Tag: Mamata Banerjee

  • Opposition will unite to oust BJP from power in 2024, says Mamata

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said she and her counterparts in neighbouring Bihar and Jharkhand will join hands with several other opposition leaders to oust the BJP from power in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

    Addressing a party programme here, Banerjee, also the Trinamool Congress supremo, claimed that the BJP would face a rout as people were displeased with the saffron party-led Centre’s policies.

    “There is Nitish Kumar in Bihar, Akhilesh Yadav in Uttar Pradesh, Hemant Soren in Jharkhand. We will all unite and defeat the BJP in 2024. Opposition parties will join hands to defeat the BJP. All of us will be on one side and the BJP on the other. The BJP’s arrogance, its hope of bagging 300 seats will be its nemesis. ‘Khela Hobe’ in 2024,” she said.

    ‘Khela Hobe’ (game to be played) had been the battle cry of the TMC during the Assembly polls last year, in which the party defeated the BJP to storm back to power for the third consecutive term.

    “The ground for ‘Khela Hobe’ in 2024 will be prepared in Bengal itself. The BJP will lose 100 seats in these five states I named. They should remember that during Rajiv Gandhi’s tenure, Congress had over 400 seats, yet they lost the next elections. BJP leaders’ assertion that it would bag 300 seats will also bite the dust,” she said.

    Banerjee insisted that the “arrest of Jharkhand MLAs with hordes of cash by the Bengal police recently” had stopped horse-trading in the neighbouring state and prevented the fall of the Hemant Soren government.

    Three Congress MLAs of Jharkhand were arrested on July 30 after nearly Rs 49 lakh in cash was found in the car that was intercepted at Panchla in West Bengal’s Howrah district.

    The Congress, a part of the JMM-led government in Jharkhand, claimed that the BJP was trying to topple the Soren government by offering Rs 10 crore each and ministerial berths to the MLAs.

    “The BJP thinks they can threaten us with CBI and ED. The more they pursue such tricks, the more they will get closer to defeat in next year’s panchayat election and 2024 Lok Sabha polls,” she said.

    The CM slammed the opposition, especially the BJP, and a section of the media for allegedly unleashing a malicious campaign against her and her party leaders following the arrest of senior leaders Partha Chatterjee and Anubrata Mondal by central agencies in different cases.

    Meanwhile, rebuffing Banerjee’s claims, BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar said the TMC supremo should stop “daydreaming”.

    “We have seen TMC’s national overdrive in 2014 and 2019. It’s high time that the party learns its lessons,” he said.

    KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said she and her counterparts in neighbouring Bihar and Jharkhand will join hands with several other opposition leaders to oust the BJP from power in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

    Addressing a party programme here, Banerjee, also the Trinamool Congress supremo, claimed that the BJP would face a rout as people were displeased with the saffron party-led Centre’s policies.

    “There is Nitish Kumar in Bihar, Akhilesh Yadav in Uttar Pradesh, Hemant Soren in Jharkhand. We will all unite and defeat the BJP in 2024. Opposition parties will join hands to defeat the BJP. All of us will be on one side and the BJP on the other. The BJP’s arrogance, its hope of bagging 300 seats will be its nemesis. ‘Khela Hobe’ in 2024,” she said.

    ‘Khela Hobe’ (game to be played) had been the battle cry of the TMC during the Assembly polls last year, in which the party defeated the BJP to storm back to power for the third consecutive term.

    “The ground for ‘Khela Hobe’ in 2024 will be prepared in Bengal itself. The BJP will lose 100 seats in these five states I named. They should remember that during Rajiv Gandhi’s tenure, Congress had over 400 seats, yet they lost the next elections. BJP leaders’ assertion that it would bag 300 seats will also bite the dust,” she said.

    Banerjee insisted that the “arrest of Jharkhand MLAs with hordes of cash by the Bengal police recently” had stopped horse-trading in the neighbouring state and prevented the fall of the Hemant Soren government.

    Three Congress MLAs of Jharkhand were arrested on July 30 after nearly Rs 49 lakh in cash was found in the car that was intercepted at Panchla in West Bengal’s Howrah district.

    The Congress, a part of the JMM-led government in Jharkhand, claimed that the BJP was trying to topple the Soren government by offering Rs 10 crore each and ministerial berths to the MLAs.

    “The BJP thinks they can threaten us with CBI and ED. The more they pursue such tricks, the more they will get closer to defeat in next year’s panchayat election and 2024 Lok Sabha polls,” she said.

    The CM slammed the opposition, especially the BJP, and a section of the media for allegedly unleashing a malicious campaign against her and her party leaders following the arrest of senior leaders Partha Chatterjee and Anubrata Mondal by central agencies in different cases.

    Meanwhile, rebuffing Banerjee’s claims, BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar said the TMC supremo should stop “daydreaming”.

    “We have seen TMC’s national overdrive in 2014 and 2019. It’s high time that the party learns its lessons,” he said.

