News Analysis India

Tag: Mamata Banerjee

  • West Bengal BJP divided over call for President’s rule

    Express News Service
    KOLKATA:  A division within the West Bengal unit of the BJP over the question of imposing the president’s rule in the state has come to the fore in recent days.  While a section of BJP functionaries is in favour of imposing Article 356 in the state citing incidents of post-poll violence, others, including party state unit head Dilip Ghosh, want to strengthen the party’s organisation at the grassroots level by organising mass movements.

    Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari and three BJP MPs from the state-Nishith Pramanik, Saumitra Khan and Arjun Singh-met the party’s central leadership and placed their demand for president’s rule in West Bengal. After meeting Amit Shah, Adhikari said on Tuesday the post-poll violence in West Bengal is much worse than the situation that deserves Article 356 to be imposed in any state. 

    Meanwhile, Ghosh, addressing a meeting of the party organisation told the party workers to fight against the TMC politically.  Those who are against imposing Article in 356 say it would be a wrong decision. ‘’The ruling party has come to power with massive support of the state’s voters. If we derail the government, it would be an insult to people’s verdict. Instead of doing this, we should build up movements involving common people at the grassroots level on different issues,’’ said a senior BJP leader.

    BJP leader Rajib Banerjee, too, came out against the idea of imposing Article 356 in the state. ‘’Repeated demands for the imposition of presidential rule will not go down well. It will be a foolish act,’’ he said in a social media post. Another BJP leader, who is close to Ghosh, said, “If we repeatedly demand for Article 356, common people will think that we are power-hungry. Besides, we may receive a blow in the court as well.’’

    Another section within the party is prepared to use all means necessary to get the president’s rule imposed, including implementation of the CAA in the state. “West Bengal government will not allow it since Mamata said on a number of occasions that she will never allow the CAA in Bengal. When the state administration will be against the CAA, it can be easily used as a tool to impose Article 356 in Bengal,” said a BJP functionary.

  • Next mission is to derail Modi government, says Mamata Banerjee

    Express News Service
    KOLKATA: A month after winning her third-straight term as West Bengal chief minister, TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said her goal now is to derail the Narendra Modi-led NDA government at the Centre.

    Meeting the chief of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) Rakesh Tikait in Kolkata, Mamata called on all Opposition parties to support the farmer’s in their agitation against the Centre’s farm laws. Mamata assured Tikait of her support to the farmers’ movement and said West Bengal will continue to stand with the farmers.

    “The farmers’ movement is not just for Punjab, Haryana or Uttar Pradesh. It is for the whole country. From now, my goal will be to derail the BJP-led Central government. It is necessary for the states to come together to discuss policy issues and stand together against injustice,” said Mamata after meeting Tikait.

    Earlier, the Bengal chief minister had extended her support to the farmers’ agitation. Several TMC MPs had visited the venues along the borders of the national capital where the farmers have been protesting since last November.

    Mamata said there should be a platform where the states could deliberate on the Centre’s policy.

    “Bulldozing states is not good for the federal structure. India is hungrily waiting for policies, which help in fighting coronavirus and assist farmers and the industry,” said Mamata.

    “Ahead of the recent Assembly elections, Tikait had visited Bengal and urged people not to vote for the BJP. Now, Mamata Banerjee is the face of the country, who can stand firm against the BJP. It is now obvious that the farmer leaders will seek our support to further intensify the ongoing farmers’ protest against the Centre’s farm laws,’’ said a senior TMC leader. With the pandemic situation improving, the farmers are planning to intensify the protests again.

    “We thank her (Mamata) for this assurance. West Bengal should work as model state,’’ said Tikait.

  • ‘Your movement is for whole country’: CM Mamata Banerjee throws her weight behind farmer leaders

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday assured farmer leaders led by Rakesh Tikait and Yudhvir Singh of support to their agitation against the new agriculture laws.

    At a meeting with the farmer leaders here during the day, the TMC chief said that there should be a platform where states could converse on policy issues.

    “Bulldozing states is not good for the federal structure,” she said.

    Banerjee’s support for the north India-based farmers’ unions comes within days of the Trinamool Congress announcing that the party would spread its footprints outside West Bengal’s geographical boundaries.

