News Analysis India

Tag: Mamata Banerjee

  • Bengal will never bow down before outsiders: TMC’s Abhishek Banerjee attacks BJP

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee on Sunday said his party will not bow down before “outsiders”, and asserted that his aunt and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will win the election battle, no matter what challenges are thrown before her.

    The TMC, which has made ‘Bengali pride’ its core poll plank, has tagged the BJP as a “party of outsiders”, as its top leaders hail from outside the state.

    The TMC MP, who took part in a rally here, also urged people to put up a united fight against the CPI(M) and its ally, the Congress, and claimed that the communist regime had perpetrated atrocities on the poor peasants of the state, citing the Nandigram movement of 2007.

    “We will not bow down before the BJP, we will not bow down before the outsiders,” he said at the start of the rally, which was attended by Mamata Banerjee on a wheel chair.

    The CM had sustained severe injuries during electioneering in Nandigram, where she has crossed swords with her protege-turned-adversary Suvendu Adhikari.

    ALSO READ | ‘Injured tiger more dangerous’: Mamata Banerjee leads TMC’s Kolkata march on wheelchair

    Shouting slogans such as ‘Modi babu ashe Modi babu Jay, Bangla nijer meyeke chay’ (PM Modi may come and go, Bengal wants its daughter to rule the state), the Diamond Harbour MP said, “Despite her serious foot injury, our leader has joined the rally. She will conquer the battle notwithstanding her injuries.”

  • Mamata Banerjee calls on West Bengal to ‘never bow down to cowardice’

    By ANI
    KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday said that despite being in pain she will continue to fight boldly and called on people to ‘never bow down to cowardice’.

    “We will continue to fight boldly! I’m still in a lot of pain, but I feel the pain of my people even more. In this fight to protect our revered land, we have suffered a lot and will suffer more but we will NEVER bow down to COWARDICE!,” tweeted Mamata Banerjee.

    Banerjee is conducting a roadshow, days after sustaining injuries during election campaigning, on a wheelchair from Gandhi Murti to Hazra here today, Trinamool Congress (TMC) party sources said. She is scheduled to address a public rally at Hazra this afternoon.

    It is her first public appearance after she was allegedly attacked by some people in Nandigram earlier this week.

    On March 10, the Chief Minister alleged that she was pushed by a few unidentified people during her election campaigning. Later, she was brought to Kolkata’s SSKM Hospital by road from Nandigram.

    Banerjee sustained “severe bone injuries” on her left foot and ankle as well as bruises and injuries on her shoulder, forearm and neck, according to the report of her initial medical examination.

    The Chief Minister was discharged from the hospital on March 12.

    West Bengal is likely to witness a triangular contest this time with TMC, Congress-Left alliance and the BJP in the fray.

    Elections to 294-member West Bengal Assembly will be held in eight phases starting from March 27 with the final round of voting taking place on April 29. The counting of votes will take place on May 2.

  • Injuries sustained by Mamata Banerjee not result of attack: Election Commission

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Election Commission has ruled out that there was any attack on West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee that led to her injuries, sources in the poll body said on Sunday.

    After reviewing the reports sent by its two special poll observers and the state government, the Commission concluded that Banerjee sustained injuries due to lapse on part of her security in charge.

    The EC will issue directions in this regard, the sources aware of the development said.

    They said Banerjee was not using a bulletproof or an armoured vehicle despite being a star campaigner and it was a lapse on part of those responsible for her security.

    Banerjee fell down and sustained injuries on her left leg and waist.

    There were allegations that she was pushed by unidentified people while she was campaigning in Nandigram assembly segment on Wednesday evening after filing her nomination from the constituency.

  • 14 years of Nandigram violence: Ahead of Kolkata rally, Mamata says will fight against ‘anti-Bengal forces’

    By ANI
    KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday said she is contesting from Nandigram to work along with members of Shaheed families against “anti-Bengal forces”, remembering the innocent villagers were killed in firing at Nandigram on March 14 in 2007.

