News Analysis India

Tag: Bengal

  • Will sit on dharna from Feb 2 if Centre does not clear Bengal’s dues: Mamata Banerjee

    West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said she would stage a demonstration in Kolkata from February 2 if the BJP-led Union government does not clear the state’s dues by February 1. Speaking at a public distribution programme in Malda, Banerjee urged party workers and those affected by the non-payment of funds to participate in the dharna, which would be staged at the BR Ambedkar statue in Red Road area in the eastern metropolis. “I have given them an ultimatum till February 1 to clear all dues of the state, failing which I will stage a dharna from February 2. If the dues are not cleared, I know how to get it through a movement. “I urge all party leaders and workers to participate in the dharna… I want everyone’s support,” she said. The chief minister claimed that the state’s dues amount to a mammoth Rs 7,000 crore for several central government-run schemes including MGNREGA, Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awas Yojana (PMGAY), among others.

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  • ‘Anti-Bengal politics’: TMC cries foul as flight for ‘Dilli Cholo’ protest mysteriously gets cancelled

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI:  TMC leaders here on Saturday alleged that as a part of the coordinated attack set to create obstacles for Dilli Cholo protest by Trinamool Congress, the airline set to carry over 100 AITC leaders from Bengal was cancelled mysteriously hours before it was supposed to take off to Delhi at the behest of the government.

    Irked at this unprecedented development, the TMC leaders alleged further that the decision comes after a special train slated to carry thousands of people from West Bengal to Delhi for the protest was cancelled by the Railways at the behest of the BJP on Friday.

    Posting a screenshot on X, Trinamool MP Derek O’Brien wrote: “First, they abruptly cancel special train services from Kol to Del to prevent those who were to travel to participate in protests on Oct 2 & 3, demanding 10s of 1000s of crores owed to Bengal by BJP Union govt. Now a flight gets cancelled! Try as you might, we WILL TAKE YOU ON.”

    First, they abruptly cancel special train services from Kol to Del to prevent those who were to travel to participate in protests on Oct 2 & 3, demanding 10s of 1000s of crores owed to Bengal by BJP Union govt.Now a flight gets cancelled! Try as you might, we WILL TAKE YOU ON pic.twitter.com/Bs36wSE7xS
    — Derek O’Brien | ডেরেক ও’ব্রায়েন (@derekobrienmp) September 30, 2023
    Criticising the constant attempts by the BJP to derail the protest, Lok Sabha MP Dr Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar said, “It is astonishing how a flight has been cancelled, which had more than 100 leaders from Barasat travelling to the programme declared by AITC National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee for 2nd and 3rd October in Delhi. I have never seen this in my life that due to a technical glitch a whole flight was cancelled”.

    Accusing the Central government of orchestrating such obstacles, the TMC leaders further alleged that the cancellation of flights for “operational reasons” is only the latest attack on Trinamool’s Dilli Cholo programme. 

    “In the past few days, the protest has had to jump several roadblocks such as denial of permission to hold a demonstration at Krishi Bhavan, Union Minister Giriraj Singh’s refusal to grant AITC an appointment, and an ED summons to AITC National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee on the day of protest – October 3,” many TMC leaders said.

    Meanwhile, despite the challenges, Abhishek Banerjee vowed that the protesters will reach Delhi for the October 2 and 3 programme. He also asserted that Bengal will continue to demand that the BJP-led Central government end the fund blockade and release the pending funds, amounting to Rs 1.15 lakh crore, for Bengal.

    “OUTRAGEOUS! After rejecting the request for a special train to Delhi, @BJP4India has now ensured the cancellation of flights that were booked by our leaders. These consecutive vindictive moves clearly suggest the BJP’s ulterior ANTI-BENGAL sentiment. Here’s a note for the BJP-led Central Government: You can try with ALL YOUR MIGHT, but we shall reach the capital and emerge VICTORIOUS in our FIGHT FOR JUSTICE!,” state general secretary of TMC posted on X.