    The Bhartiya Kisan Union led by Tikait and Singh had supported the ‘No vote for BJP’ campaign ahead of the West Bengal assembly elections and have plans to extend that in other upcoming state elections as well.

    Banerjee announced after the meeting that her “support for the farmers’ movement will be there” and added in an obvious jibe at the Centre that “India is hungrily waiting for policies which help in fighting COVID-19, assist farmers and industry.”

    The chief minister rhetorically asked, “Why is it so difficult to talk to the farmers?”

    ALSO READ: Share objections with logic on agri laws, govt ready to listen, Union Minister Tomar tells farmers

    She was referring to the breakdown in communication between the Centre and the farmers who have been camping at Delhi’s borders for the past one year against three farm laws passed by the Parliament.

    The agitators feel the new laws will commercialise agriculture without adequate protection to small farmers from exploitation by large retail chains and industry.

    “The BJP rule has been disastrous for all sectors from healthcare to farmers to industry. India is suffering. We are facing both natural and political disasters,” Banerjee said.

    ALSO READ: Only way to end farmers’ protest is govt withdrawing farm laws, says Congress

    The chief minister said that the agriculturist leaders have requested her to talk to other state leaders on the farmers’ issue and organise a dialogue with farmers’ unions.

    “The farmers’ movement is not just for Punjab, Haryana or Uttar Pradesh. It is for the whole country,” she said.

    Banerjee also said that it was necessary for states to come together to discuss policy issues and stand together against injustice.

  • Farmer leaders to meet Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee to elicit support for protests against agri laws

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: Farmer leaders led by Rakesh Tikait and Yudhvir Singh of the Bharatiya Kisan Union will be meeting West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday to elicit her support for the ongoing farmers’ stir against the new agriculture laws and for a Minimum Support Price for farm produce.

    Banerjee’s support for the agitation which has drawn on the farmer community in rural north India, is being viewed as a potential booster which has been flagging in recent weeks.

    Yudhvir Singh, general secretary of the BKU, told PTI, “We want to congratulate Mamata Banerjee for her electoral victory and to elicit her support for the move to give farmers a fair MSP for their crops.”

    Singh wants to also impress Banerjee to come up with MSP for fruits, vegetables and milk products in West Bengal as “this will serve as a model” elsewhere.

    The lack of a specified MSP and glut in produce often leads to farmers suffering from extremely low prices which results in huge losses, often leading to farmer suicides in many parts of the country.

    Tikait and other farmer leaders have been agitating on Delhi’s borders for the past one year against three laws passed by the Parliament which they feel will commercialise agriculture without adequate protection to small farmers from exploitation by large retail chains and industry.

  • Delayed decision cost many lives: Mamata on PM’s vaccine announcement

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Monday that the decision on vaccinating all above the age of 18 for free should have been taken long back and the delay has cost many lives.

    Reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement of free vaccination for all adults, Banerjee said that it took him four months to listen to the pleas of the states.

    “Back in Feb ’21 & multiple times thereafter, I’d written to the PM stating our long standing demand to provide vaccines to ALL for FREE.

    Took him 4 months but after much pressure, he has FINALLY listened to us & implemented what we’ve been asking all this while,” she tweeted.

    “The well-being of the people of India should’ve been prioritized since the very start of this pandemic. Unfortunately, this delayed decision by PM has already cost many lives. Hoping for a better managed #VaccinationDrive this time that focuses on people & not propaganda!,” she added.

    Modi announced that the central government will provide free coronavirus vaccines to states for inoculation of all above the age of 18 from June 21, and asserted that vaccine supply would be increased significantly in the country in the coming days.

  • Bengal cancels class 10, 12 board exams, evaluation criteria after 7 days

    By Express News Service
    KOLKATA: West Bengal government on Monday cancelled the state board exams for classes XI and XII in view of Covid pandemic. 

    CM Mamata Banerjee said the decision was taken on the basis of the feedback from parents, students, and general public. The government will announce the mode of evaluation criteria after seven days.