  • ‘Is this decency?’: Mamata slams Centre’s invite via undersecy for Netaji statue unveiling 

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday criticised the Centre’s “lack of decency” in sending an invite to her through an undersecretary for the unveiling ceremony of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s statue in New Delhi.

    She asserted that she was “no servant” of the BJP-led dispensation.

    “I received a letter on Tuesday from someone at the undersecretary level, saying PM Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose statue at 7 pm and I should be there by 6 pm. Is this how you write to an elected chief minister? Am I a bonded labourer? “An undersecretary cannot write to a chief minister inviting her. Why didn’t the culture ministry write to me?” she stated.

    Banerjee also said that she decided against attending the programme and instead “garlanded the statue of Netaji in Kolkata”.

    Mamata Banerjee pays flower tribute to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s statue at Red Road, in Kolkata on Thursday. (Photo | PTI)

    “Is this decency? I didn’t go. I garlanded Netaji’s statue in Kolkata this afternoon and paid my respects,” she maintained.

    Sharing pictures of the garlanding, Banerjee said the freedom fighter continued to inspire the people of this country.

    “I paid my heartfelt tribute to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose before starting the day. He lives in our hearts and continues to inspire us, daily,” she wrote.

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a 28-ft statue of Bose at India Gate on Thursday.

    Earlier, Netaji’s nearly 80-year-old daughter Anita Bose Pfaff, who lives in Germany, had said that she, too, would not be able to attend the ceremony, having received the invitation on short notice.

    Pfaff also said that she would want to meet the PM to discuss ‘the conditions and procedures’ for bringing back Netaji’s remains to India from Renkoji Temple in Japan.

    KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday criticised the Centre’s “lack of decency” in sending an invite to her through an undersecretary for the unveiling ceremony of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s statue in New Delhi.

    She asserted that she was “no servant” of the BJP-led dispensation.

    “I received a letter on Tuesday from someone at the undersecretary level, saying PM Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose statue at 7 pm and I should be there by 6 pm. Is this how you write to an elected chief minister? Am I a bonded labourer? “An undersecretary cannot write to a chief minister inviting her. Why didn’t the culture ministry write to me?” she stated.

    Banerjee also said that she decided against attending the programme and instead “garlanded the statue of Netaji in Kolkata”.

    Mamata Banerjee pays flower tribute to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s statue at Red Road, in Kolkata on Thursday. (Photo | PTI)

    “Is this decency? I didn’t go. I garlanded Netaji’s statue in Kolkata this afternoon and paid my respects,” she maintained.

    Sharing pictures of the garlanding, Banerjee said the freedom fighter continued to inspire the people of this country.

    “I paid my heartfelt tribute to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose before starting the day. He lives in our hearts and continues to inspire us, daily,” she wrote.

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a 28-ft statue of Bose at India Gate on Thursday.

    Earlier, Netaji’s nearly 80-year-old daughter Anita Bose Pfaff, who lives in Germany, had said that she, too, would not be able to attend the ceremony, having received the invitation on short notice.

    Pfaff also said that she would want to meet the PM to discuss ‘the conditions and procedures’ for bringing back Netaji’s remains to India from Renkoji Temple in Japan.

  • ‘As if I am their servant’: Mamata hits at Centre for not getting proper invitation to Netaji statue event

    By Express News Service

    Kolkata: Slamming the centre for “lack of decency” in sending an invite to her, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Thursday that she did not attend the unveiling ceremony of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s statue in New Delhi. She also made it a point that an undersecretary is not supposed to write to a CM inviting him or her.

    “I got a letter yesterday from an undersecretary saying the PM will inaugurate the Netaji statue at 7 pm and you must be there at 6 pm. As if I am their servant. How can an undersecretary write to a Chief Minister? This reflects a lack of decency. The Union Cultural Minister, too, seemed to have found no time to write to me. So, I didn’t go. I garlanded Netaji’s statue in Kolkata this afternoon,’’ said Mamata while addressing a gathering of elected representatives in Panchayat in Netaji Indoor Stadium.

    At a time when Bengal’s ruling party is facing the heat of alleged corruption and scam, being probed by the CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED), Mamata issued an instruction asking not to recommend for any job in letterheads.

    “Do not recommend a job for anyone on your letterheads. Do not discuss issues over the phone. If you have anything important to communicate, do it by meeting face-to-face. The personnel of Intelligence Bureau (IB) in districts are basically BJP’s eyes and ears,’’ she said.

    ALSO READ | PM Modi unveils 28-ft-tall Netaji statue at India Gate 

    Mamata’s comment appeared to be significant as the ED while conducting a search at the residence of arrested former TMC minister Partha Chatterjee in connection with an alleged scam in recruitment in schools, recovered letterheads in which district-level functionaries of the ruling party recommended jobs in schools.

    Mamata, once again, stood by the side of Birbhum’s TMC strongman Anubrata Mondal, who was arrested by the CBI in a cattle smuggling case. “They (BJP) think they will win two Lok Sabha seats in the district by throwing Kesto (Mondal) behind the bars. But their dream will be shattered,’’ said Mamata.