    NEW DELHI:  TMC leaders here on Saturday alleged that as a part of the coordinated attack set to create obstacles for Dilli Cholo protest by Trinamool Congress, the airline set to carry over 100 AITC leaders from Bengal was cancelled mysteriously hours before it was supposed to take off to Delhi at the behest of the government.

    Irked at this unprecedented development, the TMC leaders alleged further that the decision comes after a special train slated to carry thousands of people from West Bengal to Delhi for the protest was cancelled by the Railways at the behest of the BJP on Friday.

    Posting a screenshot on X, Trinamool MP Derek O’Brien wrote: “First, they abruptly cancel special train services from Kol to Del to prevent those who were to travel to participate in protests on Oct 2 & 3, demanding 10s of 1000s of crores owed to Bengal by BJP Union govt. Now a flight gets cancelled! Try as you might, we WILL TAKE YOU ON.”googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    First, they abruptly cancel special train services from Kol to Del to prevent those who were to travel to participate in protests on Oct 2 & 3, demanding 10s of 1000s of crores owed to Bengal by BJP Union govt.
    Now a flight gets cancelled! Try as you might, we WILL TAKE YOU ON pic.twitter.com/Bs36wSE7xS
    — Derek O’Brien | ডেরেক ও’ব্রায়েন (@derekobrienmp) September 30, 2023
    Criticising the constant attempts by the BJP to derail the protest, Lok Sabha MP Dr Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar said, “It is astonishing how a flight has been cancelled, which had more than 100 leaders from Barasat travelling to the programme declared by AITC National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee for 2nd and 3rd October in Delhi. I have never seen this in my life that due to a technical glitch a whole flight was cancelled”.

    Accusing the Central government of orchestrating such obstacles, the TMC leaders further alleged that the cancellation of flights for “operational reasons” is only the latest attack on Trinamool’s Dilli Cholo programme. 

    “In the past few days, the protest has had to jump several roadblocks such as denial of permission to hold a demonstration at Krishi Bhavan, Union Minister Giriraj Singh’s refusal to grant AITC an appointment, and an ED summons to AITC National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee on the day of protest – October 3,” many TMC leaders said.

    Meanwhile, despite the challenges, Abhishek Banerjee vowed that the protesters will reach Delhi for the October 2 and 3 programme. He also asserted that Bengal will continue to demand that the BJP-led Central government end the fund blockade and release the pending funds, amounting to Rs 1.15 lakh crore, for Bengal.

    “OUTRAGEOUS! After rejecting the request for a special train to Delhi, @BJP4India has now ensured the cancellation of flights that were booked by our leaders. These consecutive vindictive moves clearly suggest the BJP’s ulterior ANTI-BENGAL sentiment. Here’s a note for the BJP-led Central Government: You can try with ALL YOUR MIGHT, but we shall reach the capital and emerge VICTORIOUS in our FIGHT FOR JUSTICE!,” state general secretary of TMC posted on X.

  • Death toll in Bengal fire-cracker factory blast rises to 5, Mamata announces compensation

    By IANS

    KOLKATA: The death toll in the explosion at an ‘illegal’ fire-cracker factory at Egra in East Midnapore district on Tuesday has risen to five.

    Seven other critically injured persons are currently undergoing treatment at a local hospital.

    Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced a compensation of Rs 2.5 lakh each for the next of kin of the deceased, and Rs 1 lakh for those injured in the blast.

    She ordered a probe into the matter by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of West Bengal Police.

    Banerjee also said that if the National Investigation Agency (NIA) probes the matter, as demanded by state BJP President Sukanta Majumdar, she will not object to it.

    Speaking to the mediapersons here, the Chief Minister said that the owner of the fire-cracker factory, Krishnapada Bag, was arrested by the police in October last year.

    “He was arrested for running an illegal fire-cracker factory. The police even issued a charge sheet against him. But the court granted him bail. After that he resumed operations at the unit located close to the Bengal-Odisha border,” she said.

    Bag is absconding since the blast at his factory and the police suspect that he might have escaped to Odisha.