    “We have received over 34,000 mails in such a short span of time. Out of the total feedback that we sought on Sunday, 79 per cent were against holding Class X exam and 83 per cent were in favour of cancelling Class XII exam. The expert committee also opined that the board exams should not be held in the covid pandemic situation,” said Mamata.

    ALSO READ |  Extremely alarming law and order scenario in post-poll Bengal; many killed, displaced: Governor Dhankar

    The expert committee will also recommend the government what will be the mode of evaluation criteria for the assessment which will be announced after seven days.

    State government on Sunday formed an expert committee to review Covid pandemic situation and recommend whether to or not to conduct Class X and XII exams of the state education board. The government also sought opinion from the common people, parents or guardians and students through email by 2 pm on Monday.

    Earlier, the state education department had announced that Class XII board exam would be held in July-end and Class X exam will be in the first-week of August. It was said the exams would be conducted on compulsory subjects only and students would be allowed to appear in the exams in the same school where they are studying.

  • Extremely alarming law and order scenario in post-poll Bengal; many killed, displaced: Governor Dhankar

    By PTI
    KOLKATA:  Describing the law and order situation in post-poll Bengal as “extremely alarming” with numerous cases of killings and rapes recorded, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Sunday said he has called upon Chief Secretary HK Dwivedi to learn about the steps being taken by the administration to contain this “retributive violence”.

    He also claimed that the state police is “engaged as an extension of ruling dispensation to let loose vindictiveness on political opponents”.

    Dhankhar, taking to Twitter, said lakhs of people were being displaced and property worth hundreds of crores vandalised in Bengal.

    “Extremely alarming law & order scenario. Security environment is seriously compromised. In such a grim situation called upon (the) Chief Secretary to brief me on the law and order situation on Monday 7th June and indicate all steps taken to contain post poll violence,” he tweeted on Sunday.

    The governor also alleged that people who have voted against the ruling TMC are victims of “targeted violence”.

    “The state is in (the) grip of unprecedented post poll retributive violence at unimaginable scale, with lacs of people being displaced and property worth hundreds of crores vandalised. Rampant vandalism and hooliganism has resulted in large scale arson, loot, destruction of property.

    Numerous instances of rapes and killings at the hands of rogue elements who have no fear of law (sic),” he stated.

    Condemning alleged incidents of socially boycott and denial of benefits to people who had voted for TMC rivals, he said they are being made to pay extortion fees for living in their own house or running their own business.

    “Democratic values are openly shredded and trampled by ruling party harmads.

    People are in mortal fear of police and that in turn is at the feet of ruling party rogue elements,” he wrote on his Twitter handle.

    He maintained that the state functionaries “are not recognising this malaise, much less take steps to contain it”.

    “Police is engaged as extension of ruling dispensation to let loose vindictiveness on political opponents.

    In such a grim situation Chief Secretary of the state be called upon to brief me urgently on Monday 7th June and indicate all steps taken to contain post poll violence,” Dhankhar, who has always been at loggerheads with the TMC government, added.

  • CM Mamata Banerjee draws succession line, nephew Abhishek made TMC national general secretary

    Express News Service
    KOLKATA:  A month after the Trinamool Congress stormed back to power in West Bengal, the party elevated Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee as its national general secretary on Saturday. The decision to appoint Abhishek, the MP from Diamond Harbour, was announced at an organisational meeting convened by Mamata, the first since the recent Assembly elections.

    West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee withAbhishek Banerjee during TMC’s CoreCommittee meeting in Kolkata | PTIWhile it was his rising influence in the party that has been seen as one of the main reasons why several TMC leaders, including Mamata’s former trusted lieutenant Suvendu Adhikari, defected to the BJP, political analysts say Abhishek has been credited for playing a key role in the party’s thumping victory in the Assembly polls. He was also instrumental in hiring poll strategist Prashant Kishor.

    Abhishek’s elevation is not only indicative of the TMC’s line of succession but also the party’s response to the BJP, which had relentlessly attacked him, branding him as “tolabaj bhaipo” (extortionist nephew), during the election campaigns. The BJP had also hit out at Mamata, accusing her of projecting her nephew as Bengal’s would be chief minister.