    The TMC supremo, however, preferred to maintain distance with her former minister Chatterjee by removing him from his posts in the cabinet and suspending him from the party.

    ALSO READ | Netaji daughter to miss unveiling of father’s statue, wants Govt to consider bringing Bose’s remains back 

    Criticising Mamata for her support for Mondal, BJP’s national vice-president Dilip Ghosh said, “She realised that if Mondal starts speaking out before the central agency, it will invite trouble for her. This is why she is supporting Mondal.’’

    Kolkata: Slamming the centre for “lack of decency” in sending an invite to her, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Thursday that she did not attend the unveiling ceremony of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s statue in New Delhi. She also made it a point that an undersecretary is not supposed to write to a CM inviting him or her.

    “I got a letter yesterday from an undersecretary saying the PM will inaugurate the Netaji statue at 7 pm and you must be there at 6 pm. As if I am their servant. How can an undersecretary write to a Chief Minister? This reflects a lack of decency. The Union Cultural Minister, too, seemed to have found no time to write to me. So, I didn’t go. I garlanded Netaji’s statue in Kolkata this afternoon,’’ said Mamata while addressing a gathering of elected representatives in Panchayat in Netaji Indoor Stadium.

    At a time when Bengal’s ruling party is facing the heat of alleged corruption and scam, being probed by the CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED), Mamata issued an instruction asking not to recommend for any job in letterheads.

    “Do not recommend a job for anyone on your letterheads. Do not discuss issues over the phone. If you have anything important to communicate, do it by meeting face-to-face. The personnel of Intelligence Bureau (IB) in districts are basically BJP’s eyes and ears,’’ she said.

    ALSO READ | PM Modi unveils 28-ft-tall Netaji statue at India Gate 

    Mamata’s comment appeared to be significant as the ED while conducting a search at the residence of arrested former TMC minister Partha Chatterjee in connection with an alleged scam in recruitment in schools, recovered letterheads in which district-level functionaries of the ruling party recommended jobs in schools.

    Mamata, once again, stood by the side of Birbhum’s TMC strongman Anubrata Mondal, who was arrested by the CBI in a cattle smuggling case. “They (BJP) think they will win two Lok Sabha seats in the district by throwing Kesto (Mondal) behind the bars. But their dream will be shattered,’’ said Mamata.

    The TMC supremo, however, preferred to maintain distance with her former minister Chatterjee by removing him from his posts in the cabinet and suspending him from the party.

    ALSO READ | Netaji daughter to miss unveiling of father’s statue, wants Govt to consider bringing Bose’s remains back 

    Criticising Mamata for her support for Mondal, BJP’s national vice-president Dilip Ghosh said, “She realised that if Mondal starts speaking out before the central agency, it will invite trouble for her. This is why she is supporting Mondal.’’

  • Officials reject Mamata’s criticism of Centre not inviting her to be part of Hasina’s visit 

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Centre does not invite chief ministers for attending the events of a visiting head of another country’s government, official sources said on Thursday, rejecting Mamata Banerjee’s criticism of the government for not asking her to be part of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s trip.

    “The government of India does not invite any chief minister for such visits. Sometimes chief ministers are invited for state banquets or some other ceremonial events but there was no such occasion during this visit.”

    “In 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had in fact invited (West Bengal) Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to Bangladesh, where a ceremonial event was held for flagging-off a bus service between the two countries,” an official said.

    The reaction came after Banerjee slammed the Centre for not inviting her to be a part of Hasina’s visit to India.

    She said she was curious about why the BJP-led government was “worried” about her meeting Hasina.

    “I share an excellent relationship with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, but (the Centre) did not invite me to be a part of her visit,” the Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief said while addressing a special session of her party.

    Hasina arrived in New Delhi on Monday on a four-day visit to expand the overall ties between the two countries.

    NEW DELHI: The Centre does not invite chief ministers for attending the events of a visiting head of another country’s government, official sources said on Thursday, rejecting Mamata Banerjee’s criticism of the government for not asking her to be part of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s trip.

    “The government of India does not invite any chief minister for such visits. Sometimes chief ministers are invited for state banquets or some other ceremonial events but there was no such occasion during this visit.”

    “In 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had in fact invited (West Bengal) Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to Bangladesh, where a ceremonial event was held for flagging-off a bus service between the two countries,” an official said.

    The reaction came after Banerjee slammed the Centre for not inviting her to be a part of Hasina’s visit to India.

    She said she was curious about why the BJP-led government was “worried” about her meeting Hasina.

    “I share an excellent relationship with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, but (the Centre) did not invite me to be a part of her visit,” the Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief said while addressing a special session of her party.

    Hasina arrived in New Delhi on Monday on a four-day visit to expand the overall ties between the two countries.