    The Chief Minister also said that Bag runs similar illegal fire-cracker manufacturing business in Odisha and Bangladesh.

    Banerjee further alleged that Trinamool Congress leaders were stopped by the local BJP cadres from reaching the spot of the explosion.

    “The panchayat under which the blast took place is under the control of the BJP,” the Chief Minister said.

    Meanwhile, Sukanta Majumdar has claimed that the impact of the explosion shows that it was not an explosion of ordinary fire-crackers.

    “We suspect that crude bombs were being manufactured at the factory,” he said.

    The local people have alleged that the fire-cracker factory was being run illegally without requisite permission or monitoring of the local administration, including the police.

    They have also alleged that their repeated appeals for taking action against the illegal fire-cracker factories mushrooming in the area were ignored by the local administration.

    KOLKATA: The death toll in the explosion at an ‘illegal’ fire-cracker factory at Egra in East Midnapore district on Tuesday has risen to five.

    Seven other critically injured persons are currently undergoing treatment at a local hospital.

    Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced a compensation of Rs 2.5 lakh each for the next of kin of the deceased, and Rs 1 lakh for those injured in the blast.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    She ordered a probe into the matter by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of West Bengal Police.

    Banerjee also said that if the National Investigation Agency (NIA) probes the matter, as demanded by state BJP President Sukanta Majumdar, she will not object to it.

    Speaking to the mediapersons here, the Chief Minister said that the owner of the fire-cracker factory, Krishnapada Bag, was arrested by the police in October last year.

    “He was arrested for running an illegal fire-cracker factory. The police even issued a charge sheet against him. But the court granted him bail. After that he resumed operations at the unit located close to the Bengal-Odisha border,” she said.

    Bag is absconding since the blast at his factory and the police suspect that he might have escaped to Odisha.

    The Chief Minister also said that Bag runs similar illegal fire-cracker manufacturing business in Odisha and Bangladesh.

    Banerjee further alleged that Trinamool Congress leaders were stopped by the local BJP cadres from reaching the spot of the explosion.

    “The panchayat under which the blast took place is under the control of the BJP,” the Chief Minister said.

    Meanwhile, Sukanta Majumdar has claimed that the impact of the explosion shows that it was not an explosion of ordinary fire-crackers.

    “We suspect that crude bombs were being manufactured at the factory,” he said.

    The local people have alleged that the fire-cracker factory was being run illegally without requisite permission or monitoring of the local administration, including the police.

    They have also alleged that their repeated appeals for taking action against the illegal fire-cracker factories mushrooming in the area were ignored by the local administration.

  • Silver coins discovered at Bengal village, dwellers go on looting spree

    Express News Service

    KOLKATA:  Villagers in Bindol in North Dinajpur in West Bengal got lucky on Friday when a bowl stashed with silver coins from the mid-19th century surfaced from a roadside ditch where some digging works were going on to construct a small bridge.

    Labourers while digging a roadside ditch discovered a bowl stashed with silver coins from the mid-19th century. As the news of the bowl spread like wildfire, hundreds of locals rushed and looted the coins. Only a few coins could be recovered by the local police when they reached the spot.

    According to police, the incident took place at Bindol village. ‘’Many development works are being carried out before the upcoming panchayat elections. At Bindol, a small bridge was being constructed and for this labourers were digging the roadside ditch to collect additional soil required for the work,’’ said an officer of a local police station.

    As the workers continued for two hours and kept digging the ditch, they discovered a sealed bowl. ‘’They opened it up to be surprised that the container was full of silver coins with years of the 19th century inscribed on it. The workers started shouting in joy which drew the attention of others, both working on the project and people passing by,’’ said the officer.

    As the news spread fast, residents from Bindol village rushed to the spot within minutes and started collecting the coins as much as possible. ’We were informed late. The place is 20-minute drive from the police station. When we arrived there, the villagers left after looting the coins. We searched the place and collected three coins where 1816, 1862 and 1877 were inscribed as years,’’ said the officer.

    The police said the coins would be sent to the Archaeological Survey of India to assess the antique value of the coins. Police also said they were conducting a probe into the looting. 

