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Jharkhand CM slams BJP over 'patronising infiltrators' accusation
Jharkhand CM slams BJP over 'patronising infiltrators' accusation Rejecting the allegation that the JMM-led ruling coalition was patronising infiltrators, Jharkhand CM Champai Soren on Sunday asked when did his government got the responsibility to guard the country's border. In a post on X, he also asked where these intruders were coming from into Jharkhand. ''BJP leaders allege that infiltrators are coming to Jharkhand and changing the demography. By the way, where are these intruders coming from? And when did the Jharkhand government get the responsibility of guarding the international border? Instead of doing politics, why is that border not ''sealed''? Whose fault is it?'' he said. Soren said that in Jharkhand, even ration cards are not made without Aadhaar. ''When the agency that makes Aadhaar cards works under the central government, granting citizenship also comes under the jurisdiction of the Centre, then who is responsible for the irregularities in this process?'' he added. The BJP has been alleging that cross-border infiltration was changing the demography of Santhal Parganas. PM Narendra Modi, while addressing an election rally on Friday, alleged the ruling coalition of the state was patronising infiltrators in the region and indulging in vote bank politics akin to neighbouring West Bengal. ''This has resulted in a decrease in tribal population there. Our women are not safe. The JMM and Congress are usurping tribal land. They have even not spared Army land. Their leaders are neck-deep in corruption whether it be liquor, mining or sand. They are looting Jharkhand's mineral resources,'' he alleged. During the day, Soren also addressed a booth-level workers' meeting of the JMM at the Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium in Karandih. He said his political career began from here and the excitement of party workers indicated a change was coming in the elections. He said most of the MPs from Jharkhand had ignored the aspirations of the people, and they would get a befitting reply in this election.
Sandeshkhali: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee warns BJP, says do not disrespect the mothers of Bengal
The News Mill
TMC claims on Sandeshkhali video baseless, local BJP leader to move Calcutta HC
TMC claims on Sandeshkhali video baseless, local BJP leader to move Calcutta HC Amidst controversy over a video alleging that women in Sandeshkhali filed harassment complaints against TMC leaders under BJP's direction, the saffron party announced on Sunday its intention to contest the accusations in court. In the purported video, a man claiming to be Gangadhar Kayal, a BJP mandal president in Sandeshkhali, was heard saying that leader of the opposition in the West Bengal assembly ''Suvendu Adhikari is behind the whole conspiracy''. The TMC had released the video on social media on Saturday, asserting that it supported their claim of BJP's involvement in the incident. Refuting the allegations, Adhikari, the leader of the opposition in West Bengal assembly, said Kayal's voice in the video was artificially generated. Addressing reporters in Purba Medinipur, Adhikari highlighted the numerous complaints lodged by women in Sandeshkhali, asserting that the TMC's release of a doctored video would not absolve them of the charges. ''The entire country knows what happened in Sandeshkhali. Hundreds of complaints were lodged by women there. They had all been subjected to atrocities. They were called at odd hours in the name of important discussions by some local leaders. TMC cannot escape from the charges by bringing out a doctored video,'' Adhikari said. He said Koyal will soon move the high court demanding probe against those who had allegedly used his voice and the TMC for dragging his name in the purported video. ''He is upset for being falsely implicated. BJP leadership and people of the area are with him. They can see through the TMC's game,'' Adhikari said. BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar said, ''Being in the dock following the outrage over Sandeshkhali, desperate TMC has engineered this video. It refers to three women but what about around 600 complaints filed?'' Kayal lodged a complaint with the CBI on Saturday, alleging that the video was manipulated. Addressing a poll rally, TMC supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee remarked that the Sandeshkhali incident was preplanned by the BJP, but emphasised she had not watched the entire video. The authenticity of the video shared by the TMC has not been independently verified by PTI. TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee reiterated the party's stance at a press conference in Kolkata, condemning what he described as a ''shameless attempt'' to tarnish Bengal's image ahead of the elections.
Bengal Guv asks staff to ignore any summons by police in sexual harassment probe
West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose has directed all staffers of Raj Bhavan to ignore any communication from the Kolkata Police in connection with a woman employee's complaint of molestation against him. The direction comes after Kolkata Police constituted an inquiry team to probe into the woman's allegation against the governor.
Election Commission orders transfer of Andhra Pradesh DGP over alleged bias
EC transfers Andhra Pradesh DGP for favoring Chief Minister Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, suspecting a 'cartel' aiding his campaign. IPS officer panel demanded. Similar action taken in West Bengal. EC closely monitors for fairness.
Bengal governor asks staff to ignore police summons in sexual harassment case
Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose wrote to Raj Bhavan staff asking them to ignore any summons from the police regarding molestation charges levelled against him. Bose also claimed that the staff that no criminal proceedings can be instituted against a Governor during their term of office. Bose in the letter stated, The reports from the media indicate that the police propose to conduct an inquiry into the incident and that they would be examining the staff of the Raj Bhavan. It is also reported that the investigating team intends to collect the CCTV footage from Raj Bhavan. The question that arises is as to whether the police can conduct an inquiry and collect evidence in view of the immunity enjoyed by the Governor under Art.361(2) and (3) of the Constitution of India. The directive, shared on the official handle of Raj Bhavan directed the staff members not to make any statements online, offline, in person, over the phone, or through any other means regarding the ongoing investigation. This comes a day after the West Bengal police formed a special enquiry team (SET) to investigate the sexual harassment allegations levelled against Bose by a contractual woman employee at the Raj Bhavan. However, Bose had then described the allegations as absurd drama, and said that none would be able to deter him from his determined efforts to expose corruption and curb violence. pic.twitter.com/m7o4DAbVJa Raj Bhavan Kolkata (@BengalGovernor) May 5, 2024 According to Article 361 (2) of the Constitution, no criminal proceedings can be instituted or continued against the President, or the Governor of a state, in any court during their term of office. Bose further wrote, Since the Governor has been granted constitutional immunity from any criminal proceedings being instituted or continued against him, it logically follows that the police cannot investigate/inquire into the matter in any manner whatsoever. To say that the inquiry/investigation of the police could continue even during the tenure of the Governor though no court can take cognisance of the final report, would be in derogation of the objective and essence of Article 361 of the Constitution of India. Thus, in view of the immunity enjoyed by the Governor, the police are constitutionally barred from carrying out any kind of preliminary inquiry, registering a First Information Report, it read. None of the Raj Bhavan officials turned up for inquiry, and only the policeman attended. We will request them to come to the Hare Street Police Station again on Monday, a police officer had said on Saturday.
Campaigning ends for four Bengal LS seats
Kolkata, May 5 (UNI) After weeks of intense canvassing by political parties to woo voters despite the sweltering heat, the campaign drums feel silent at 5 PM Sunday in four Lok Sabha seats of West Bengal slated to go to the hustings on Tuesday. The stage is set for the third phase election in the... The post Campaigning ends for four Bengal LS seats first appeared on Central India's Premier English Daily .
Campaigning for 3rd phase ends; 94 seats to go to polls on May 7
Ahead of the third phase of the general Lok Sabha elections to be conducted on May 7, campaigning for 94 constituencies in states including Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli/ Daman and Diu, Assam, Karnataka, West Bengal, and J&K has come to an end. A total of 94 constituencies Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee criticized BJP for spreading lies about Sandeshkhali and called upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi to stop shedding crocodile tears. She accused the Election Commission of being influenced by the Modi government and ignoring certain advertisements featuring Modi's photo. Banerjee also mentioned considering approaching the Election Commission regarding the matter.
If Modi returns to power, Constitution will be in danger: Kharge
Malda: In a scathing attack on the BJP-led government at the Centre, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday warned that a third term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi would spell disaster for the countrys constitutional integrity and democratic fabric. Speaking at a rally in West Bengals Sujapur in support of Congress candidates for Maldaha Uttar Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
The lone seat where CPM has a chance
Veteran Mohammed Salim faces a triangular contest in West Bengal, aiming to revive CPI(M) in Murshidabad LS constituency
West Bengal Governor's notification comes in the wake of the development that a SIT) of Kolkata Police, formed to probe the alleged accusations against the Governor, has sought CCTV footage of the Raj Bhavan.
WB Governor Asserts Constitutional Immunity Amid Molestation Allegations
Kolkata: West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose, accused of molestation by a female contractual staff at Raj Bhavan, on Sunday about of constitutional immunity and questioned a police probe into the scandal. He has gagged all categories of Raj Bhavan employees from speaking to the police who are probing the high-voltage complaint against him. In a statement posted on his X handle, Bose pointed out the constitutional provisions and two Supreme Court judgments in his favour. He said, It is clear that the State machinery cannot set in motion any sort of criminal proceedings, whatsoever, against the Governor (sic), adding, The reports from the media indicate that the police propose to conduct an inquiry into the incident and that they would be examining the staff of the Raj Bhavan. Bose then observed, It is also reported that the investigating team intends to collect the CCTV footage from Raj Bhavan. The question that arises is as to whether the police can conduct an inquiry and collect evidence in view of the immunity enjoyed by the Governor under Art.361(2) and (3) of the Constitution of India. He noted, Since the Governor has been granted constitutional immunity from any criminal proceedings being instituted or continued against him, it logically follows that the police cannot investigate/inquire into the matter in any manner whatsoever. To say that the inquiry/investigation of the police could continue even during the tenure of the Governor though no court can take cognisance of the final report, would be in derogation of the objective and essence of Art.361 of the Constitution of India. Bose later stated, Thus, in view of the immunity enjoyed by the Governor, the police are constitutionally barred from carrying out any kind of preliminary inquiry, registering a First Information Report. It is therefore clear that in view of Art.361(2) and (3) of the Constitution of India, the state Police cannot act in any manner whatsoever to inquire/investigate/set in motion any kind of proceedings against the Hon'ble Governor. In the circumstances all staff/ employees including part time, temporary, DRW or those enegaged in Raj Bhavan in any manner are hereby directed to ignore any communication from the police in this respect and refrain from giving any statement online, offline, in person, over phone or in any other manner. This will tale immediate effect.
CPI(M) releases AI generated video of Buddhadeb seeking the support of Left candidates
Observers say things have come full circle for the party that was opposed to computers when it was in power in the West Bengal
Campaigning ends for third phase of polling in four Bengal LS seats
KOLKATA: Campaigning for four Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal - Maldaha Uttar, Maldaha Dakshin, Jangipur, and Murshidabad - going to polls in the third phase on May 7 came to an end at 6pm on Sunday, officials said. A total of 73,37,651 voters, including 36,12,395 women and 154 third-genders, are eligible to exercise their franchise in 7,360 polling stations. Out of the 57 candidates contesting in this phase, Jangipur has 14, Maldaha Uttar (15), Maldaha Dakshin (17) and Murshidabad (11), he said. Murshidabad will witness a key contest between senior CPI(M) leader Mohammed Salim, TMC's Abu Taher Khan and BJP nominee Gouri Shankar Ghosh. In Maldaha Uttar, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has nominated former IPS officer Prasun Banerjee, while the Congress has awarded the ticket to veteran leader Mostaque Alam, and the BJP has selected Khagen Murmu as its candidate. In Maldaha Dakshin, the BJP has fielded Sreerupa Mitra Chaudhury, the Congress has nominated Isha Khan Choudhury, and the TMC has put forward Shahnawaz Ali Raihan. In Jangipur, Khalilur Rahaman from the TMC is competing against BJP's Dhananjay Ghosh and Congress' Khalilur Rahaman. Heavyweights such as Union Home Minister Amit Shah, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge campaigned for their respective party candidates.