  • Kolkata comes to standstill as TMC organises rally to celebrate UNESCO tag for Durga Puja

    By Express News Service

    Kolkata: Central Kolkata came to a standstill as the West Bengal government organised a march as a mark to express gratitude to UNESCO for giving Durga Puja a heritage tag. The event has turned out to be a political extravaganza of the ruling party and a reply to the BJP’s allegation accusing the ruling TMC of restricting Hindu festivals.

    The event is organised a month ahead of Durga Puja and political observers found it was the ruling party’s desperate attempt to woo the sentiment of Bengalis riding on the sentiment of the festival.

    Taking a jibe at Thursday’s event and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, BJP’s Amit Malviya said “She is organising a rally to take credit for the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage tag for Durga puja. The truth however is that she had no role whatsoever in getting the award. It was because of efforts of Sangeet Natak Aademi, an institution under the Modi government,’’ he tweeted.

    Several arterial roads were closed for vehicular movements and schools in north Kolkata announced a holiday anticipating massive footfall in the march that started from iconic Jorasanko Thakurbari and ended on Red Road.

    Bhupen Bose Avenue, J. M. Avenue, Central Avenue, Vivekananda Road, KK Tagore Street   M G Road, BB Ganguly Street, SN Banerjee Road, GC Avenue Lenin Sarani, Mayo Road RR Avenue, JL Nehru Road Esplanade Row were among the thoroughfares that were closed for traffic for many hours.

    ALSO READ | West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee hikes financial assistance for Durga puja clubs 

    This year, a month-long celebration ahead of Durga Puja has commenced in Kolkata from Thursday onwards.

    The state government set the festive mood in place at a time when the ruling party’s heavyweights, former minister Partha Chatterjee and party’s strongman Anubrata Mondal, were arrested on the charges of being involved in a scam by two central agencies.

    ALSO READ | Caging two birds with one festival: With Durga Puja doles, Mamata moves to corner BJP

    “The BJP, during the campaign in last year’s Assembly elections, accused Mamata’s government of restricting people of Bengal from celebrating Hindu festivals like Durga Puja and Saraswati Puja. The announcement of the month-long celebration and Thursday’s march appeared to be an attempt to blunt BJP’s allegation.

    Besides, it is also an effort to divert people’s attention from the ongoing corruption charges faced by TMC leaders. It is like caging two birds with one festival,” said a political observer preferring anonymity.

    Without naming the BJP, Mamata, at the end of the event, said, “Religious belief is an individual’s choice. In Bengal, we celebrate and become part of festivals of all communities.”

    Kolkata: Central Kolkata came to a standstill as the West Bengal government organised a march as a mark to express gratitude to UNESCO for giving Durga Puja a heritage tag. The event has turned out to be a political extravaganza of the ruling party and a reply to the BJP’s allegation accusing the ruling TMC of restricting Hindu festivals.

    The event is organised a month ahead of Durga Puja and political observers found it was the ruling party’s desperate attempt to woo the sentiment of Bengalis riding on the sentiment of the festival.

    Taking a jibe at Thursday’s event and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, BJP’s Amit Malviya said “She is organising a rally to take credit for the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage tag for Durga puja. The truth however is that she had no role whatsoever in getting the award. It was because of efforts of Sangeet Natak Aademi, an institution under the Modi government,’’ he tweeted.

    Several arterial roads were closed for vehicular movements and schools in north Kolkata announced a holiday anticipating massive footfall in the march that started from iconic Jorasanko Thakurbari and ended on Red Road.

    Bhupen Bose Avenue, J. M. Avenue, Central Avenue, Vivekananda Road, KK Tagore Street   M G Road, BB Ganguly Street, SN Banerjee Road, GC Avenue Lenin Sarani, Mayo Road RR Avenue, JL Nehru Road Esplanade Row were among the thoroughfares that were closed for traffic for many hours.

    ALSO READ | West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee hikes financial assistance for Durga puja clubs 

    This year, a month-long celebration ahead of Durga Puja has commenced in Kolkata from Thursday onwards.

    The state government set the festive mood in place at a time when the ruling party’s heavyweights, former minister Partha Chatterjee and party’s strongman Anubrata Mondal, were arrested on the charges of being involved in a scam by two central agencies.

    ALSO READ | Caging two birds with one festival: With Durga Puja doles, Mamata moves to corner BJP

    “The BJP, during the campaign in last year’s Assembly elections, accused Mamata’s government of restricting people of Bengal from celebrating Hindu festivals like Durga Puja and Saraswati Puja. The announcement of the month-long celebration and Thursday’s march appeared to be an attempt to blunt BJP’s allegation.

    Besides, it is also an effort to divert people’s attention from the ongoing corruption charges faced by TMC leaders. It is like caging two birds with one festival,” said a political observer preferring anonymity.

    Without naming the BJP, Mamata, at the end of the event, said, “Religious belief is an individual’s choice. In Bengal, we celebrate and become part of festivals of all communities.”

  • ‘If my family gets notice from central agencies, will fight it legally’: Mamata

    Her comment came after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) issued a fresh summons to her nephew and Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee to appear before its officers on Friday.

