The show of strength between Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his predecessor Uddhav Thackeray on Dussehra day — customary since Shiv Sena split — continued this year too. With months to go before the Lok Sabha elections, the two leaders attacked each other in strong language, “Ravan” and “General Dyer” being some of the invectives used.

“Like Jallianwala Bagh, there was lathicharge on Marathas in the Sarati villages. Eknath Shinde’s government is General Dyer’s government,” Uddhav Thackeray said from the sprawling Shivaji Park in Dadar, the traditional venue of the event. This is where his father and Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray addressed his workers, charging them with fiery oratory.

From Azad Maidan, also in South Mumbai, the Chief Minister compared his political rival to Ravan from Ramayan.  His point — the way Ravan disguised himself as a monk to abduct Sita, Uddhav Thackeray also concealed his desire to be the Chief Minister.

“Uddhav Thackeray wanted to become the Chief Minister, but did not want to show it. It was not allowed to be revealed till the end… Like Ravana disguised himself to kidnap Sita… Uddhav Thackeray had made a pact to become the Chief Minister… Two people were sent to Sharad Pawar to name him (for the post),” he said.

He, in contrast, had “promised Balsaheb that I would make a Shiv Sainik the Chief Minister,” he added.

Uddhav Thackeray alleged that Mr Shinde, though he professes to be an ardent follower of Balasaheb, had actually left him to “go to a Five Star”. “If he can do this to our father, what will happen to someone else?” he demanded.

The Shiv Sena split in June last year after Mr Shinde and his loyalist MLAs rebelled and pulled down the Maha Vikas Aghadi government led by Uddhav Thackeray. Mr Shinde then formed government with the support of the BJP.

The Uddhav Thackeray faction has since dubbed them “traitors”. The Shinde group claims Mr Thackeray broke the alliance with the BJP and joined hands with the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party after forsaking Hindutva to satisfy his personal ambition to become the Chief Minister.

Several people living along the international border in Pithoragarh and Champawat districts of Uttarakhand have dual citizenship of India and Nepal, and such people are being identified, an official said.

“We have found such cases in Pithoragarh’s Jhulaghat and some areas of Champawat district on the Indo-Nepal border. The district administrations concerned have been informed about this,” D N Bhombe, Deputy Inspector General, Almora region of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), said.

The SSB officer said that the personnel deployed in all the 54 border outposts of the force in Uttarakhand are trying to identify such people living in the Indian territory, who have the dual citizenship of India and Nepal.

He said the SSB is also taking the help of the district administrations concerned in this regard.

Pithoragarh Deputy District Magistrate Anil Kumar Shukla said there are two types of Nepalese living in India. He said the first category is of those women who got married and came to India, but neither gave up their Nepalese citizenship nor acquired the Indian citizenship.

Shukla said the second category is of those people whose entire family came from Nepal and settled in India without taking the Indian citizenship.

“We have found many cases in which they fraudulently obtained Aadhaar cards and voter ID cards in India. We immediately cancelled their fake documents,” he added.

The deputy inspector general of the SSB said that apart from smuggling of wild animals’ body parts and drugs, we are also giving priority to preventing human trafficking, and we have formed special teams for this. He said the SSB personnel keep close contact with the villagers living in the border areas in order to gain information about the arrival of any outsider there.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday highlighted the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, as a testament to the power of patience the people of the country kept for centuries.

Addressing a public gathering at the Dwarka Sri Ram Leela Society at DDA ground in Sector 10 in the national capital, he announced that Lord Rama’s arrival is imminent, with only a few months left before he takes his place in the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

“We are fortunate enough to witness the construction of Ram Temple, and on the next Ramnavami in Ayodhya, every note echoing in Ramlala’s temple will bring joy to the world. The construction of the grand temple of Lord Ram at His birthplace is a symbol of the patience of Indians for centuries. (Bhagwan Ram ki janmabhoomi par ban raha bhavya mandir, sadiyo ki prateeksha ke baad hum Bhartiyo ke dhairya ko mili vijay ka prateek),” the PM said, adding, “There are only a few months left for Lord Ram to reside in the Ram Temple. Lord Ram is just about to arrive…”

In a swipe at the Opposition parties, the PM said that the day should also mark the burning of those forces that try to ‘divide’ the country in the name of casteism and regionalism.

“We have to keep in mind that today, the burning of Ravana should not be just the burning of an effigy. This should be the burning of every deformity due to which the mutual harmony of society deteriorates. Let this be the burning of those forces that try to divide India in the name of casteism and regionalism…,’ PM Modi added.

PM Modi also said that on Indian soil, weapons are worshipped not to dominate any land but to protect its own land.

“On Vijayadashami, there is a tradition of ‘Shastra Puja’ as well. On Indian soil, weapons are worshipped not to dominate any land but to protect its own land. Our Shakti Puja is not just for us but for the welfare of the entire world…” PM Modi.

Extending wishes to the people on this auspicious occasion, the PM said that the country is celebrating the festival of Dussehra after almost two months since its victory on the moon.

” I wish all the countrymen a very happy Navratri and Vijayadashami. The festival symbolises the victory of good over evil. This time we are celebrating Vijayadashami when it has been 2 months since our victory over the Moon. We know the knowledge of Gita and also have the capability to build INS Vikrant and Tejas,” the PM said.

PM Modi further said the people of the country know the dignity of Lord Ram and also know how to protect the boundaries of the nation. PM Modi also witnessed the ‘Ravan Dahan’.