BJP's conspiracy in Sandeshkhali alleged by TMC leaders
BJP's conspiracy in Sandeshkhali alleged by TMC leaders The TMC on Sunday accused the BJP of orchestrating the Sandeshkhali case after a video showed a man, allegedly linked to the BJP, claiming that women were tutored to make allegations of sexual harassment. At a press conference in Delhi, the TMC showed the video in which the man, who the TMC claimed is BJP mandal president in Sandeshkhali Gangadhar Kayal, was heard saying that Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal assembly Suvendu Adhikari is allegedly behind the whole conspiracy. In the video, whose authenticity could not be independently verified by PTI, the man was heard saying that Adhikari had allegedly asked him and other BJP leaders of the area to ''instigate three-four local women to level allegations of rape against three TMC leaders, including Shajahan Sheikh''. In his written complaint to the CBI, Kayal said the video in question was uploaded from an unverified YouTube channel owned by someone named Williams. It can be seen that the same (footage) has been made using my face and the voice has been moduled using Artificial Intelligence (AI) so that it can mislead the public at large, the BJP mandal president said. In a joint press conference, TMC leaders Shashi Panja, Sagarika Ghose and Saket Gokhale accused the BJP of being ''anti-Bengal''. TMC Rajya Sabha MP Sagarika Ghose said the video proved that no rape happened in Sandeshkhali, and called it BJP's ''conspiracy''. ''The BJP hatched a huge conspiracy. This video shows no rape has happened in Sandeshkhali. They wanted to create a situation so that the president's rule could be imposed in West Bengal,'' Ghose said. ''The prime minister is repeatedly speaking on Sandeshkhali, while they took no action in the case of Prajwal Revanna, and gave ticket to Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh's son... They just want to malign Bengal,'' she said. ''The real culprits are the BJP leaders who forced the women to lie,'' she added. Rajya Sabha MP from TMC Saket Gokhale said the BJP's target is not the TMC, but the people of West Bengal. ''They are not targeting TMC, they are targeting the people of Bengal. They deprived the state of fund, they deprived MGNREGA workers of work... Why are you making the people of West Bengal suffer?'' he questioned. ''Election is a political battle. What is unacceptable is you cooked up a story to malign the image of West Bengal,'' he said. He also said that the Election Commission should take note of the development. ''The EC has not yet deemed it fit to intervene even once. The EC has shown no keenness on finding out the truth of what happened in Sandeshkhali. Would the EC stop the PM from making further remarks on Sandeshkhali?'' he asked. West Bengal's Minister of Women and Child Development and Social Welfare Shashi Panja said the state has been maligned by ''anti-Bengal BJP.'' ''We are sad the central agencies and commissions like the National Commission for Women, the SC Commission also supported them,'' Panja said. ''They fabricated allegations of sexual harrasment. The BJP should apologise,'' she added. Sandeshkhali in the North 24 Parganas district had erupted in protests after several women accused now-suspended TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh and his associates of sexual abuse and land-grabbing. He has been arrested and is now in CBI custody.
'Scripted It': Mamata Banerjee Accuses BJP Of 'Orchestrating' Sandeshkhali Conspiracy | News18 |N18V
'Scripted It': Mamata Banerjee Accuses BJP Of 'Orchestrating' Sandeshkhali Conspiracy | News18 |N18VMamata Banerjee, the West Bengal Chief Minister, has alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) scripted the Sandeshkhali incident.
Sandeshkhali mistruth spread by BJP, PM should stop crocodile tears: Mamata
Bolpur: Alleging that the mistruth about Sandeshkhali was spread by the BJP using money, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday called upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi to stop shedding crocodile tears as the conspiracy hatched by the saffron party has come to the fore with the unravelling of a recent sting. The TMC Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
Bengal under attack: TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee urges people to resist maligners
Bengal under attack: TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee urges people to resist maligners Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee on Sunday said people should vote against those who want to malign the image of West Bengal. Speaking at a public rally at Kaliganj in Nadia district in support of Trinamool Congress Krishnanagar Lok Sabha constituency candidate Mahua Maitra, Banerjee while referring to a purported video which surfaced on Saturday, claimed ''that it has been amply proved that how BJP is making tireless efforts to tarnish the image of West Bengal.'' The TMC on Saturday released a video on social media, claiming that the footage vindicated its stand that the ''BJP was behind the Sandeshkhali episode.'' The purported video, the authenticity of which was not verified by PTI, showed a local BJP leader of Sandeshkhali saying that the saffron party had paid money to women of the area to make false rape allegations against Trinamool Congress leaders. ''Defeat those who want to demean and malign Bengal for the sake of few votes'', the Trinamool Congress national general secretary said. Allegations of sexual abuse and land grab against TMC leaders have surfaced in Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district. The Trinamool Congress leader said the BJP government had expelled Maitra from the Lok Sabha only for raising questions against crony capitalists in Parliament. ''People of Krishnanagar had voted for Maitra as their representative in Lok Sabha. But she was expelled from the Lok Sabha by the BJP. Was there any proper investigation against her. The government failed to take action against those who had illegally entered Parliament'', Banerjee said. He said ''BJP is sowing the seeds of divisive politics. Now it is for the people to give a befitting reply by making her win by a greater margin than before and send her again to the Parliament.'' The Trinamool Congress leader claimed that it is a matter of time and BJP's exit is imminent. ''The life of the BJP government is ticking away. The exit of the saffron party is imminent'', he said. Banerjee said that it is time to install a progressive and democratic government at the Centre. This is also the time to strengthen the hands of the Trinamool Congress to help form a democratic government at the Centre. He said those who made false rape allegations, should be brought to task. Polling for the Krishnagar Lok Sabha constituency will be held on May 13. Later, speaking at a road show at Malda Dakshin, he alleged that the BJP has stooped so low that it has lowered the prestige of women by making false rape allegations by them using money power. ''The saffron party has demeaned the prestige of women by making false rape allegations at Sandeshkhali. How the local BJP leaders have maligned the honour and dignity of women before their masters in Delhi. So time has come to give them a befitting reply in the elections. Now our party's stand on Sandeshkhali that it is a conspiracy of the BJP has been vindicated by the purported sting video which surfaced yesterday'', Banerjee said. ''This BJP should be ousted from power immediately which only the Trinamool Congress can do. They want to change the country's Constitution'', he said.
Rift in INDIA triggers 3-way contests across Bengal
As the final five phases of polls draw closer, rift among Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) partners, Congress-Left combine and the Trinamool Congress, which are fighting separately has intensified, triggering a fierce contest across half of the remaining 36 constituencies in West Bengal driven by local issues such as Sandeshkhali and the SSC scam.
Bengal Governor Asks Staff To Ignore Police Summons In Sex Harassment Case
West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose has issued a directive to all staff members of Raj Bhavan in Kolkata, instructing them to disregard any communication from the state police regarding the recent sexual harassment complaint filed against him.
Sandeshkhali 'mistruth' spread by BJP using money, PM should stop shedding crocodile tears: Mamata
BOLPUR: Alleging that the mistruth about Sandeshkhali was spread by the BJP using money, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday called upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi to stop shedding crocodile tears as the conspiracy hatched by the saffron party has come to the fore with the unravelling of a recent sting. The TMC on Saturday released a video on social media, in which a man, who claimed to be a BJP mandal president in Sandeshkhali, was heard saying that Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, was behind the whole conspiracy. In the purported video, the authenticity of could not be independently verified by the PTI, the man was heard saying that Adhikari had asked him and other BJP leaders of the area to instigate three-four local women to level allegations of rape against three TMC leaders, including Shajahan Sheikh. Addressing an election rally in Bolpur Lok Sabha seat in support of TMC candidate and sitting MP Satabdi Roy, Banerjee said, Blatant lies were invented by the BJP, which plotted a conspiracy by giving money to some people to tell lies. Did anyone ever imagine that BJP would stoop so low that it would spread canards on Sandeshkhali? Don't dishonour the mothers of West Bengal by leveling such heinous allegations. Don't dare try to disrespect women of the state by offering them money to level false allegations against our party, Banerjee said. Accusing PM Modi of taking the words of few people in his party on face value, she said that y seeing the reaction of BJP leaders to the video, it was apparent that they were scared. However, if some people, including those from the TMC, committed any wrong, the party and the state government have always been quick to take disciplinary action against them, no matter how powerful they are, she asserted. Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district had erupted in protests after women accused now-suspended TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh and his associates of sexual abuse and land grabbing. He has been arrested and is now in CBI custody.
Bengal Governor instructs Raj Bhavan staff to disregard police summons related to female complainant's allegations West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose on Sunday directed all staffers of Raj Bhavan to ignore any communication from the Kolkata Police in connection with a woman employee's complaint of molestation against him. The direction comes after Kolkata Police constituted an inquiry team to probe into the woman's allegation against the governor. Bose, in a post on X, said, ''It is clear that in view of Article 361 (2) and (3) of the Constitution of India, the state police cannot act in any manner whatsoever to inquire/investigate/set in motion any kind of proceedings against the hon'ble governor.'' He also asserted that no criminal proceedings whatsoever shall be instituted or continued against the President, or the governor of a state in any court during his or her term of office. ''No process for the arrest or imprisonment...shall issue from any court during his term of office,'' the governor said in the post, drafted as a communique to Raj Bhavan employees. It is clear that the state machinery cannot set in motion any sort of criminal proceedings, whatsoever, against the governor, he said on the microblogging site. ''The reports from the media indicate that the police propose to conduct an inquiry into the incident and that they would be examining the staff of Raj Bhavan. It is also reported that the investigating team intends to collect the CCTV footage from Raj Bhavan. ''The question that arises is whether the police can conduct an inquiry and collect evidence in view of the immunity enjoyed by the governor....,'' Bose said in the post. The Kolkata Police team, as part of its investigation, will speak to witnesses over the next few days and has requested Raj Bhavan to share the CCTV footage, if available, a senior officer said on Saturday. When asked how the police could initiate a probe despite the Constitutional immunity to the governor, another police officer said that it's a regular practice to start an investigation after getting a complaint, especially from a woman. Three Raj Bhavan officials and a policeman posted at the governor's house were summoned by officers of Hare Street Police Station in connection with its investigation. ''None of the Raj Bhavan officials turned up for enquiry, and only the policeman attended. We will request them to come to the Hare Street Police Station again on Monday. No other plan of enquiry till then,'' the police officer had said. A contractual woman employee of the Raj Bhavan on Friday lodged a written complaint with the Kolkata Police, alleging molestation by the governor. The governor had described the allegation as ''absurd drama'', and said that none would be able to deter him from his ''determined efforts to expose corruption and curb violence''. Bose had ordered a ban on the entry of police personnel to the Raj Bhavan ''in the guise of conducting unauthorised, illegitimate, sham and motivated investigations to placate political bosses during the election''.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of spreading false allegations about Sandeshkhali, a district in West Bengal, using money. The TMC released a video on social media, in which a man claimed to be a BJP mandal president in Sandeshkhali, claimed that Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, was behind the conspiracy.