    The party also appointed actor-turned-politician Sayani Ghosh as president of the party’s youth wing, MP Kakali Ghosh Dastidar as president of its women wing and others. TMC leader Partha Chatterjee, meanwhile, said the committee has decided one person will be allowed to hold just one post in the party. It was also decided that no minister will ride in vehicles with red beacons or hold organisational posts. The meeting was also focused on the party’s strategies for upcoming bypolls in six Assembly constituencies.

  • TMC reshuffle: MP Abhishek Banerjee appointed as all-India general secretary, quits youth wing president position

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee on Saturday elevated MP Abhishek Banerjee as the party’s all-India general secretary, a senior leader here said.

    Addressing a press meet, TMC leader Partha Chatterjee also said that the working committee has decided that one person will be allowed to hold just one post in the party, and the core committee has duly given its approval.

    “Our party chief Mamata Banerjee has nominated MP Abhishek Banerjee as the all-India general secretary of the TMC,” Chatterjee said, following two crucial meetings earlier in the day.

    Abhishek, the nephew of the party supremo, will be replacing Subrata Bakshi as the national general secretary, while actor-turned-TMC leader Sayoni Ghosh has been made the youth wing president – a post earlier held by the MP.

    Chatterjee further stated that no discussion was held on turncoats, who had quit the TMC to join the BJP ahead of the assembly polls, and was now willing to return to the party fold.

  • West Bengal issues Covid vaccination certificate to 18-44 with CM Mamata Banerjee’s photo 

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: The West Bengal government is issuing certificates of COVID-19 vaccination to the people in the age group of 18-44 sponsored by the state with the photogrtaph of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

    An official said Saturday this is being done since the state government has been procuring vaccines directly from the manufacturers from its own resources.

    While beneficiaries of 45 plus are getting certificates of vaccination with the photograph of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as in other parts of the country, but those falling in the 18-44 age bracket have photographs of Mamata Banerjee.

    “The government has started procuring vaccines directly from the manufacturers and arranging for inoculating the population. That is the reason it has been decided to use photograph of the CM on the certificates,” a senior state official told PTI on condition of anonymity.

    When contacted, state minister for Housing and outgoing Mayor of the city Firhad Hakim, who is also the chairman of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation board of administrator, justified the practice, saying since the Centre was not vaccinating 18-44 years of the population and the state is spending money for it,then there will be photograph of the CM.

    “All information regarding inoculation is there on the certificate. Starting from the batch number of the vaccine, there is also CoWIN Registration number. Besides, a special message of the CM,” Hakim said.

    Hakim said there is nothing unusual about this as the state governments of Punjab, Chhattisgarh and neighbouring Jharkhand have already started issuing similar vaccination certificates to people in the 18-44 years with photographs of their respecive chief ministers.

    But, the move has created confusion among some recepients of the jabs as whether they will be getting another certificate issued by the central government through CoWin having photographs of PM Narendra Modi, officials admitted.

    Till Friday, the state government has spent nearly Rs 150 crore to procure vaccines to inoculate population in the 18-44 age group, an official said, adding that so far around 29 lakh people of this category have been vaccinated.

    Earlier controversy had erupted in Bengal after the centre had started issuing certificates to people administered shots through CoWIN with Modi’s photograph since the inoculation drive began on January 16.

    Amidst state polls, the Trinamool Congress had moved Election Connection of India (ECI) on the issue, stating that the PM’s photograph on such certificates were violating the model code of conduct.

    Following this the PM’s photograph was removed from the certificates and soon after the results of the elections were out, the images started resurfacing on the certificates of people getting inoculated.

    Reacting to the issuance of certificates with Banerjee’s photo, BJP MP from Bankura Dr Subhas Sarkar, when contacted said “it is petty politics of the TMC”.

    “There are only five countries in the world who are manufacturing vaccines and India is one of them. We are proud of this. PM is our custodian and under his guidance people are getting vaccines and citizens of the country know that.”

    “What is the problem? It’s not necessary that the person who is purchasing the vaccines should have photographs on the certificates for those getting the jabs,” Dr Sarkar told PTI.