  • Mamata cautions Trinamool minister against making controversial remarks against party leaders

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday cracked the whip on minister Srikanta Mahata and cautioned him from making controversial remarks against party leaders from the showbiz industry.

    She also asked Mahata to apologise, a TMC minister said .

    “The chief minister rebuked Mahata for his remarks and asked him not to make controversial remarks in future. He was asked to tender an apology,” the senior TMC Minister said.

    Mahata, the minister of state for consumer affairs and an influential leader from West Midnapore district, had courted controversy on Sunday by claiming that several Trinamool Congress MLAs and MPs from the showbiz industry have become looters and that the party’s top brass is ignoring honest workers.

    He was show caused for his statement, which the party top brass said “has harmed the party’s image”.

    Mahata had said that if the TMC MPs and MLAs from the showbiz industry are considered its assets “How long can we be with this party?”

    “If there are instances of loot of money, it is advisable for a minister to go to jail. Otherwise, people will point fingers at ministers and label all of us as thieves. Aren’t all of us facing similar taunts?” the minister had said.

    He was referring to the arrests of senior leaders Partha Chatterjee and Anubrata Mondal by central probe agencies in connection with the school jobs recruitment scam and alleged cattle smuggling respectively.

    KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday cracked the whip on minister Srikanta Mahata and cautioned him from making controversial remarks against party leaders from the showbiz industry.

    She also asked Mahata to apologise, a TMC minister said .

    “The chief minister rebuked Mahata for his remarks and asked him not to make controversial remarks in future. He was asked to tender an apology,” the senior TMC Minister said.

    Mahata, the minister of state for consumer affairs and an influential leader from West Midnapore district, had courted controversy on Sunday by claiming that several Trinamool Congress MLAs and MPs from the showbiz industry have become looters and that the party’s top brass is ignoring honest workers.

    He was show caused for his statement, which the party top brass said “has harmed the party’s image”.

    Mahata had said that if the TMC MPs and MLAs from the showbiz industry are considered its assets “How long can we be with this party?”

    “If there are instances of loot of money, it is advisable for a minister to go to jail. Otherwise, people will point fingers at ministers and label all of us as thieves. Aren’t all of us facing similar taunts?” the minister had said.

    He was referring to the arrests of senior leaders Partha Chatterjee and Anubrata Mondal by central probe agencies in connection with the school jobs recruitment scam and alleged cattle smuggling respectively.

  • BJP branding everyone as thieves, using central agencies to dislodge elected state govts: Mamata

    By Agencies

    KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said the central agencies and “ill-gotten money of the BJP” are being used to dislodge elected state governments run by parties that are opposed to the saffron camp. Amid corruption charges against the Trinamool Congress (TMC)-led government in West Bengal, the party supremo challenged the BJP to arrest her if they can.

    Addressing a rally of her party’s student wing Trinamool Chhatra Parishad, Banerjee said a malicious campaign has been unleashed against senior TMC leaders, including her, Firhad Hakim (popularly known as Bobby) and Abhishek Banerjee. ““The BJP is branding everybody as thieves. They are campaigning in a way as if all of us in the TMC are thieves and only the BJP and its leaders are holy,”” she said.

    “They (BJP) are talking about the money with TMC leaders. From where is the BJP getting thousands of crores to dislodge elected state governments in line of the Maharashtra model. The BJP is parking money abroad through hawala. The BJP has to be defeated in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls,”” the chief minister vowed.

    SPECIAL REPORT | Partha Chatterjee, Arpita Mukherjee and West Bengal’s schools of scandal

    Our student community represents courage and valour – they shall continue to fight evil forces with an indomitable spirit.We will fight, we will win and WE WILL OUST @BJP4India! pic.twitter.com/lyxP1l5LXS
    — All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) August 29, 2022
    She was apprehensive that the onslaught against Hakim might happen any time.

    “The ED raids at the residence of Partha Chatterjee happened just a day after our historic Martyrs’ Day rally on July 21 this year. And now after this rally, tomorrow ED or CBI might be at Bobby’s doorsteps. In the case of Partha Chatterjee, I do not have anything to say. But remember if the same thing happens with Bobby, it will be a totally conspired move,” the chief minister said.

    “If Bobby is arrested, you can rest assured it will be a fake case, just to harass him,”” “she added.

    She also expressed similar apprehension regarding her nephew and TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. “He has given a fiery speech here. Who can say that he and his wife will not receive a central agency notice tomorrow. This time if they summon him and his wife, I will ask them to take their two-year-old kid along with them to the agency office,” she said.

    ALSO READ | Caging two birds with one festival: With Durga Puja doles, Mamata moves to corner BJP

    The chief minister also admitted that there had been some irregularities in the teacher’s recruitment during her time as the chief minister of West Bengal. “But the complaints of irregularities are limited compared to the huge teachers’ appointments taking place in the last ten years. However, we would have rectified the mistakes had we given a chance to that. But unfortunately, we did not get that chance,” the chief minister said.