BJP Disperses 'Fabricated Claims' in Sandeshkhali, Mamata Exhorts PM to Cease Misinformation Campaign Alleging that the ''mistruth'' about Sandeshkhali was spread by the BJP using money, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday called upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi to stop ''shedding crocodile tears'' as the ''conspiracy hatched by the saffron party'' has come to the fore with the unravelling of a recent sting. The TMC on Saturday released a video on social media, in which a man, who claimed to be a BJP mandal president in Sandeshkhali, was heard saying that Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, was behind the ''whole conspiracy''. In the purported video, the authenticity of could not be independently verified by the PTI, the man was heard saying that Adhikari had asked him and other BJP leaders of the area to ''instigate three-four local women to level allegations of rape against three TMC leaders, including Shajahan Sheikh''. Addressing an election rally in Bolpur Lok Sabha seat in support of TMC candidate and sitting MP Satabdi Roy, Banerjee said, ''Blatant lies were invented by the BJP, which plotted a conspiracy by giving money to some people to tell lies.'' ''Did anyone ever imagine that BJP would stoop so low that it would spread canards on Sandeshkhali? Don't dishonour the mothers of West Bengal by leveling such heinous allegations. Don't dare try to disrespect women of the state by offering them money to level false allegations against our party,'' Banerjee said. Accusing PM Modi of taking the words of ''few people'' in his party on face value, she said that ''by seeing the reaction of BJP leaders to the video, it was apparent that they were scared''. ''However, if some people, including those from the TMC, committed any wrong, the party and the state government have always been quick to take disciplinary action against them, no matter how powerful they are,'' she asserted. Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district had erupted in protests after women accused now-suspended TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh and his associates of sexual abuse and land grabbing. He has been arrested and is now in CBI custody.
Sandeshkhali 'fabrication' fanned by BJP for lucre, PM's feigned sorrow condemned: Mamata
Sandeshkhali 'fabrication' fanned by BJP for lucre, PM's feigned sorrow condemned: Mamata Alleging that the ''mistruth'' about Sandeshkhali was spread by the BJP using money, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday called upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi to stop ''shedding crocodile tears'' as the ''conspiracy hatched by the saffron party'' has come to the fore with the unravelling of a recent sting. The TMC on Saturday released a video on social media, in which a man, who claimed to be a BJP mandal president in Sandeshkhali, was heard saying that Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, was behind the ''whole conspiracy''. In the purported video, the authenticity of could not be independently verified by the PTI, the man was heard saying that Adhikari had asked him and other BJP leaders of the area to ''instigate three-four local women to level allegations of rape against three TMC leaders, including Shajahan Sheikh''. Addressing an election rally in Bolpur Lok Sabha seat in support of TMC candidate and sitting MP Satabdi Roy, Banerjee said, ''Blatant lies were invented by the BJP, which plotted a conspiracy by giving money to some people to tell lies.'' ''Did anyone ever imagine that BJP would stoop so low that it would spread canards on Sandeshkhali? Don't dishonour the mothers of West Bengal by leveling such heinous allegations. Don't dare try to disrespect women of the state by offering them money to level false allegations against our party,'' Banerjee said. Accusing PM Modi of taking the words of ''few people'' in his party on face value, she said that ''by seeing the reaction of BJP leaders to the video, it was apparent that they were scared''. ''However, if some people, including those from the TMC, committed any wrong, the party and the state government have always been quick to take disciplinary action against them, no matter how powerful they are,'' she asserted. Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district had erupted in protests after women accused now-suspended TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh and his associates of sexual abuse and land grabbing. He has been arrested and is now in CBI custody.
BJP forms legal cell in Bengal to help genuine candidates among 25,753 job losers
BJP forms legal cell in Bengal to help genuine candidates among 25,753 job losers Kolkata: The West Bengal unit of BJP on Sunday announced the formation of a five-member legal cell to provide assistance to the genuine candidates among the 25,753 teaching and non-teaching staff in state-run schools whose jobs were cancelled recently on [] The post BJP forms legal cell in Bengal to help genuine candidates among 25,753 job losers appeared first on Mangalorean.com .
Sandeshkhali incidents orchestrated by BJP: Mamata
Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday accused the BJP of orchestrating the incidents of Sandeshkhali, where allegations of sexual abuse against Trinamool Congress leaders have surfaced, to malign the state. The party on Saturday released a video on social media, claiming that the footage vindicated its stand that the BJP was behind Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
Sandeshkhali Incidents: Mamata Alleges BJP Orchestration
Sandeshkhali Incidents: Mamata Alleges BJP Orchestration West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday accused the BJP of orchestrating the incidents of Sandeshkhali, where allegations of sexual abuse against Trinamool Congress leaders have surfaced, to malign the state. The party on Saturday released a video on social media, claiming that the footage vindicated its stand that the BJP was behind the Sandeshkhali episode. ''I had for long stated that the BJP has been trying to malign the image of Bengal by orchestrating the Sandeshkhali incident. The sting operation revealed the real face of the 'Bangla-Birodhis' as they tried to manipulate emotions of my mothers and sisters. On the 13th of May, the people of Ranaghat shall ensure that the Bangla-Birodhis are ousted from Bengal!'' Banerjee posted on X. In the purported video, a man claimed to be Gangadhar Kayal who is a BJP mandal president in North 24 Parganas district's Sandeshkhali, was heard saying that the leader of the opposition in the West Bengal assembly ''Suvendu Adhikari is behind the whole conspiracy''. PTI did not verify the authenticity of the video posted by the TMC. The local BJP leader was also heard saying that Nandigram MLA ''Adhikari himself had planted guns at a house in Sandeshkhali, which was later shown as the seizure by central agencies''. Former BJP state president Dilip Ghosh said the alleged ''sting video will not have any impact'' on the Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal ''It was not the BJP but the common people of Sandeshkhali, who protested in the streets against atrocities on women by local TMC leaders,'' said Ghosh, the BJP nominee for the Bardhaman-Durgapur Lok Sabha constituency. Banerjee had also said the ''shocking Sandeshkhali sting shows how deep the rot is within the BJP''. Adhikari, while reacting to the allegations, had said the video was doctored, and Kayal lodged a complaint to the CBI alleging that it was morphed and created by using artificial intelligence.
India's Travel & Tourism Boom: Projections Show 58 Million New Jobs by 2033
In the coming 9 years, new jobs are also expected across emerging cities/locations like Gujarat, Lakshadweep, and West Bengal.
Modi charisma would help BJP increase number of seats in Bengal: Sukanta Majumdar
KOLKATA: BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar on Sunday expressed confidence that the saffron party would increase its share of seats in the state from the current 18. While taking part in the Express Dialogues, an initiative of this newspaper, Majumdar said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's charisma would help the party transform the losing seats into winning seats. He said that BJP's ground level workers strength in Bengal has increased considerably since 2014. Majumdar also claimed that BJP is the only alternative before the people of West Bengal. In 2024, the only alternative before the people of West Bengal is the BJP, he said, adding that for more than 40 years, starting with the Left Front government, the state has not seen any substantial development when it comes to industries and as a result there was no creation of jobs. The need of the hour is to create more jobs for the people. Now in Bengal I saw many graduates are plying e rickshaws in small towns in Bengal and if you interact with them you will come to know that there are no jobs, he said. #KolkataDialogues | 'Politics should not govern society, society should govern politics': West Bengal BJP President @DrSukantaBJP talks about unemployment, #PMModi 's schemes, industrial growth, and much more. pic.twitter.com/gOJl3Et3ku The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) May 5, 2024 Majumdar said that Bengal needs rapid industrialisation and a clear cut industrial policy which the TMC government has failed to provide. He dubbed the TMC government as corrupt which was bent on misleading people. To a question relating to a TMC sting video showing a Sandeshkhali BJP functionary admitting that many of the charges, including that of rape, were levelled following instructions from BJP leaders including Suvendu Adhikari, Majumdar replied, It is not clear whether the video was fake or real. Gangadhar Kayl, the BJP leader allegedly in the video, swiftly responded by filing a complaint with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), claiming manipulation through Artificial Intelligence (AI). To another query, he said all the demands of the Matua community and the Gorkhas will be fulfilled by the BJP government in due course of time.
India's Response to Nepal's New Currency Note Featuring Disputed Territories
New Delhi: India's External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, criticized Nepal for its unilateral action in introducing a new Nepalese Rupee 100 currency note featuring three disputed Indian territories. Speaking at an event in Bhubaneswar, Jaishankar stated that Nepal's move wouldn't alter the diplomatic situation between the two countries. Jaishankar emphasized that India and Nepal were in discussions about their boundary matters through an established platform. He mentioned that Nepal's unilateral measures wouldn't change the situation or the reality on the ground.On Friday, Nepal announced the printing of a new Nepalese Rupee 100 currency note featuring a map showing the disputed territories of Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura, and Kalapani. India has previously termed this move as untenable and an artificial enlargement. Nepal's government spokesperson, Rekha Sharma, informed the media that the decision to redesign the currency note was made during the cabinet meetings held on April 25 and May 2.Diplomatic tensions between Nepal and India escalated in 2020 after Nepal updated its map to include the three disputed territories. The move was made by Nepal's Ministry of Land Management, with the Department of Survey claiming to have incorporated the territories with accurate scale, projection, and coordinate system. However, India had already included these territories in its November 2019 map. The situation worsened further after the inauguration of a road linking Kailash Mansarovar via Lipulekh on May 8, 2020. Nepal objected to this move and handed over a diplomatic note to India. Prior to this, Nepal had raised objections to India's unilateral decision to construct the road.In response to Nepal's objections, India's External Affairs Ministry clarified that the road passing through Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh district lies entirely within Indian territory. Nepal shares a border of over 1,850 km with five Indian states, including Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, and Sikkim. Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh: India Will Not Coerce Capture of PoK NADA Suspends Wrestler Bajrang Punia for Failure to Provide Dope Test Bakshish Singh Beaten to Death Over Alleged Sacrilege at Gurdwara in Punjab
Mercury finally on downward spiral
Kolkata's temperature decrease to 37.2C indicates a coming nor'wester. Increasing Bay of Bengal moisture incursions hint at May 5-10 rainfall amidst easing heatwave. Murshidabad, Birbhum may see 70-110mm rainfall.