    Got information late, claims the policeThe police said they were informed late. “When we arrived there, the villagers left after looting the coins. We searched the place and collected three coins where 1816, 1862 and 1877 years were inscribed,’’ said an officer. The police said the coins would be sent to the Archaeological Survey of India to assess the antique value. They said they will conduct a probe into the looting.

    KOLKATA:  Villagers in Bindol in North Dinajpur in West Bengal got lucky on Friday when a bowl stashed with silver coins from the mid-19th century surfaced from a roadside ditch where some digging works were going on to construct a small bridge.

    Labourers while digging a roadside ditch discovered a bowl stashed with silver coins from the mid-19th century. As the news of the bowl spread like wildfire, hundreds of locals rushed and looted the coins. Only a few coins could be recovered by the local police when they reached the spot.

    According to police, the incident took place at Bindol village. ‘’Many development works are being carried out before the upcoming panchayat elections. At Bindol, a small bridge was being constructed and for this labourers were digging the roadside ditch to collect additional soil required for the work,’’ said an officer of a local police station.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    As the workers continued for two hours and kept digging the ditch, they discovered a sealed bowl. ‘’They opened it up to be surprised that the container was full of silver coins with years of the 19th century inscribed on it. The workers started shouting in joy which drew the attention of others, both working on the project and people passing by,’’ said the officer.

    As the news spread fast, residents from Bindol village rushed to the spot within minutes and started collecting the coins as much as possible. ’We were informed late. The place is 20-minute drive from the police station. When we arrived there, the villagers left after looting the coins. We searched the place and collected three coins where 1816, 1862 and 1877 were inscribed as years,’’ said the officer.

    The police said the coins would be sent to the Archaeological Survey of India to assess the antique value of the coins. Police also said they were conducting a probe into the looting. 

    Got information late, claims the police
    The police said they were informed late. “When we arrived there, the villagers left after looting the coins. We searched the place and collected three coins where 1816, 1862 and 1877 years were inscribed,’’ said an officer. The police said the coins would be sent to the Archaeological Survey of India to assess the antique value. They said they will conduct a probe into the looting.

  • Bengal BJP expects CAA message in Nadda’s rally

    Express News Service

    Kolkata: Bengal BJP is expecting a message from the party’s national president JP Nadda on the issue of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) during his visit to Nadia district, a stronghold of Matuas, a Hindu religious sect comprising refugees from Bangladesh, on January 19.

    Nadda will address a rally in Bethuadahari and the leadership of the saffron camp in Bengal is hopeful that he will give a roadmap for CAA’s implementation.

    The BJP made inroads in Matua strongholds both in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and the 2021 Assembly polls. Implementation of the CAA was the promise that the BJP made in recent previous elections to woo Matua electorates.

    “I have not yet talked to the party’s high command about Nadda ji’s rally. I will request our leadership in Delhi to clear the confusion over the issue of implementation of the CAA,” said BJP MP from Ranaghat.

    A BJP leader said he is expecting a clear message on the CAA as part of Nadda’s rally in the Matua-dominated district. “Matuas extended support in both the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections only because of our promise to give them citizenship by implementing the CAA. Now if we do not give them a deadline to implement the act, retaining the vote bank will be difficult for us,” he said.

    The BJP leaders in Kolkata said that if Nadda delivers a message on CAA, the mercury in Bengal politics will start soaring up before the panchayat elections.

    “Chief minister Mamata Banerjee has strongly opposed CAA and she on several occasions announced that her government and party would not allow the implementation of the CAA in Bengal. Despite her strong opposition, Naddaji should mention about CAA in his speech otherwise our party will face a debacle in the rural polls in many pockets in Nadia and North 24 Parganas districts,” said a BJP leader.

    Bengal had witnessed large-scale violent protests after the contentious Act passed in the Parliament. BJP’s elected legislators and MPs also expressed their discontent when the Centre preferred to remain silent on the issue of CAA’s implementation.  