    “Had I not been the chief minister I would have asked my female party colleagues to slit out the tongues of those who are resorting to constant slander against us concerning the irregularities,” the chief minister said.

    Referring to the recent incident of the alleged rape of a woman at the India-Bangladesh border by BSF jawans, she wondered whether such an incident happened due to the Centre’s decision to broaden the paramilitary force’s jurisdiction from 15km to 50km in bordering areas.

    ““The BJP talks about ‘Beti Bachao’ and ‘Beti Padhao’ and its government released those involved in Bilkis Bano case. Is this justice? We will organise 48-hour long dharna here in Kolkata to press for action against the accused,”” she added.

    READ HERE | Cattle smuggling racket that TMC’s Anubrata Mondal was involved in had a deep nexus

    Speaking on the occasion, Abhishek Banerjee attacked the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary and the Union Home Minister, Amit Shah’s son, Jay Shah for the alleged refusal to hold the Tricolour during the India-Pakistan match on Sunday. “Either Amit Shah should announce Jay Sah as his prodigal son or he should resign from the post of Union home minister. I am surprised that such people try to teach us about the spirit of patriotism,” he said.

    (With PTI and ANI inputs)

    KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said the central agencies and “ill-gotten money of the BJP” are being used to dislodge elected state governments run by parties that are opposed to the saffron camp. Amid corruption charges against the Trinamool Congress (TMC)-led government in West Bengal, the party supremo challenged the BJP to arrest her if they can.

    Addressing a rally of her party’s student wing Trinamool Chhatra Parishad, Banerjee said a malicious campaign has been unleashed against senior TMC leaders, including her, Firhad Hakim (popularly known as Bobby) and Abhishek Banerjee. ““The BJP is branding everybody as thieves. They are campaigning in a way as if all of us in the TMC are thieves and only the BJP and its leaders are holy,”” she said.

    “They (BJP) are talking about the money with TMC leaders. From where is the BJP getting thousands of crores to dislodge elected state governments in line of the Maharashtra model. The BJP is parking money abroad through hawala. The BJP has to be defeated in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls,”” the chief minister vowed.

    SPECIAL REPORT | Partha Chatterjee, Arpita Mukherjee and West Bengal’s schools of scandal

    Our student community represents courage and valour – they shall continue to fight evil forces with an indomitable spirit.
    We will fight, we will win and WE WILL OUST @BJP4India! pic.twitter.com/lyxP1l5LXS
    — All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) August 29, 2022
    She was apprehensive that the onslaught against Hakim might happen any time.

    “The ED raids at the residence of Partha Chatterjee happened just a day after our historic Martyrs’ Day rally on July 21 this year. And now after this rally, tomorrow ED or CBI might be at Bobby’s doorsteps. In the case of Partha Chatterjee, I do not have anything to say. But remember if the same thing happens with Bobby, it will be a totally conspired move,” the chief minister said.

    “If Bobby is arrested, you can rest assured it will be a fake case, just to harass him,”” “she added.

    She also expressed similar apprehension regarding her nephew and TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. “He has given a fiery speech here. Who can say that he and his wife will not receive a central agency notice tomorrow. This time if they summon him and his wife, I will ask them to take their two-year-old kid along with them to the agency office,” she said.

    ALSO READ | Caging two birds with one festival: With Durga Puja doles, Mamata moves to corner BJP

    The chief minister also admitted that there had been some irregularities in the teacher’s recruitment during her time as the chief minister of West Bengal. “But the complaints of irregularities are limited compared to the huge teachers’ appointments taking place in the last ten years. However, we would have rectified the mistakes had we given a chance to that. But unfortunately, we did not get that chance,” the chief minister said.

    “Had I not been the chief minister I would have asked my female party colleagues to slit out the tongues of those who are resorting to constant slander against us concerning the irregularities,” the chief minister said.

    Referring to the recent incident of the alleged rape of a woman at the India-Bangladesh border by BSF jawans, she wondered whether such an incident happened due to the Centre’s decision to broaden the paramilitary force’s jurisdiction from 15km to 50km in bordering areas.

    ““The BJP talks about ‘Beti Bachao’ and ‘Beti Padhao’ and its government released those involved in Bilkis Bano case. Is this justice? We will organise 48-hour long dharna here in Kolkata to press for action against the accused,”” she added.

    READ HERE | Cattle smuggling racket that TMC’s Anubrata Mondal was involved in had a deep nexus

    Speaking on the occasion, Abhishek Banerjee attacked the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary and the Union Home Minister, Amit Shah’s son, Jay Shah for the alleged refusal to hold the Tricolour during the India-Pakistan match on Sunday. “Either Amit Shah should announce Jay Sah as his prodigal son or he should resign from the post of Union home minister. I am surprised that such people try to teach us about the spirit of patriotism,” he said.

    (With PTI and ANI inputs)

  • West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee hikes financial assistance for Durga puja clubs 

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday hiked the financial assistance for each of the state’s over 40,000 Durga puja-organising clubs to Rs 60,000 from last year’s Rs 50,000, besides announcing a 60 per cent rebate on electricity bills.