How the West Bengal school job scam unfolded
KOLKATA: Days after the Calcutta High Court invalidated the fraudulent appointments of 25,753 teachers and non-teaching staff by the state's School Service Commission (SSC) in state-run and state-aided schools, SSC chairman Siddhartha Majumdar said the number of irregular hires was around 5,300 or 20.5%. In the affidavits the SSC filed before the high court bench, it quantified the illegal appointments as 4,327, which works out to 16.8%. When the order's challenge was heard in the Supreme Court on April 29, the figure on questionable appointments mentioned by the state government's counsel was 8,000 or 31%. So, what is the actual size of the fraud? Sources in the state government claim the illegal appointees paid bribes in the range of Rs 5-15 lakh. Going by the 8,000 figure mentioned in the SC, a back-of-the-envelope calculation would suggest a rip-off of at least Rs 400 crore (8,000 x 5,00,000). 19,000 school job losers likely to be eligible recruits: Bengal SSC A three-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud refused to stay the high court order canceling all the appointments but asked if it was possible to segregate the valid and the invalid recruitments. The matter will come up before the bench on May 6 when the state government is expected to respond. What went against the Bengal government in the eyes of the high court bench was the complete lack of cooperation by its agencies and institutions like the SSC and the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education. Whatever has been unraveled so far is because of writ petitions by the aggrieved, the pesky judiciary and the Central probe agencies. Not all dodgy recruitments flagged by the courts have been acted upon by the SSC yet. In sum, the SSC is yet to take the trouble of cleaning up the recruitment process on its own to instill faith and confidence in the system. To most of the writ petitions on rank jumps and illegal appointments, its affidavits claimed they were inadvertent errors due to oversight. Unintentional errors in 16.8% or 20.5% or 31% of the recruitments, whichever figure you choose to go with, would mean some really careless chaps are handling hiring without oversight. Is there an internal system of accountability? West Bengal: Will HC order on teacher job scam have an impact? Around 4,000 teachers who lost their jobs because of the sweeping judgment despite figuring on the rank list demonstrated at the Shahid Minar Ground in Kolkata. Grain and chaff test The high court division bench of justice Debangsu Basak and Md. Shabbar Rashid was constituted following a direction from the Supreme Court. It heard 350 petitions and appeals before delivering its judgment. The judges knew their verdict was unusually harsh because thousands of candidates who had sailed through on merit were also rendered jobless. Cancelling all appointments is unacceptable if it is possible to separate the grain from the chaff, the Supreme Court has ruled on multiple occasions. But the high court bench said applying the grain and the chaff test in the present case was impossible because the entire selection process was tainted and compromised. For starters, the selection process involved a written test for four categories of candidates - Group C, Group D, assistant teachers for classes 9 and 10, and assistant teachers for classes 11 and 12. All candidates had to fill up Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) answer sheets for the written test in 2016. The SSC destroyed the original OMR sheets a year later after their mirror images were captured by an outsourced agency, M/s NYSA. The SSC claimed it had a copy of the mirror images. But a CBI probe could not find the mirror images in the SSC server. Yet, when RTI requests came up from candidates for copies of their OMR sheets, the SSC provided them, as the processing was done by NYSA. The CBI recovered from NYSA staffer Pankaj Bansal at UP's Ghaziabad three hard disks that had original scanned images of the OMR sheets and the evaluated marks. Their veracity is not disputed. NYSA, the company hired for scanning and evaluating the OMR sheets, outsourced the job to another company, Data Scantech. But SSC's chairman told the court he had no knowledge of Data Scantech's role in the selection process. Who authorised NYSA to engage Data Scantech is yet to be disclosed. Jobs were sold for lakhs of rupees: Shah slams Didi govt All OMR sheets were scanned at the SSC's office. That is again not disputed. How the SSC allowed Data Scantech to work out of its premises without authorisation for the physical scanning, raises serious questions about the integrity, sanctity and validity of the entire selection process, the bench observed. Besides, the choice of NYSA as the evaluator was opaque. NYSA was appointed without an open tender. The SSC did not disclose the parameters/qualifications required to participate in the bidding process despite the court's request. The conduct of the evaluator affects the validity of the evaluation process, the bench reasoned. The non-cooperative attitude of the SSC, the state and the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education added to the hassle. The entire selection process is shrouded in such mystery and in such layers that it is difficult to fathom the quantum of illegalities performed. That illegalities had vitiated the selection process of M/s. NYSA stands established, the bench observed. The plausible inference from the materials made available on record and the conduct of the relevant parties is that the entire machinery was devised for the purpose of effectuating a scam which will be hard to discover and even if discovered difficult to prove, it said. Fraud perpetrated and perpetuated is deep and pervasive. Any attempt to shift the proverbial grain from the chaff would be an unprofitable exercise, prolonging the agony and would put premium on dishonesty, the high court bench added. Around 4,000 teachers who lost their jobs because of the sweeping judgment despite figuring on the rank list demonstrated at the Shahid Minar Ground in Kolkata. Blank OMR sheets Some candidates had submitted blank OMR sheets, yet the evaluator's score showed they did sufficiently well in the test and were recruited. The CBI found ample evidence of OMR sheet manipulation besides fraudulent rank jumps of candidates. The exact number of such illegal beneficiaries is yet to be quantified but according to the SSC's own admission, as many as 45% of Group D appointments were questionable (see table). Political football Coming as the verdict did bang in the middle of the general elections, the job scam turned into political football. The corruption witnessed in school recruitment under the TMC's watch is deplorable. Numerous deserving and genuine candidates have suffered due to this scam. I have asked the Bengal BJP unit to create a separate legal cell and social media platform to provide help to genuine candidates and teachers. No matter even if the elections are on, the party would extend all help to the genuine candidates, Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently said. In her riposte, Trinamool Congress boss and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said, The BJP snatched away the jobs of school teachers in West Bengal. The party is now saying they will help those who lost their jobs. Now because of elections, the prime minister is making such remarks. It is the BJP which was part of the court case that took away the jobs. Now they are making false promises. Senior Trinamool leader Abhishek Banerjee said, Just as we've heard of match-fixing in cricket, what is happening now is 'fixing of orders', a collaboration between a certain section of the judiciary and the BJP to inflict suffering on people. The recent joining of an ex-judge to the BJP further validates our claims, he said. Bag panel In 2021, a different high court bench appointed a panel headed by retired Justice Ranjit Kumar Bag, former judge of the high court, to monitor and supervise the probe into the Group C and D recruitments. Its findings tally with those of the CBI. For example, it found that as many as 609 Group D vacancies were filled by preparing false recommendation letters. Of them were 318 candidates whose names did not figure in the Group D panel for selection or in the waiting list. In other words, they flunked the test. The dodgy candidates made their first move by seeking re-evaluation of their OMR answer sheets through the RTI Act. Then the rigged system took over. None of these candidates appeared for the mandatory personality test, nor were they part of the counseling process. Their false recommendation letters were sent from the SSC office using fictitious memo numbers of the Regional Commissions and by affixing scanned signatures of the Chairpersons of the Regional Commissions while keeping them in the dark after the expiry of the selection panel. How the scam broke Separate panels of the successful candidates in the four categories of jobs were published in 2017 and 2018. But candidates could only see their individual score and rank online after entering their roll number and date of birth. It didn't give them a sense of transparency. Some of them moved the high court seeking the full list of successful candidates together with their scores and ranking. The high court consented, forcing the reluctant SSC to publish the list on June 20, 2019 after hauling it up for contempt of court. But before releasing the full list, the SSC changed the ranks of the dodgy candidates despite the high court fiat to publish it as is. Can of worms The full list opened a can of worms as it showed candidates with lesser scores getting jobs over better performers. A section of the aggrieved candidates went to court. The rest is history. In August 2022, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested former education minister Partha Chatterjee and his close aide Arpita Mukherjee in the case. Several SSC officials, including Trinamool Congress MLA Manik Bhattacharya were also arrested. In its first chargesheet filed in September 2022, the ED said it traced cash, jewellery and immovable property worth Rs 103.10 crore linked to the duo. All the shady appointments were made by a five-member committee approved by Partha Chatterjee. The panel was tasked to supervise, monitor and guide the SSC on the recruitment process. Justice Gangopadhyay After the initial writ petitions were assigned to Calcutta high court judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay, the trickle of litigants soon turned into a torrent. In May 2022, Justice Gangopadhyay ordered a CBI probe into the job scam. The West Bengal government challenged it in the Supreme Court, which directed a bigger bench of the Calcutta high court to address the matter. Later, the CBI got to probe the case and reveal the dirty secrets. It was Justice Gangopadhyay's dogged pursuit that helped unravel the scam. He ranted and raved against the Bag probe panel before he realised it was equally committed in ferreting out the truth, picked quarrels with brother judges and violated judicial discipline, but also successfully coaxed the government through various means to spill out the facts. Gangopadhayay resigned from service on March 5, joined the BJP two days later and was fielded from the Tamluk Lok Sabha seat in East Midnapore district. Reacting to the verdict, Gangopadhyay said, The real culprits are sitting in top positions of state administration and hiding behind their security bubble. If they have the courage and any shame left in them, they should quit their positions of power, shred their protective cover and face investigations. Supernumerary post Instead of going after the candidates who got jobs through the back door by fraud, what was appalling was the SSC seeking the court's permission to create a supernumerary post for them. Supernumerary posts are created for a limited period to accommodate government employees with retrospective effect when no regular post is available. As for the state government, it did not oppose the request. Documents placed on record suggested that the West Bengal government, at the level of the Cabinet, had approved creation of the supernumerary posts to accommodate these illegal appointees. The Principal Secretary shared with the Justice Gangopadhyay bench a Cabinet note and a Cabinet memo on creation of the supernumerary post. The high court in its sweeping verdict had also directed the CBI to probe the role of the West Bengal government officials in the scam and those involved in approving the creation of supernumerary posts for the illegal appointees. It gave the CBI the freedom to consider custodial interrogation of such individuals, if needed. However, the SC last week stayed the CBI probe order. The high court also said that those appointed outside the officially available 24,640 vacancies after the expiry of the official date of recruitment, and those who submitted blank OMR sheets but were hired, must return all their remuneration and benefits with 12% interest per annum within four weeks. It is shocking that at the level of the Cabinet of the state government, a decision is taken to protect employment obtained fraudulently in a selection process conducted by SSC for state-funded schools, knowing full well that such appointments were obtained beyond the panel and after expiry of the panel, at the bare minimum, the high court verdict said. Unless here is a deep connection between the persons perpetuating the fraud and the beneficiaries, efforts to create supernumerary posts to protect illegal appointments is inconceivable, the division bench observed. The division bench directed the SSC to initiate a fresh appointment process within a fortnight from the date of the results of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. Illegalities in the selection process SSC appointed M/s NYSA for scanning and evaluating the OMR sheets by closed-door tender in violation of Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution of India NYSA engaged another agency, Data Scantech, to scan the OMR sheets Scanning was done at the office of SSC. But SSC claims it never engaged Data Scantech to scan the OMR sheets or authorised NYSA to engage Data Scantech or any other agency SSC destroyed original OMR sheets; claimed scanned mirror images saved in its server CBI did not find any scanned mirror image of OMR sheets in the server of SSC OMR sheets had been destroyed without the scanned mirror images being preserved in the server of SSC But SSC provided scanned OMR sheets to RTI applicants from 2018 to 2023 claiming that such OMR sheets were from its database although CBI did not find any OMR sheets in the server of SSC Appointments higher than the declared vacancies had been given in all 4 categories Appointments given to persons who were not even in the panel who cleared the test Appointments given to persons who submitted blank OMR sheets Appointments given to persons after the expiry of the panel Persons placed lower in rank given appointment in preference to persons placed higher in the pecking order in the merit list Counseling held even after the expiry of the panel Total beneficiaries of the illegalities yet to be identified because of non-cooperation by the SSC, Board and State SSC had applied for permission to create supernumerary posts to accommodate the illegal appointees Recruitment rules governing the four categories never adhered to