    Nadda was also scheduled to address another rally in Hooghly’s Arambagh, which is not a Matua stronghold, but the party’s high command cancelled. “Since the party wanted its national president to give more time in a Matua-dominated district, we are quite hopeful about CAA in Bengal,” said another BJP leader.

    Kolkata: Bengal BJP is expecting a message from the party’s national president JP Nadda on the issue of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) during his visit to Nadia district, a stronghold of Matuas, a Hindu religious sect comprising refugees from Bangladesh, on January 19.

    Nadda will address a rally in Bethuadahari and the leadership of the saffron camp in Bengal is hopeful that he will give a roadmap for CAA’s implementation.

    The BJP made inroads in Matua strongholds both in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and the 2021 Assembly polls. Implementation of the CAA was the promise that the BJP made in recent previous elections to woo Matua electorates.

    “I have not yet talked to the party’s high command about Nadda ji’s rally. I will request our leadership in Delhi to clear the confusion over the issue of implementation of the CAA,” said BJP MP from Ranaghat.

    A BJP leader said he is expecting a clear message on the CAA as part of Nadda’s rally in the Matua-dominated district. “Matuas extended support in both the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections only because of our promise to give them citizenship by implementing the CAA. Now if we do not give them a deadline to implement the act, retaining the vote bank will be difficult for us,” he said.

    The BJP leaders in Kolkata said that if Nadda delivers a message on CAA, the mercury in Bengal politics will start soaring up before the panchayat elections.

    “Chief minister Mamata Banerjee has strongly opposed CAA and she on several occasions announced that her government and party would not allow the implementation of the CAA in Bengal. Despite her strong opposition, Naddaji should mention about CAA in his speech otherwise our party will face a debacle in the rural polls in many pockets in Nadia and North 24 Parganas districts,” said a BJP leader.

    Bengal had witnessed large-scale violent protests after the contentious Act passed in the Parliament. BJP’s elected legislators and MPs also expressed their discontent when the Centre preferred to remain silent on the issue of CAA’s implementation.  

    Nadda was also scheduled to address another rally in Hooghly’s Arambagh, which is not a Matua stronghold, but the party’s high command cancelled. “Since the party wanted its national president to give more time in a Matua-dominated district, we are quite hopeful about CAA in Bengal,” said another BJP leader.

  • Bengal: CM Mamata Banerjee dials new Governor, exchanges pleasantries

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called up C V Ananda Bose, the newly appointed governor of the state, and exchanged pleasantries with him, a senior official in the secretariat said on Saturday.

    Banerjee telephoned Bose on Friday evening and spoke with him for around 10 minutes and they exchanged pleasantries during the conversation, the official told PTI.

    Bose, a retired IAS officer, is yet to assume office as the new governor of West Bengal.

    He replaced Manipur Governor La Ganesan, who had been holding the additional charge of West Bengal since July after his predecessor Jagdeep Dhankhar was nominated as the vice presidential candidate by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

    Incidentally, the state government and Dhankhar were at loggerheads over several issues, including the law and order situation, since he assumed office in July 2019.

    KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called up C V Ananda Bose, the newly appointed governor of the state, and exchanged pleasantries with him, a senior official in the secretariat said on Saturday.

    Banerjee telephoned Bose on Friday evening and spoke with him for around 10 minutes and they exchanged pleasantries during the conversation, the official told PTI.

    Bose, a retired IAS officer, is yet to assume office as the new governor of West Bengal.

    He replaced Manipur Governor La Ganesan, who had been holding the additional charge of West Bengal since July after his predecessor Jagdeep Dhankhar was nominated as the vice presidential candidate by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

    Incidentally, the state government and Dhankhar were at loggerheads over several issues, including the law and order situation, since he assumed office in July 2019.

