in the Second ODI

After having lost three early wickets within the first 5 overs of the game, Litton Das, the wicket-keeper batsman from Bangladesh, gave it back to Mohammad Wasim Jr by hitting him for back-to-back boundaries in the third over of his spell.

In the second ball of the 6th over, Litton hit the ball hard, and the Men in Green fielder Hussain Talat looked to save it with a diving effort. However, the ball won the race as he touched the cushions during his extraordinary effort, but, in the meantime, hurt himself badly.

Wishing a speedy recovery to Hussain Talat.

Saad Masood will replace him. pic.twitter.com/xhkTyk546s

— Salman. (@TsMeSalman) March 13, 2026

He crashed into one of those advertising boards, and the physios rushed in to check on his injuries. His left hand was in a sling cast, and the player was carried on a stretcher, adding to Pakistan’s concerns.

Saad Masood has been announced as his quick replacement for the match. His availability for the rest of the series remains uncertain.

Captain Shaheen Afridi takes command with a double strike with the new ball

Bangladesh showed some strong batting resilience in the first match at this same venue, and Tanzid Hasan, the opener, scored an unbeaten half-century to guide them home. However, with runs on the board, the Pakistan skipper did not let that happen this time around.

The Men in Green captain, Shaheen Afridi has recently pulled out of the Hundred after citing international commitments, and he has shown his determination with the ball. He struck with the new ball in the very second over of his spell and dismissed opener Tanzid Hasan for a single run.

This led to the triggering of a collapse, as Saif Hassan, the other opener, lost his wicket on the first ball of the very next over. Shaheen returned with his third to dismiss the former Bangladeshi skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto for a duck.

Will rain ruin Pakistan’s chances to win the ODI series in Bangladesh?

While Bangladesh already had an advantage in the series with a win in the first match, Pakistan’s only chance to win the series any further from here was to secure a win in back-to-back games. However, with thunderstorms in Dhaka, the Pakistan dream seems to be ruined.

Bangladesh are anyway targeting a win in the series to better their chances for a straight qualification into the ICC ODI World Cup 2027, and made a promising start. However, losing three wickets while chasing a 270+ total could have cost them the match.

The rain gods seemed to have favoured the Bangladeshi team, as with just 6.3 overs being bowled, the DLS system would also not be brought into play.

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