TMC, BJP cautiously navigate Jhargram's complex identity dynamics
TMC, BJP cautiously navigate Jhargram's complex identity dynamics The tumultuous days of Maoist violence may now be a thing of the past for residents of Jhargram constituency in western West Bengal but the tribal-dominated seat sits on a powder keg of identity politics which has a direct bearing on the elections. A long-standing demand for Scheduled Tribe status by the minority Kurmis, a traditional tiller community listed as OBCs in West Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha, had led to sporadic violence in the recent past and has vertically divided the inhabitants of region with the majority Adivasis, enlisted STs, firmly opposing it. Both the Trinamool Congress and the BJP have chosen to tread cautiously over this ''extremely sensitive'' issue which, some voices from the ground feel, has the ''potential to explode at the slightest provocation''. While the ruling party in the state has declared in its poll manifesto that it would ''actively work with the Centre'' to award the desired status to the Kurmi-Mahato community, the saffron party has officially remained silent. The BJP is defending this ST-reserved seat it snatched from the TMC five years ago but the latter bounced back in the 2021 state elections, winning all seven assembly segments of Jhargram and reducing the saffron camp to naught. ''Unless a quick constitutional remedy to the impasse is found, Jhargram could turn into another Manipur,'' warned Ashok Mahato, a local Kurmi leader. ''Parties across the board make promises ahead of polls but have hardly taken effective steps to make progress in the matter. The BJP made the same promise in 2019 but barely moved an inch. The state claims it has sent the Cultural Research Institute (CRI) report to the Centre with necessary recommendations but there is no feedback yet from the other side. People are getting impatient,'' he said. The Kurmi leader, who had previously unsuccessfully contested the state polls as an Independent candidate, said he has filed for registration for a separate party of Kurmis named Jungal Mahal Swaraj Morcha. In 2004, the Jharkhand government had recommended listing Kurmis as STs rather than OBCs. Following the Centre's Tribal Research Institute opposition to the proposal, the Union government turned down the state's plea in 2015. ''Kurmis have every right to make their demand but we oppose it,'' said Samai Hansda, leader of the Bharat Jakat Majhi Pargana Mahal, a social organisation of the Santhal community in Jhargram. ''Mahatos are primarily Kshatriyas and are already entitled to various social opportunities. It's the tribals who need constitutional protection due to their backwardness. As long as the Kurmis agitate in a democratic manner, we have no issues. But if push comes to shove, we won't stay silent,'' Hansda added. Over the past year or so, Jhargram and its neighbouring areas have witnessed multiple instances of long periods of road and railway track blockades by agitating Kurmis who were joined by their counterparts from adjoining Jharkhand. ''This matter must be resolved by making all stakeholders, including the state and central governments, sit across the table for discussions. I will do everything in my limited powers to facilitate that process, should I win the elections,'' said BJP candidate Pranat Tudu. Tudu was named as candidate after the party's sitting MP Kunar Hembram resigned from the BJP on March 9, barely days before the polls were announced, citing ''personal reasons''. TMC's nominee, Kalipada alias Kherwal Soren, a noted Santhali playwright and author recognised with Sahitya Academy and Padma Shri awards, said his party has already taken a principled stand on the issue which it clarified in its poll manifesto. ''We stand by the Mahato demands and have sent our CRI recommendation. The ball is now in Centre's court,'' he said. ''In my sustained interactions with the Adivasis during my campaign, I found no adverse repercussions on the ground over this,'' he claimed. A hotbed of ultra-Left Maoist activities during 2008-2011, Jhargram and its adjacent Bankura, Purulia and Paschim Medinipur districts witnessed wanton blood spill where victims included militants, security personnel and ordinary people. Following the encounter killing of Maoist commander Kishenji in November 2011, the Naxals lost grip over the region resulting in steady subsiding of turbulence. Despite acknowledging the benefits of peace returning to the region, Tudu was reluctant to give credit to the Mamata Banerjee administration for it. ''Everyone knows that the Maoist problem was the TMC's own creation. The rebels helped the party to come to power,'' he alleged. The sharp differences over ST status demand aside, both Kurmis and the tribals broadly agree on the other pertinent issues of Jhargram over which the elections are likely to be fought. ''People of Jhargram are looking forward to better facilities in sectors such as education, health, employment and environment protection,'' Mahato said, stressing on the need to build a dedicated elephant corridor to address increasing instances of man-animal conflict in the region. Hansda said, ''Adivasis are sensitive about their indigenous religion and associated social practices. We want no interference from governments in our traditional and personal lives and expect both the Centre and the state to honour our rights to water, forest and land.'' ''If the BJP implements Uniform Civil Code, like they say they would, the tribals would be the hardest hit,'' the TMC nominee chipped in. ''We have long fought for our rights to self control and never bowed before the British. Any attempts to impose social codes from above will meet stiff resistance from the Adivasis,'' Soren said. A radiologist by profession, BJP candidate Tudu highlighted ''crippled health infrastructure'' of the region, calling it an issue of ''paramount importance''. ''The Jhargram Medical College, the only facility which is supposed to provide tertiary healthcare to patients, does not even have an MRI machine nor performs echocardiogram on patients,'' he alleged. The 15 lakh-odd voters of the seat would exercise their franchise on May 25 during the sixth phase of polls.
Rift among INDIA bloc partners triggers three-cornered intense contests across Bengal
The rift between the Congress-Left combine and the TMC, fighting separately, has intensified as the final five phases of polls draw closer. Local issues such as corruption allegations, the cancellation of School Service Commission (SSC) jobs, incidents in Sandeshkhali, and implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) are altering election dynamics in West Bengal. The Left-Congress alliance is fast gaining traction in several seats, turning the polls into a three-cornered contest in at least 18-20 LS segments.
Bengal polls: Rift within NDA triggers three-way contests in some seats
Bengal polls: Rift within NDA triggers three-way contests in some seats As the final five phases of polls draw closer, rift among INDIA bloc partners, Congress-Left combine and the TMC, who are fighting separately has intensified, triggering a fierce contest across half of the remaining 36 constituencies in West Bengal driven by local issues such as Sandeshkhali and the SSC scam. TMC's decision to contest independently in the state, rather than as part of the bloc, has led to a three-way contest, with the other contenders being the BJP and the Congress-Left alliance. Nevertheless, both TMC and Congress have asserted that they are part of the INDIA bloc at the national level and are authentic representatives of the opposition front in Bengal. Political analysts suggest that without a dominant national narrative like national security after the 2019 Pulwama attacks, local concerns such as corruption allegations, the cancellation of School Service Commission (SSC) jobs, incidents in Sandeshkhali and implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) are altering election dynamics. Maidul Islam, a political scientist at the Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, remarked, ''Till a few months ago, it seemed the elections in Bengal will be a bipolar contest between the TMC and BJP. But with issues like corruption and Sandeshkhali gaining prominence, the Left-Congress alliance is fast gaining traction in several seats and turning the polls into a three-cornered contest in at least 18-20 LS segments.'' He said besides the two and three seats in Malda and Murshidabad districts, where TMC and Congress secured two each and the BJP one in 2019, there are 13 seats spread across South Bengal, where the TMC and the Left-Congress alliance are engaging in intense competition. ''It's not that the Left-Congress will win many seats, but in segments where their vote share is above 10 per cent, there is a likelihood that they might influence the outcome, to the disadvantage of either the TMC or the BJP, if they manage to secure two per cent more votes,'' Islam added. According to sources in TMC and CPI(M), the electoral battleground extends beyond Malda and Murshidabad, encompassing Lok Sabha segments like Dum Dum, Srerampore, Arambagh, Hooghly, Howrah, Barrackpore, Bardhaman-Purba, Bardhaman-Durgapur, Bankura, Purulia, Tamluk, Kolkata North, and Jadavpur, all poised for a three-cornered fight. Notably, eight of these seats were won by TMC and the remaining by BJP in the 2019 parliamentary polls. ''The shift in dynamics presents the Congress-Left alliance as a significant player, and its emergence complicates the electoral narrative, transcending the conventional TMC versus BJP dichotomy,'' political analyst Subhomoy Moitra said. While the Left Front is contesting 30 seats, the Congress has fielded candidates in 12 out of 42 seats. ''We wanted an alliance with the Congress, but they were delaying the seat-sharing arrangements, so we decided to go alone. Now the Left-Congress alliance is helping the BJP by trying to eat into our votes,'' remarked TMC leader Santanu Sen. According to TMC leaders, the breakup of INDIA alliance in Bengal has both electoral advantages and disadvantages. ''After the Left and Congress alliance fell apart in West Bengal in 2019, it had led to a four-cornered contest with BJP bagging the entire chunk of the anti-TMC votes in the state,'' they said. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP bagged 18 seats and its vote share rose from 17 to 40 per cent. Meanwhile, despite a 3 per cent rise in vote share, the TMC lost 12 seats, dropping from 34 to 22. The Left drew a blank with a vote share decline from 24 per cent to 6 per cent, and the Congress lost two seats, shrinking its vote share from 9.5 per cent to 5 per cent and bagging just two seats. ''Local issues such as corruption and SSC scam are helping the Left-Congress in the state as there is anger among a section of people against the TMC and also against the BJP over the perception of a tacit understanding,'' a TMC leader said. Analysts observe that Mamata Banerjee's intensified criticism of Left and Congress, accusing them of aiding BJP, and the ensuing sharp responses from CPI(M) and Congress, alleging a secret pact between TMC and BJP, as indicative of the growing significance of Left-Congress alliance. Data from various local elections and by-polls conducted after 2021 assembly elections indicate a shift in anti-TMC votes as there has been a resurgence of Left-Congress combine. Incidentally, the BJP had witnessed a decline in its vote share as compared to the 2019 Lok Sabha and 38 per cent in 2021 assembly polls. In 2023, violence scarred panchayat polls which covered nearly 70 per cent of the states electorate, the TMC had bagged 51 per cent of votes whereas the BJP had bagged 22 per cent. The Left-Congress-ISF alliance had, however, bagged 23 per cent votes. The ISF this time, however, has decided to contest alone in 17 seats. Congress leader Suvankar Sarkar emphasized, ''People are disenchanted with the TMC and the BJP, as they are both sides of the same coin. People are coming out in large numbers to support the Left-Congress candidates.'' CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty expressed confidence in the Left-Congress alliance's potential to deliver surprising results in the elections, claiming initial success in breaking bipolar politics in Bengal. BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar downplayed the significance of the rift in opposition alliance and the three-cornered fight in various seats. ''People know that BJP is only fighting TMC's misrule in Bengal. Those who want to vote against TMC, will vote for us only just like in the 2019 and 2021 polls,'' he said. Political scientist Biswanath Chakraborty suggested that TMC stands to gain the most from the three-cornered contest. In minority pockets, the Left-Congress alliance could dent TMC's vote base, potentially aiding BJP's prospects, he noted.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday lashed out against the BJP, calling the party anti-Bengal and accusing it of having orchestrated a conspiracy to defame our state at every possible level.
