CM Fadnavis Thanks Lokmat Editor for Honouring Mumbai Police at Ganeshotsav
Synopsis
On Anant Chaturdashi 2026, CM Devendra Fadnavis publicly thanked Lokmat group editor Vijay Bawiskar for recognising the tireless work of Maharashtra Police during Ganeshotsav, calling such acknowledgement essential for the force's morale.
Key Takeaways
CM Devendra Fadnavis posted on 27 September 2026 , the day of Anant Chaturdashi and Ganesh Visarjan.
He thanked Lokmat group editor Vijay Bawiskar specifically for publicly acknowledging police efforts during the festival.
Maharashtra Police manages crowd control and logistics for one of India's largest public gatherings during the ten-day Ganeshotsav .
Lokmat is a major Marathi-language newspaper group with extensive readership across Maharashtra.
Post-festival public appreciation of police by state leadership is an established pattern in Maharashtra governance.
Formal commendations or additional leave for police units involved in Ganeshotsav 2026 duties may follow.
When millions flood Mumbai's streets for Ganesh Visarjan, the unseen architecture holding it all together is built by police personnel working through the night — and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis wants that recognised. On Sunday, 27 September 2026, marking Anant Chaturdashi and the close of Ganeshotsav 2026, Fadnavis took to X to publicly thank Lokmat group editor Vijay Bawiskar for acknowledging the efforts of Maharashtra's police force.
Writing in Marathi, the Chief Minister noted: 'आपल्या पोलीस बांधव आणि भगिनींनी अथक परिश्रम केले' — 'Our police brothers and sisters worked tirelessly and this year's Ganeshotsav was celebrated successfully.' He stressed that such dedication and sacrifice deserves equally sensitive recognition and appreciation, and expressed heartfelt gratitude to Bawiskar for extending precisely that.
A Festival That Tests Every Layer of Maharashtra's Machinery
Ganeshotsav — the ten-day festival honouring Lord Ganesha — is among the largest public gatherings on earth, with Mumbai alone drawing processions that wind through dense neighbourhoods before converging on the sea for the Visarjan immersion. Maharashtra Police coordinates crowd control, traffic management, and emergency logistics across the city and across the state for the entire duration, with personnel routinely working extended shifts well beyond standard duty hours.
Successive Maharashtra governments have made post-festival appreciation of police a near-ritual of their own — a public acknowledgement that the zero-major-incident outcome visible to revellers is the product of invisible, exhausting work by thousands of officers.
Why Bawiskar's Gesture Earned a Chief Minister's Gratitude
Lokmat, Maharashtra's prominent Marathi-language newspaper group, commands deep readership across the state. When its group editor publicly flags police effort — whether in print or public statement — it carries weight far beyond a social media post. Fadnavis's public thanks amplifies that recognition further, signalling to the force that its work registers at the highest level of both media and government.
The Chief Minister's note is brief but pointed: it names the journalist, the organisation, and the specific act of acknowledgement — a deliberate, personal gesture rather than a generic departmental press release. Watch now for whether the state government follows with formal commendations, additional leave, or unit citations for police deployed during Ganeshotsav 2026.
Point of View
He personalises state-media goodwill at a high-visibility cultural moment. It also reflects a broader Maharashtra governance pattern of using Ganeshotsav's close to reinforce the ruling dispensation's connect with both law enforcement and the Marathi media ecosystem. For the BJP in Maharashtra, visibly honouring the police during the state's most emotive festival carries quiet but consistent electoral messaging. The move costs nothing and banks significant symbolic capital with a force that numbers in the hundreds of thousands statewide.
NationPress
28 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did CM Fadnavis thank Vijay Bawiskar on X?
CM Devendra Fadnavis thanked Lokmat group editor Vijay Bawiskar for publicly recognising the hard work put in by Maharashtra Police personnel during Ganeshotsav 2026 and the Ganesh Visarjan processions in Mumbai.
What is Anant Chaturdashi and why is it significant for Mumbai?
Anant Chaturdashi is the fourteenth day of the Bhadrapada month and marks the conclusion of the ten-day Ganeshotsav festival. In Mumbai, it is the day of the grand Ganesh Visarjan procession, one of the largest public gatherings in India.
What role does Maharashtra Police play during Ganeshotsav?
Maharashtra Police handles crowd management, traffic control, emergency response, and overall security for millions of devotees participating in Ganeshotsav events across the state, with personnel working extended duty hours throughout the festival.
What is Lokmat and why does its coverage matter in Maharashtra?
Lokmat is a major Marathi-language newspaper group with significant readership across Maharashtra. Coverage or acknowledgement from its editorial leadership carries considerable influence in shaping public opinion about civic and governance matters in the state.
Will Maharashtra Police receive formal recognition for Ganeshotsav 2026 duty?
As of Fadnavis's post, no formal commendation or additional leave announcement has been confirmed. Maharashtra governments have historically followed up such appreciations with official recognition; any announcements are expected in the days following the festival.