    She said that state government employees would be entitled to an 11-day leave on the occasion of Durga puja, the biggest festival in Bengal, from September 30.

    Banerjee also stated that her government would take out a rally on September 1 to thank UNESCO for according the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) tag to the festival.

    “The Centre is not releasing funds for Bengal as a result of which the state is suffering. Despite that, we have decided to increase financial assistance for puja committees from last year’s Rs 50,000 to Rs 60,000. We will also give them a rebate of 60 per cent on the electricity bill,” Banerjee said.

    Also, the government, in keeping with the tradition over the past few years, would not levy several other taxes on the puja organisers, including ones imposed on advertisements, she affirmed.

    The Chief Minister stressed that the September 1 rally would have no political agenda, and anybody and everybody was free to join it.

    “This year, celebrations will be unique. Pujas will commence a day before the Mahalaya. We will organise a rally on September 1. It will not be a rally to thank UNESCO, and all are welcome to participate in it. The rally will commence from Jorasanko Thakurbari at 2 pm.”

    ALSO READ | Tour operators expect boom time this Durga puja season in Bengal as COVID threat subsides

    “I urge Kolkata Pujo Forum (body of Durga puja organisers), police personnel as well as the leaders, including MPs and MLAs, to ensure that all events take place peacefully and successfully. Do not pay heed to any instigation. I am also urging all clubs to participate in the rally,” she said.

    In a veiled attack on the BJP, she said there are some who had claimed that Durga puja and Saraswati puja are not allowed in Bengal, but have they ever thought about the scale of celebrations here and also whether such arrangements are made for these festivals anywhere else.

    Ahead of last year’s assembly polls, several BJP leaders had alleged that Durga and Saraswati puja celebrations faced hindrances in Bengal under TMC rule.

    Banerjee, talking about the September 1 rally, suggested that offices and schools be closed by 1 pm on that day to avoid chaos and traffic congestion.

    “We thank UNESCO for giving Durga Puja the ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage’ tag. As we welcome our ‘Maa’ in the most special way, let’s make this years’ pujo grander and happier for each and everyone,” she added.

    “Celebrate the way you want. Let someone play the conch shell at the rally if she wants to, someone may sing. But everyone must wear bright clothes. I will invite 10,000 students from senior schools to be part of this rally,” she stated at an administrative meeting at Netaji Indoor Stadium here.

    The CM also said that the annual Durga Puja carnival at Red Road here would be held on October 8, three days after ‘Dashami’.

    Similar carnivals would also be arranged in the districts, she said, adding that the government would be giving a two-day holiday for Kali Puja.

    KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday hiked the financial assistance for each of the state’s over 40,000 Durga puja-organising clubs to Rs 60,000 from last year’s Rs 50,000, besides announcing a 60 per cent rebate on electricity bills.

    She said that state government employees would be entitled to an 11-day leave on the occasion of Durga puja, the biggest festival in Bengal, from September 30.

    Banerjee also stated that her government would take out a rally on September 1 to thank UNESCO for according the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) tag to the festival.

    “The Centre is not releasing funds for Bengal as a result of which the state is suffering. Despite that, we have decided to increase financial assistance for puja committees from last year’s Rs 50,000 to Rs 60,000. We will also give them a rebate of 60 per cent on the electricity bill,” Banerjee said.

    Also, the government, in keeping with the tradition over the past few years, would not levy several other taxes on the puja organisers, including ones imposed on advertisements, she affirmed.

    The Chief Minister stressed that the September 1 rally would have no political agenda, and anybody and everybody was free to join it.

    “This year, celebrations will be unique. Pujas will commence a day before the Mahalaya. We will organise a rally on September 1. It will not be a rally to thank UNESCO, and all are welcome to participate in it. The rally will commence from Jorasanko Thakurbari at 2 pm.”

    ALSO READ | Tour operators expect boom time this Durga puja season in Bengal as COVID threat subsides

    “I urge Kolkata Pujo Forum (body of Durga puja organisers), police personnel as well as the leaders, including MPs and MLAs, to ensure that all events take place peacefully and successfully. Do not pay heed to any instigation. I am also urging all clubs to participate in the rally,” she said.

    In a veiled attack on the BJP, she said there are some who had claimed that Durga puja and Saraswati puja are not allowed in Bengal, but have they ever thought about the scale of celebrations here and also whether such arrangements are made for these festivals anywhere else.

    Ahead of last year’s assembly polls, several BJP leaders had alleged that Durga and Saraswati puja celebrations faced hindrances in Bengal under TMC rule.

    Banerjee, talking about the September 1 rally, suggested that offices and schools be closed by 1 pm on that day to avoid chaos and traffic congestion.

    “We thank UNESCO for giving Durga Puja the ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage’ tag. As we welcome our ‘Maa’ in the most special way, let’s make this years’ pujo grander and happier for each and everyone,” she added.