Rahul Gandhi has no fire but Cong playing with fire by attempting Hindu-Muslim divide:Rajnath
Rahul Gandhi has no fire but Cong playing with fire by attempting Hindu-Muslim divide:Rajnath Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has no fire while his party is playing with fire by attempting to create Hindu-Muslim divide for electoral dividends, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has said. In an interview to PTI, Singh also indicated that the BJP will implement its big-ticket plans like rolling out of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and implementing the 'One Nation One Election' push if it retains power for the third consecutive term. The defence minister also said that he was confident that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will cross 400 seats and the BJP will get over 370 as these projections were made after detailed assessment of the ground situation and not made only for public consumption. On the overall political landscape, the defence minister accused the Congress of attempting to disturb social harmony and trying to create tensions on religious lines. ''They are attempting to create Hindu-Muslim divide for electoral gains. The Congress is trying to create tensions on religious lines,'' he alleged. ''The Congress wants to disturb social harmony. They look at the Muslim community only as a vote bank. I have a suggestion for them -- politics should not be done only for forming governments. The aim of politics should be for nation building,'' he said. ''Rahul Gandhi has no fire but Congress is playing with fire,'' he said. Singh said people of the country will repose their faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP's tally will improve significantly based on the performance of the government in the last five years. ''Our seats will increase in Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal and we will get some seats in Tamil Nadu. Our account will open in Kerala as well. We are winning a good number of seats in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana,'' the senior BJP leader said. ''We will increase our tally in Odisha, Jharkhand and Assam. We are sweeping Chhattisgarh,'' he said, asserting that the BJP will cross the 370-mark. Asked whether the BJP's seats in Maharashtra will come down, he did not give a direct reply but said there may be some adjustments here and there. The BJP leader also came down hard on the Congress for its plan to ''redistribute'' wealth, saying it will have disastrous consequences for the country's economy. ''The concept of redistribution of wealth will trigger recession. Argentina and Venezuela implemented it and faced disastrous consequences. The investors will lose confidence in India,'' Singh said. On the BJP's big-ticket plans like implementation of the UCC and 'One Nation One Poll' push in if it retains power, Singh said it fulfils promises that it makes to the people of India. In its manifesto, the BJP pledged to implement the UCC if it returns to power after the general elections. It also mentioned that the party will move forward with a resolve to realise the idea of 'One Nation, One Election'. ''We always fulfil our commitments. We will never allow any question mark on our credibility and will not compromise on the country's unity and integrity. We implement whatever we say in our manifesto. We have to do whatever we say,'' Singh said. ''We will go for 'One Nation One Election. We will take views of every quarter, including all political parties on it,'' he said. On the UCC, the defence minister said even the Constitution-makers felt a need for it, as it is mentioned in the directive principles. ''The Congress wants to create fear psychosis; they want to use the Hindu-Muslim card,'' he said. ''They do not have any issue. They want to form a government by dividing the society in the name of caste, creed and religion and they have always done it,'' he alleged.
As rivers eat away banks, parties look to turn erosion into a poll plank in Malda
River Ganga's course changes displace voters in Malda to Jharkhand. Erosion affects schools, residents, and triggers political actions. Farakka Barrage's impact on river course emphasized in political discourse.
Trinamool trying to spread terror in Murshidabad: Adhir Chowdhury
Adhir Chowdhury accuses Trinamool of violence to influence polls, criticizes BJP's polarization tactics, and blames Modi for economic instability during the elections.
Slum pockets get water 2 hours a week; No water problem, says BWSSB
BENAGALURU : The slum pockets of DJ Halli and Chikka Banaswadi, which previously had continuous water supply for 24 hours every day, are now getting water for merely two hours a week, and are forced to buy water. A significant part of their income is being spent on buying water every day. TNIE visited the slum pocket and interacted with the residents. The migrant population told TNIE that they were hopeful that before the Lok Sabha elections, someone would address their water shortage concerns. We have always been and will continue to be neglected. Since our voting rights belong elsewhere, we are not considered priority citizens here, said a migrant labourer from West Bengal. Initially, some kids went to schools here, but now we have asked them to help us with daily chores and bring water instead. We buy water from whoever is willing to sell, irrespective of quality, a labour said. I am unable to cover the education cost of my kids, as my auto wash business is not generating any income these days, he added. The locality in DJ Halli which houses approximately 40-50 people, receives two hours of water per week. One hour is allocated for drinking water, while the other hour is dedicated for treated water, both on separate days, said Reshma, a resident of the locality. The lanes are so narrow that we cannot call the water tankers inside. Neither we can afford to pay for the services, she added. The area has multiple meat shops, furniture stores, and paint labourers, along with a migrant population relying on daily earnings for their livelihoods. Residents lament that frequent delays in the water supply is disrupting their daily routine, in turn directly affecting their income. Ramesh, a resident of Chikka Banasawadi, stated that his house needs around 20 pots of water daily, costing Rs 40. The expense is a big concern. Even the nearby public borewell has dried up, he said, and added that despite the water quality, they continue to use it due to a lack of alternatives. When TNIE brought the issue of water shortage to the notice of BWSSB Chairman Ram Prasath Manohar, he dismissed the issue and went on to say that there have not been any complaints from the above slum pockets. Inspections and weekly meetings being held to assess areas experiencing water shortage and identify any associated issues, Manohar said.
Surge in Election Spending Poised to Boost Rural Economy, Experts Predict
Surge in Election Spending Poised to Boost Rural Economy, Experts Predict Even as the 2024 Lok Sabha polls have started to unfold, anticipation remained high not only in the political landscape but also about the ripple effects on the economy, particularly in rural India, as experts described the elections as the most expensive one ever fought in the country's history. With an expenditure of a staggering Rs 1.35 lakh crore estimated by N Bhaskara Rao, who chairs the Centre for Media Studies and has been tracking election spending for 35 years, significant parts of the amount spent during the polls will reach the pockets of India's rural population boosting sales, business houses feel. According to a study, about 35 per cent of election expenditure in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in India was made on campaigns and publicity. The second highest expenditure head was payments to voters via various means hiring workers, purchasing campaign materials, freebies and direct cash transfers in some cases. Industry leaders expect these will have a positive impact on the economy, especially in India's countryside. ''The considerable election expenditure anticipated over the next two to three months would ignite a notable increase in rural spending. Propelled by optimism and economic activity stemming from political campaigns, this surge in rural demand will be fortified,'' Keshav Bhajanka, Executive Director of India's top plyboard maker, Century Plyboard, told PTI. He said his company aims to leverage this opportunity by monitoring rural market dynamics and adapting its product offerings and marketing strategies to align with the evolving preferences and needs of rural consumers. ''The company also plans to intensify its efforts to expand its distribution network and enhance brand visibility in rural areas to capture a larger share of the anticipated post-election market growth,'' Bhajanka said. Shreeram Bagla, Managing Director of city-based snacks major Annapurna Swadisht, highlighted that rural demand for the FMCG sector as a whole had been slightly subdued during the second and third quarters of the 2023-24 fiscal. ''We are expecting a steady recovery in demand in the rural and semi-urban markets in the wake of higher spending on election-related expenses. The government seems to be laying a major thrust on boosting the rural economy. This is likely to spur consumption in villages, thereby shoring up the demand for FMCG products,'' Bagla noted. Emami Ltd, another FMCG major with considerable rural dependence, also expressed a positive outlook. ''We expect the economy to bounce back on multiple counts in the backdrop of the election. First, anticipation of a good monsoon is expected to boost the rural economy. Secondly, with the softening of raw material prices, while companies are gearing up to pass on the benefits to the consumers, they will also invest more in brand building. The combination of these will definitely push the demand for the FMCG sector up,'' Emami Wholetime Director & Vice Chairman, Mohan Goenka, told PTI. Amnish Aggarwal, head of Institutional Research at Prabhudas Lilladher, while offering a nuanced perspective, pointed out that in present circumstances election spending may not be boosting rural demand in the manner it did before. Reflecting on the trends observed in past elections, Aggarwal underscored that the correlation between poll expenditure translating into a surge in rural demand is over-hyped in current times due to cash movement restrictions which are imposed with the model code of conduct. ''This direct correlation was perhaps true a decade or more ago. Factors like the anticipation of a good monsoon and inflation play pivotal roles in shaping consumer behaviour in current times compared to cash flow during polls,'' he said. Political parties, though, acknowledged that demand for vehicles goes up during poll seasons, whether sourced from rentals or new purchases for use in election activities. Automobile sales in March this year were up by 10 per cent over last year, totalling 3.7 lakh vehicles. However, a senior official of a major car company said that on account of model code of conduct-related restrictions, overall sales of both passenger and commercial vehicles were subdued in April. Grassroots-level workers of political parties said that there has been a high purchase of snacks and beverages and certain FMCG items required for workers. FMCG products are also used as freebies for audiences brought to political rallies, they said. A shopkeeper in Hooghly district stated, ''Local political leaders become more generous during election times, and we sell more.'' West Bengal's Chief Electoral Officer confirmed that since the commencement of MCC, freebies worth Rs 57.67 crore have been seized from the state.
Didi dares PM Narendra Modi to debate her on 'basics of Hinduism'
CM Mamata Banerjee challenges PM Narendra Modi on Hinduism basics and vote jihad, criticizing BJP's exploitation of Matuas for elections. She promises land deeds to refugee families and criticizes the Bengal governor and BJP's nominee, Jagannath Sarkar.
Allegations cheap drama at Mamatas behest: West Bengal Governor
KOCHI: West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose on Saturday termed the molestation allegations against him a cheap political drama during election times at the behest of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The state government has no power to announce a probe against the governor. Will take strict action if it crosses the legal limits. Ill convey everything to the central government at the appropriate time, Bose told a local channel while on a visit to Kochi. His response comes in the wake of West Bengal Police launching an inquiry after a contractual woman employee lodged a complaint on Thursday evening, accusing him of molesting her. Youth Congress activists waved black flags when Bose reached the Guest House in Aluva around 11am. As they were about to reach Boses vehicle, the police team intercepted the protesters and removed them from the place. Later, the police recorded the arrest of five protesters and shifted them to the nearby police station.
The are predictions of light to moderate rainfall and thunderstorms in Odisha, Gangetic West Bengal, Bihar, and Jharkhand from May 5 to 9
Two sanitation workers die while cleaning Noida sewage shaft
NEW DELHI: Two sanitation workers, both hailing from West Bengal, died after allegedly inhaling poisonous fumes inside a sewage shaft at a house in Noida, police said on Saturday. The incident took place on Friday evening when Nooni Mandal and Tapan Mandal were working at the residence of an individual named Sumit Chawla in Sector 26. According to police officials, both workers hailed from Malda district in West Bengal and were residing in a slum in Noida Sector 9. An individual in Noida Sector 26 had hired two persons for cleaning of the septic tank at his home. Last night, while cleaning the tank, the duo became unconscious. They were taken to a hospital but did not survive, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Noida) Vidya Sagar Mishra said. Sharing details, another police officer said the two deceased had arrived at the house at 7 pm on Friday and had entered the sewage shaft area to clean it. A source said that both men were taken to the hospital after 11.15 pm and were already dead by the time the doctors checked on them. Police said they have inspected the incident site and have informed the families of the two deceased. Here, we may recall the an October 2023 order by the Supreme Court, issuing a slew of directives to both the Union and state governments, focussing on the effective implementation of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act of 2013. These directives encompassed active measures for rehabilitating victims and their families, providing scholarships, and skill development opportunities. While pronouncing the judgment, the top court bench comprising Justice S Ravindra Bhat and Justice Aravind Kumar observed that large segment of Indias population continues to be involved in the practice of manual scavenging as unseen, unheard and mute in bondage, systematically trapped in inhuman conditions.
BJPs Kolkata Uttar LS candidate files complaint with EC against Trinamool candidate
BJPs Kolkata Uttar LS candidate files complaint with EC against Trinamool candidate Kolkata: Tapas Roy, the BJP candidate for West Bengals Kolkata-Uttar Lok Sabha seat, has filed a complaint with the Election Commission (EC) against Trinamool Congress candidate Sudip Bandopadhyay accusing the latter of running his party office occupying space within a renowned school [] The post BJPs Kolkata Uttar LS candidate files complaint with EC against Trinamool candidate appeared first on Mangalorean.com .