  • Don’t demand separate state, BJP chief Nadda tells party cadres in Bengal

    Express News Service

    KOLKATA: BJP national president JP Nadda, who was on his two-day visit to West Bengal, issued an instruction to party’s Bengal functionaries on Thursday making it clear that no one would raise the demand of separate statehood in Bengal as the party doesn’t endorse it. “There has been examples that many of our leaders have aised demand for separate statehood in the recent past. Do not raise such demand from now. The BJP doesn’t endorse such demand,” Nadda reportedly said while addressing a gathering of mandal presidents at the Sceince City auditorium.   Nadda’s instruction came at a time when a section of BJP’s elected representatives raised demand for separate statehood in the recent past. BJP MP in Bishnupur Saumitra Khan last month demanded separate statehood for tribal-dominated Junglemahal comprising four districts. Similarly, John Barla, the MP from Alipurduar, also demanded statehood for Dooars and Hills in north Bengal on several occasions. Though the most of the leadership in the state hierarchy never supported the demand for separate statehood, but a section of party leaders kept pressing the issue which clearly indicated a a division within the party over the issue.

  • Five arrested in Bengal for duping job-seekers by posing as Army officers

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: At least five people hailing from Uttar Pradesh have been arrested in Kolkata for allegedly duping job-seekers by posing as Army officers, police said on Tuesday.

    Acting on a tip-off, police nabbed the five people from New Market area in the heart of the city late on Monday night, an officer said.

    Initial probe revealed that the five arrested accused, who hail from Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh, took money from people by promising them jobs in the defence sector.

    They donned Army uniforms and even carried fake ID cards to establish their identity, he said.

    An investigation has been started based on a complaint lodged at New Market Police Station.

    Several documents, including fake offer letters, have been seized from their possession, he added.

  • Ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit, Bengal BJP faces heat of discontent

    By Express News Service

    KOLKATA: Less than a week to go Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to visit the state, the BJP’s West Bengal unit continued to face the heat of discontent within the party as 15 functionaries of Barasat organisational committee in Kolkata’s adjoining North 24 Parganas district tendered resignation in one go on Sunday.

    The dissent among the party leaders surfaced at a time when the BJP high command issued a dictate directing the state chapter to rejuvenate the party’s internal dispute and build up united image ahead of Shah’s visit starting from May 4.

    The saffron camp had started facing erosion within the party since the debacle in the by-elections, in which the party failed to retain the Asansol Lok Sabha seat.

    Three MLAs, including the state secretary, had stepped down from the state hierarchy and 14 district level functionaries in Nadia had tendered resignation within 48 hours of the results of the by-elections reflecting the saffron camp’s poor show.       

    “All the dissidents expressed their discontent against the district president accusing him of favoritism and elevating “incompetent” faces shunning the party’s old and loyal workers. They, including a Mandal president, also held the top leadership of the district committee for failing to win a single ward in Barasat civic body,” said a senior BJP leader.

    In the mass resignation letter, the dissident BJP workers accused Tapas Mitra of being involved in anti-party activities.

    “He not only gave priority to those who are close to him. Besides, he is hand in gloves with Trinamool Congress leaders and helped our rivals to get electoral gain in the civic polls,” said Shyamal Roy, one of the functionaries who resigned on Sunday.  

    Mitra, however, denied all allegations.

    Sukanta Majumdar, BJP’s state president, said, “None of the district committee functionaries, who tendered resignation, talked to him on the issue of their grievance. I will talk to them and sort out the issue.”

    During his visit, Shah will hold a meeting with the party functionaries in Kolkata on May 6 where the state unit will explain the reasons behind the debacle in the by-elections.

    “The discontent is expected to surface in Shah’s meeting which will not be a comfortable situation for the state leadership,” said the BJP leader.

  • Bihar man arrested, four firearms seized in Bengal’s Malda

    By PTI

    MAIDAN: A resident of Bihar’s Munger has been arrested and four firearms seized from his possession in West Bengal’s Malda district, police said on Tuesday.

    The accused was nabbed by West Bengal Police Special Task Force at Khalitpur railway station on Monday while he was travelling aboard the Katihar-Howrah Express, an officer said.

    He was scheduled to deliver the guns to a person in Kaliachak in Malda district, he said.

    Malda Government Railway Police (GRP) has lodged a case and further investigation is underway.