    “Celebrate the way you want. Let someone play the conch shell at the rally if she wants to, someone may sing. But everyone must wear bright clothes. I will invite 10,000 students from senior schools to be part of this rally,” she stated at an administrative meeting at Netaji Indoor Stadium here.

    The CM also said that the annual Durga Puja carnival at Red Road here would be held on October 8, three days after ‘Dashami’.

    Similar carnivals would also be arranged in the districts, she said, adding that the government would be giving a two-day holiday for Kali Puja.

  • Arrests of Anubrata, Partha: BJP to take out march to Nabanna against ‘corrupt’ Mamata government

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: Upping the ante in the fight against the TMC, following the arrest of two of its leaders, the Bengal BJP has given the call for march to ‘Nabanna’ – the state secretariat – on September 7 in protest against the “corrupt” TMC regime.

    Addressing a rally in Esplanade area here, BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar said that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee should “step down” following the arrest of senior minister Partha Chatterjee and party leader Anubrata Mondal in corruption cases.

    TMC strongman Anubrata Mondal was arrested by CBI for allegedly not cooperating in its probe in a cattle smuggling case on Thursday, just three weeks after the Enforcement Directorate picked up another heavyweight leader Partha Chatterjee in a school recruitment scam.

    “The state is presently witnessing the most corrupt government since independence. Senior minister Partha Chatterjee was arrested in School Service Commission scam, and another TMC leader, Anubrata Mondal, was held in a cattle smuggling case. The chief minister, being the head of the government and the party, must step down immediately,” Majumdar said.

    Chatterjee, who was arrested on July 23 by the ED in a school recruitment scam, was stripped of his cabinet portfolios and party posts within five days of his arrest.

    He is presently in judicial custody.

    Mondal has been remanded in 10-day custody of the CBI.

    “We have decided to take out a march to Nabanna on September 7, seeking the resignation of the CM. The march will held in protest against the corrupt government of the state. Lakhs of people across the state will join the protest,” he said.

    Speaking at the programme, BJP national vice-president Dilip Ghosh said the day is not far when the cabinet meeting of the West Bengal government will be held inside the jail compound.

    “In near future, the top brass of the ruling TMC would be behind bars on corruption charges. The arrest of Partha Chatterjee and Anubrata Mondal is just the beginning; the party will lose many more wickets in the days to come,” he said.

    Reacting sharply to their comments, TMC MP Santanu Sen accused the saffron camp of trying to vitiate the atmosphere of the state.

    “The BJP, out of frustration in Bengal, is now trying to disturb the peaceful atmosphere of the state. Our party has made it very clear that it will not compromise on the issue of corruption or any wrongdoings,” he said.

    The TMC, during the day, took out protest rallies in various parts of the state, accusing the CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED) of acting as “frontal organizations” of the BJP at the Centre.

    KOLKATA: Upping the ante in the fight against the TMC, following the arrest of two of its leaders, the Bengal BJP has given the call for march to ‘Nabanna’ – the state secretariat – on September 7 in protest against the “corrupt” TMC regime.

    Addressing a rally in Esplanade area here, BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar said that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee should “step down” following the arrest of senior minister Partha Chatterjee and party leader Anubrata Mondal in corruption cases.

    TMC strongman Anubrata Mondal was arrested by CBI for allegedly not cooperating in its probe in a cattle smuggling case on Thursday, just three weeks after the Enforcement Directorate picked up another heavyweight leader Partha Chatterjee in a school recruitment scam.

    “The state is presently witnessing the most corrupt government since independence. Senior minister Partha Chatterjee was arrested in School Service Commission scam, and another TMC leader, Anubrata Mondal, was held in a cattle smuggling case. The chief minister, being the head of the government and the party, must step down immediately,” Majumdar said.

    Chatterjee, who was arrested on July 23 by the ED in a school recruitment scam, was stripped of his cabinet portfolios and party posts within five days of his arrest.

    He is presently in judicial custody.

    Mondal has been remanded in 10-day custody of the CBI.

    “We have decided to take out a march to Nabanna on September 7, seeking the resignation of the CM. The march will held in protest against the corrupt government of the state. Lakhs of people across the state will join the protest,” he said.

    Speaking at the programme, BJP national vice-president Dilip Ghosh said the day is not far when the cabinet meeting of the West Bengal government will be held inside the jail compound.

    “In near future, the top brass of the ruling TMC would be behind bars on corruption charges. The arrest of Partha Chatterjee and Anubrata Mondal is just the beginning; the party will lose many more wickets in the days to come,” he said.

    Reacting sharply to their comments, TMC MP Santanu Sen accused the saffron camp of trying to vitiate the atmosphere of the state.

    “The BJP, out of frustration in Bengal, is now trying to disturb the peaceful atmosphere of the state. Our party has made it very clear that it will not compromise on the issue of corruption or any wrongdoings,” he said.

    The TMC, during the day, took out protest rallies in various parts of the state, accusing the CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED) of acting as “frontal organizations” of the BJP at the Centre.