Trinamool video claims sexual harassment cases an attempt to defame Bengal
KOLKATA : Amid the row over incidents in Sandeshkhali where allegations of sexual abuse against TMC leaders have surfaced, the TMC released a video on social media, claiming that allegations were a conspiracy by the BJP to defame West Bengal ahead of Lok Sabha polls. In the purported video, a man, who claimed to be a BJP mandal president in Sandeshkhali, was heard saying that Suvendu Adhikari, leader of the Opposition in the sssembly, is behind the whole conspiracy. The man alleged in the video that Adhikari had asked him and other BJP leaders of the area to instigate three-four local women to level allegations of rape against three TMC leaders, including Shahjahan Sheikh. This newspaper could not verify the authenticity of the video. The man was also heard saying that Nandigram MLA Adhikari himself had planted guns at a house in Sandeshkhali, which was later shown as the seizure by Central agencies. Adhikari could not be contacted for his comment. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee said the shocking Sandeshkhali sting shows how deep the rot is within the BJP. In their hatred for Bengals progressive thought and culture, the Bangla-Birodhis orchestrated a conspiracy to defame our state. Banerjee also said, History will witness how Bengal will rise in rage against Delhis conspiratorial regime and ensure their bishorjon (immersion). Responding to the allegations, BJP leader Shankudeb Panda, The TMC is insulting women in Sandeshkhali and Bengal. Its leaders are uploading such a doctored video as it found no other way to combat the charges.
Meet woman who cracked UPSC exam at 23 in her first attempt, became IFS officer, her rank was...
Hard work and determination can turn impossible things to possible. This saying was yet again proved true by the story of IFS Tamali Saha from West Bengal.
Special events help BITM, Science City log record footfall in heatwave month
Rattled by fake videos in poll season, city cops seek Xs help
Abhishek: People will boycott Raj Bhavan till Bose is guv
Garments unit damaged in Chinar Park fire
Clear no dues cert to poll nominees, EC tells chief secys
Notices fake, CISCE cautions kids, parents
Jail term over, 80-yr-old shifted to old-age home
Sandeshkhali sting: TMC gets a stick to beat BJP with
2 detained for assault on couple in Narkeldanga
Lost deaf-mute boy reunited with dad
Civil society members appeal against NRC
Weekend traffic diversions kick in at Dalhousie
Forest Fragrance in good shape
Pond-filling: KMC lens on Behala-Joka & Tolly belts
3 Bengal masters paintings fetch record price at e-auction
Electricians, bidi-workers kids make it to 90% list
West Bengal poll war hots up as TMC hits BJP with Sandeshkhali sting clip
Trinamool released Saturday a sting video showing a Sandeshkhali BJP functionary admitting that many of the charges, including rape in the area, were levelled following instructions allegedly from party seniors, including the LoP in Bengal assembly Suvendu Adhikari. BJP dismissed the clip as fake. The video focuses on Sandeshkhali Block-II BJP mandal president Gangadhar Koyal.
Viral video claiming BJP orchestrated Sandeshkhali movement triggers row in Bengal
A political slugfest erupted in West Bengal on Saturday after a video went viral showing a BJP leader claiming that the protests staged by the women at Sandeshkhali against alleged sexual harassment by local Trinamool Congress leaders were orchestrated by the BJP.
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Was Keen on Alliance with Congress, Even Went to Meet Rahul Gandhi at 6 Am: TMC's Abhishek
Abhishek, the nephew of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and heir apparent, claimed that TMC candidates are the true representatives of the INDIA bloc in West Bengal.
Krishnanagar Candidate of BJP, Richest Candidate in 4th Phase Bengal Elections
Krishnanagar Candidate of BJP, Richest Candidate in 4th Phase Bengal Elections Twenty-one candidates fighting the Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal's eight constituencies, which are going to the polls in the fourth phase, have assets of more than Rs 1 crore, and among them, BJP's Krishnanagar nominee Amitra Roy is the richest, according to a report. A total of 75 candidates are in the fray in these eight seats, and Roy is the richest among them with total assets worth Rs 554 crore, an analysis of their affidavits by West Bengal Election Watch and the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) revealed. Roy is followed by TMC's Asansol candidate Shatrughan Sinha who has assets worth Rs 210 crore and Baharampur candidate Yusuf Pathan whose total assets are valued at Rs 45 crore. TMC's seven candidates have assets worth over Rs 1 crore, followed by BJP whose six candidates found a place on the list. Two candidates each of SUCI(C), Congress and CPI(M) also have assets worth over Rs 1 crore. One candidate each of BSP and Indian National Socialist Action Forces also found a place on the list, it said Independent candidate in Ranaghat Jagannath Sarkar has assets of Rs 3,587, the lowest for any nominee in this phase. Also, there are 13 candidates with criminal cases, it said. Polling in Asansol, Baharampur, Bardhaman Purba, Birbhum, Bolpur, Bardhaman-Durgapur, Krishnanagar and Ranaghat will be held on May 13.
TMC blaming BJP as reality of CM Banerjee coming to fore: Phalguni Patra on Sandeshkhali sting operation video After a video of a sting operation surfaced, alleging that West Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari hatched the Sandeshkhali conspiracy, BJP Mahila Morcha President Phalguni Patra said on Saturday that the TMC is blaming the BJP as the reality of CM Mamata Banerjee is coming to the fore. TMC is blaming the BJP as the reality of CM Mamata Banerjee is coming to the fore. This is not just Malda nor Sandeshkahli; complete Bengal is suffering from a situation similar to that of Sandeshkhali. In every corner, rapes occur and Mamata Banerjee is not taking any action against the accused involved in these types of incidents, Patra said. Meanwhile, TMC General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee warned that if the central leadership of the BJP does not issue an apology to the people of the state within 48 hours, it will be interpreted that the BJP devised a plan to belittle West Bengal. I will tell the leaders of the Centre that if you do not apologize to the people of Bengal within forty-eight hours, otherwise (it is right to think that) this conspiracy was hatched on your instructions to belittle Bengal, he said. On Saturday, a video of a sting operation surfaced that has stirred up controversy in Sandeshkhali and was broadcast by a local television channel. In the alleged video, purportedly a BJP Mandal (booth) president named Gangadhar Koyal is heard saying that Sandeshkhali women, who weren't sexually assaulted, were projected as 'rape' victims at the behest of the LoP. Claiming that Suvendu 'helped' him get this done, the person in the video said that the former told him that the TMC's strongmen in the area wouldn't be arrested unless he is falsely implicated in a ape case. However, the news channel that broke the alleged sting operation did not check the veracity of the clip. Earlier in the day, while sharing a clip from the alleged sting operation, Mamata Banerjee's nephew, Abhishek Banerjee, claimed on his official X handle that the people should see through the BJP's attempts to tarnish Bengal's image and reputation to advance and achieve its political ends. I am shocked beyond words to see the Sandeshkhali sting video. Every citizen must witness the Bangla Birodhi BJP's orchestrated attempt to defame and malign WB for their petty political ends. This abhorrent act epitomises the grossest abuse of power in history. Shame!, Abhishek posted from his official X handle on Saturday. A viral video today exposed how the BJP left no stone unturned to malign Bengal. From mass rape to arms seizure, every claim was BOUGHT and STAGED by none other than @SuvenduWB People won't forgive these Bangla-Birodhis. Bengal's mothers & sisters shall avenge this! read a post on the TMC's official X handle. Shahjahan, the key Sandeshkhali accused, is currently behind bars in connection with the attack on a team of the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) while it was in the process of raiding his residence in connection with the alleged ration scam. The women of Sandeshkhali in the North 24 Parganas district came out on the streets earlier against the ruling TMC and Shahjahan, accusing the strongman and his aides of perpetrating gross excesses and atrocities on them while also gobbling up their land. Multiple women on the island accused Shajahan and his aides of land-grab and sexual assault under coercion. (ANI)
Surge Swell: Coastal States on Orange Alert
In an absolute contrast to the soaring mercury levels, a yellow alert is on the cards for the state for the next two days as minimum temperatures are likely to be in the range of 11 to 15 C for most of the districts, and a further drop with orange alert at districts like Adilabad, Kumaram Bheem, Mancherial in the coming week. (Representational Image) In an absolute contrast to the soaring mercury levels, a yellow alert is on the cards for the state for the next two days as minimum temperatures are likely to be in the range of 11 to 15 C for most of the districts, and a further drop with orange alert at districts like Adilabad, Kumaram Bheem, Mancherial in the coming week. (Representational Image) Hyderabad: The swell surge that began in the Atlantic Ocean has begun interacting with the Indian coast and the swell is expected to move northward for another 24 hours or so, the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (Incois) said on Saturday. Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal on the eastern coast, and Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra and Gujarat on the west coast - were placed on an orange alert till the end of May 5 in view of the swell surge. Fishermen and coastal population were asked to be on the alert from Saturday evening to around Sunday midnight and be watchful for possible intermittent surging of waves in the nearshore/beach region, particularly in the low-lying areas and during high tide and spring tide phases. Incois said small boats and vessels may ply nearshore but with due caution. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands, as well as the Lakshadweep archipelago in southern Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea, have already experienced the surge swell.
TMC's Abhishek Keen on Alliance With Congress, Met Rahul Gandhi Early Morning
TMC's Abhishek Keen on Alliance With Congress, Met Rahul Gandhi Early Morning Senior TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee on Saturday said his party was keen on an alliance with the Congress, and because of that he went to meet Rahul Gandhi at his residence at 6 am. Abhishek, the nephew of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and heir apparent, claimed that TMC candidates are the true representatives of the INDIA bloc in West Bengal. ''Had I not been serious, I would not have rushed to Rahul Gandhi's residence in Delhi at 6 am. We were willing to have an alliance with the Congress in Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal, and despite state Congress president Adhir Ranjan Choudhury's barbs at our party for months we did not react for a long time,'' he said. ''We gave Congress time till December but we cannot wait indefinitely as we have to make preparations. Till December 31, 2023, not a single spokesperson of our party, including Mamata Banerjee, reacted to what Choudhury was saying,'' he added. Banerjee, the MP of Diamond Harbour, said the seat-sharing talks failed because of the state Congress's belligerence.
Edited Headline - Sandeshkhali video sparks controversy: TMC defends footage, BJP alleges manipulation Amid the row over incidents in Sandeshkhali where allegations of sexual abuse against Trinamool Congress leaders have surfaced, the party on Saturday released a video on social media, claiming that the footage vindicated its stand that the BJP was behind the episode. In the purported video, a man claimed to be Gangadhar Kayal who is a BJP mandal president in Sandeshkhali, was heard saying that the leader of the opposition in the West Bengal assembly ''Suvendu Adhikari is behind the whole conspiracy''. While Adhikari said the video posted by the TMC was doctored, Kayal lodged a complaint with the CBI alleging that it was a morphed and edited video. The central agency is probing into the incidents on an order of the Calcutta High Court. ''The entire Sandeshkhali incident was preplanned. The BJP had scripted it well. The truth has been exposed. I have been saying this for a long time. I have not seen the entire video. I will definitely see it,'' TMC supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister said at an election rally in Chakdah in Nadia district. PTI did not verify the authenticity of the video posted by the TMC. I never thought the politics of Bengal would stoop so low to get votes We have been saying from day one that a shameless attempt was made to malign Bengal ahead of the elections, TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, considered number two in the party, told a press conference in Kolkata. He alleged that to create grounds for imposition of Article 355 in Bengal, Adhikari orchestrated the entire incident in Sandeshkhali. Abhishek Banerjee asserted that the honour of Bengali women was compromised by such allegations in Sandeshkhali, which he believes are aimed at maligning the state. He demanded that the BJP's top leadership apologize for maligning Bengal about Sandeshkhali within 48 hours. Denying any role by the TMC in the alleged sting video, Banerjee said, I am sure some independent journalists have done it. And they did a commendable job. Let the people of Bengal decide on the veracity of the video. It is in public domain.'' Responding to the TMCs allegations, Adhikari said, It is a fake and doctored video. It seems that the TMC sensed defeat (in the election) and is trying to divert attention. There have been hundreds of complaints by women of Sandeshkhali.'' In his written complaint to the CBI, Kayal said, the video in question was uploaded from an unverified YouTube channel owned by someone named Williams. It can be seen that the same (footage) has been made using my face and the voice has been moduled using Artificial Intelligence (AI) so that it can mislead the public at large, the BJP mandal president said. In his complaint, Kayal also provided the link to the YouTube video. The edited video was made to safeguard the actual culprits of Sandeshkhali incidents by shifting the blame and the burden to the person who stood by the victims of the Sandeshkhali incident and also to disturb the ongoing investigation conducted by the CBI, Kayal said in his letter to the agency. In the press conference, Abhishek Banerjee claimed that the BJP mandal president had confirmed in the morning that it was his voice. ''However, after pressure from party higher-ups, he is now invoking the AI theory,'' he added. Abhishek Banerjee wondered why state Governor CV Ananda Bose, who was vocal in condemning the incidents of Sandeshkhali, is silent on this video. He also questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi has kept mum on the allegation of molestation of a woman employee inside Raj Bhavan. It is claimed in the video that several women were given Rs 2,000 each to lodge complaints of atrocities against them. ''It is shameful that the BJP thinks it will win polls by selling the honour of women of Bengal at the cost of Rs 2,000, Abhishek Banerjee said. Referring to the remark of the BJP Lok Sabha candidate Rekha Patra that the content of the video is concocted, the TMC national general secretary said she should file a defamation suit against her own mandal president. Patra is a resident of Sandeshkhali and an alleged victim of atrocities at the hands of TMC local leaders such as arrested Zilla Parishad member Shajahan Sheikh. To a question, Banerjee said the TMC working committee should have taken a little more time before suspending Shahjahan Sheikh and two other TMC leaders from the party who were accused of committing atrocities on women in Sandeshkhali. ''We will take a call on the issue. But law will take its own course,'' he said.
LS Polls: Jurist turned-politician Abhijit Gangopadhyay files nomination from West Bengals Tamluk
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BJP confusing Matua voters through CAA notification: Mamata Banerjee
BJP confusing Matua voters through CAA notification: Mamata Banerjee Kolkata: The BJP and the Central government are trying to confuse the Matua population concentrated mainly in West Bengal by notifying the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee claimed on Saturday. The Centre and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are confusing our Matua brothers. The [] The post BJP confusing Matua voters through CAA notification: Mamata Banerjee appeared first on Mangalorean.com .
Allegations against West Bengal Governor: Raj Bhawan staff members summoned by police fail to appear
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Heatwave intensity decreases in eastern and southern India
The intensity of the heat wave in eastern and southern peninsular India decreased slightly on Saturday. Relief from the scorching conditions in these regions is predicted after two days. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported heatwave to severe heatwave conditions in parts of Gangetic West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, and Telangana.
'West Bengal ...': NDTV Battleground
Lok Sabha Election 2024: 2024 , (BJP) (Mamata Banerjee) (Trinamool Congress) . ? ' ' . , '' . ? 2019 . .
TMC shares video accusing Suvendu of 'orchestrating' Sandeshkhali incidents, BJP calls it 'fake'
KOLKATA: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Saturday released a video via social media, alleging that the incidents in Sandheshkhali were a BJP conspiracy to malign West Bengal before the Lok Sabha polls. In the purported video, a man who identifies himself as the BJP mandal president in Sandeshkhali is heard saying that Suvendu Adhikari, the leader of the opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, is behind the whole conspiracy. The man in the video alleges that Adhikari directed him and other BJP leaders in the area to instigate three to four local women to make rape allegations against three TMC leaders, including Shahjahan Sheikh . In the video, the man claimed that Adhikari himself had planted guns at a house in Sandeshkhali, which was subsequently portrayed as a seizure by central agencies. Notably, the authenticity of the video posted by the TMC has not been verified. Sharing the video via X, the TMC wrote: From mass rape to arms seizure, every claim was bought and staged by none other than Suvendu Adhikari and accused the BJP of leaving o stone unturned to malign Bengal. And quoting the party's post, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote: The shocking Sandeshkhali sting shows how deep the rot is within the BJP. In their hatred for Bengal's progressive thought & culture, the Bangla-Birodhis orchestrated a conspiracy to defame our state on every possible level. Never before in the history of India has a ruling party in Delhi tried to malign an entire state and its people. The shocking Sandeshkhali sting shows how deep the rot is within the BJP. In their hatred for Bengal's progressive thought & culture, the Bangla-Birodhis orchestrated a conspiracy to defame our state on every possible level. Never before in the history of India has a ruling https://t.co/50QUParP16 Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) May 4, 2024 The cat is out of the bag. The sinister plot of Modi-Shah, central agencies and their allies stands exposed, the TMC said, apparently referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. Senior TMC leader Abhisekh Banerjee claimed on Saturday that the video vindicated the TMC's stand that the saffron party was behind the incidents. In the press conference, Banerjee, who is considered number two in the TMC, alleged that to create grounds for the imposition of Article 355 in Bengal, Adhikari orchestrated the entire incident in Sandeshkhali. Banerjee asserted that the honour of Bengali women were compromised by such allegations in Sandeshkhali, which he believes are aimed at maligning the state. I never thought the politics of Bengal would stoop so low to get votes. We have been saying from day one that a shameless attempt was made to malign Bengal ahead of the elections, he said. Shri @abhishekaitc vehemently criticised the Godi Media's spineless sensationalism, turning manufactured narratives into a spectacle to tarnish Bengal's image. He condemned the Judiciary for its biased favoritism towards the BJP! #SandeshkhaliExposed pic.twitter.com/h2AGmZTetJ All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) May 4, 2024 He demanded that the BJP's top leadership apologise for maligning Bengal about Sandeshkhali within 48 hours. The TMC national general secretary also wondered what Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had mentioned Sandeshkhali incidents several times during his election rallies, will say now. In his election rallies across the state, PM Modi has continued to criticise the TMC over what he claimed to be apathy towards the victims in Sandeshkhali, where allegations of sexual abuse surfaced against the party's leaders, including Shahjahan Sheikh. Responding to the TMC's allegations, Adhikari said, It is a fake and doctored video. It seems that the TMC sensed defeat (in the election) and is trying to divert attention. There have been hundreds of complaints by women of Sandeshkhali. BJP spokesman Shankudeb Panda said the TMC was unable to combat the swelling public anger over the Sandeskhlai incident. The TMC is insulting women in Sandeshkhali and Bengal. Its leaders are uploading such a doctored video as it found no other way to combat the charges, he said. (With additional inputs for PTI)
Punjab CM Mann alleges BJP imprisoned Kejriwal to hinder his LS poll campaign
Punjab CM Mann alleges BJP imprisoned Kejriwal to hinder his LS poll campaign Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday said the ruling BJP was afraid of his Aam Aadmi Party colleague and Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal, who is currently in jail in connection with a excise policy linked case. The BJP has jailed him in a completely false case to stop him from campaigning in the Lok Sabha polls, said Mann, who held a road show for his party's Bharuch candidate Chaitar Vasava. ''They put him in jail just before the elections because they wanted to stop Arvind Kejriwal from campaigning. BJP and Narendra Modi are scared of AAP and Arvind Kejriwal. But they don't know that Arvind Kejriwal is not just a person, he is an idea,'' Mann claimed. ''They can never stop a thought. They can only keep the person in jail. Vasava was similarly jailed by the BJP because he fights for the people and their rights. But he is out now and fighting for what is right,'' he said. Vasava was jailed in a rioting case in November last year and later released on bail by the High Court. The BJP is so scared that it got Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren arrested, froze the bank accounts of opposition parties and is using the governors of non-BJP ruled states to do their dirty work, Mann alleged. ''The Punjab governor creates obstacles in the works of the state government. The governor of Tamil Nadu does the same. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee is also facing difficulties. Because the BJP is a dictatorial party, they want to finish the Constitution of Babasaheb Ambedkar. They want to finish off our democracy,'' Mann asserted. ''In Surat, the Congress candidate withdrew his nomination. They (BJP) bought off independent candidates and won unopposed. Constitutionally there should have been an election because even in the absence of other candidates there is NOTA (none of the above) option to a voter,'' he opined. The first two phases of the Lok Sabha polls has given a shock to the BJP, which is no longer using the slogan 'abki baar 400 paar', the Punjab CM claimed. The INDIA bloc, of which the AAP and Congress are constituents, is winning both the phases easily, he added.
If BJP Brings Modi Factor To Bengal...: Swapan Dasgupta On Elections
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be able to boost the BJP's chances in West Bengal if the party can convince people that the national narrative is much credible than the Trinamool Congress's arrow views.
TMC accuses BJP of staging Sandeshkhali, cites video
The TMC released a video, in which a man, claimed to be a BJP mandal president in Sandeshkhali, was heard saying that leader of the opposition in the West Bengal assembly Suvendu Adhikari is behind the whole conspiracy.
Mamata accuses PM Modi govt of turning democracy into jail
Birnagar (WB): Claiming that the BJP has not been able to deliver on its promise of acche din (good days), West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday alleged that the Narendra Modi-led government was turning democracy into a jail. She claimed that though the saffron party was repeatedly saying that the BJP-led NDA would Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
Mamata alleges erosion of democracy under Modi's leadership
Mamata alleges erosion of democracy under Modi's leadership Claiming that the BJP has not been able to deliver on its promise of ''acche din'' (good days), West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday alleged that the Narendra Modi-led government was turning ''democracy into a jail.'' She claimed that though the saffron party was repeatedly saying that the BJP-led NDA will get above 400 seats in the Lok Sabha polls, it will ''lose'' the elections. Addressing an election rally here in Ranaghat Lok Sabha constituency in Nadia district, the TMC supremo asked, ''Where is the acche din promised by them (BJP)?'' Banerjee claimed that the BJP is planning to make ''one nation, one party, one government, one leader, and send all others to jail.'' She alleged that the Modi-led government was turning ''democracy into a jail.'' Banerjee asked whether the BJP was a washing machine, alleging that anyone accused of illegalities becomes clean if they join the saffron party. She accused the BJP of making false claims of providing various reliefs to the people from electricity to cooking gas or free ration. ''We have delivered on promises made by us, from Lakshmir bhandar to free healthcare under the Swasthya Sathi project,'' she said. The TMC boss claimed that those who are already citizens of India were being asked to make applications for getting it again under the CAA. Ranaghat constituency has a significant Matua population, over whose citizenship issue the BJP and the TMC have been sparring for quite a long time. ''I cannot make false promises like (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi,'' the chief minister said, asserting that she makes only those incentives which she can keep. Banerjee accused the Centre of not giving West Bengal its financial dues on account of GST collection.
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