    “On this day, in 2007, innocent villagers were killed in firing at Nandigram. Many bodies could not be found. It was a dark chapter in the history of the State. Heartfelt tribute to all those who lost their lives,” she tweeted.

    ”In memory of those who lost their lives in Nandigram, we observe March 14 as Krishak Dibas every year and give away the Krishak Ratna awards. Farmers are our pride and our government is working for their all-round development,” she said in another tweet.

    ”As a mark of respect and encouraged by my brothers and sisters of Nandigram, I am contesting Bengal Elections 2021 as an AITC candidate from this historic place. It is my great honour to be here and work along with members of Shaheed families against anti-Bengal forces,” she added.

    In 2007, several villagers were reportedly killed and many others sustained injuries during a protest over land acquisition for a special economic zone (SEZ) in Nandigram in East Midnapore district.

    ALSO READ | BJP has to win Bengal to expand ideological footprint, secure eastern borders: Dilip Ghosh

    The incident had sparked a national outrage and the Calcutta High Court had suo motu ordered a CBI probe.

    Banerjee, then the opposition leader, had spearheaded a movement against the Left Front government’s acquisition of arable land in Nandigram and Singur for industrialisation.

    Her party reaped rich dividends from the agitations, winning 50 per cent of the panchayat seats in 2008, bagging 19 Lok Sabha seats in 2009 and ending the 34-year-long Left Front rule in the state in 2011.

    Mamata Banerjee had been contesting polls from the Bhawanipore constituency. The BJP fielded former TMC leader Suvendu Adhikari from Nandigram against Mamata Banerjee, setting the stage for a high-profile contest from the seat.

    Meanwhile, Trinamool on Sunday cancelled the election manifesto’s release which was scheduled for today. The next date will be announced later.

    Earlier, the manifesto was scheduled to be released on March 11. However, the release of the manifesto was cancelled following an alleged attack on Mamata.

    Banerjee will conduct a roadshow, days after sustaining injuries during election campaigning, on a wheelchair from Gandhi Murti to Hazra here today, Trinamool Congress (TMC) party sources said. She will address a public rally at Hazra this afternoon.

    It will be her first public appearance after she was allegedly attacked by some people in Nandigram earlier this week.

    On March 10, the Chief Minister, who was on a two-day visit to Nandigram from where she filed her nomination, alleged that she was pushed by a few unidentified people during her election campaigning. Later, she was brought to Kolkata’s SSKM Hospital by road from Nandigram.

    ALSO READ | BJP firms up candidates, set to come out with all guns blazing in poll-bound states

    Banerjee sustained “severe bone injuries” on her left foot and ankle as well as bruises and injuries on her shoulder, forearm and neck, according to the report of her initial medical examination.

    The Chief Minister was discharged from the hospital on March 12.

    West Bengal is likely to witness a triangular contest this time with TMC, Congress-Left alliance and the BJP in the fray.

    Elections to 294-member West Bengal Assembly will be held in eight phases starting from March 27 with the final round of voting taking place on April 29. The counting of votes will take place on May 2.

    (With PTI Inputs)

  • Bengal polls: Days after ‘attack’, Mamata to conduct roadshow on wheelchair in Kolkata on Sunday

    By ANI
    KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will conduct a roadshow, days after sustaining injuries during election campaigning, on a wheelchair from Gandhi Murti to Hazra here on Sunday, Trinamool Congress (TMC) party sources said.

    She will address a public rally at Hazra this afternoon.

    It will be her first public appearance after she was allegedly attacked by some people in Nandigram earlier this week.

    ALSO READ | BJP has to win Bengal to expand ideological footprint, secure eastern borders: Dilip Ghosh

    On March 10, the Chief Minister, who was on a two-day visit to Nandigram from where she filed her nomination, alleged that she was pushed by a few unidentified people during her election campaigning.

    Later, she was brought to Kolkata’s SSKM Hospital by road from Nandigram.

    Banerjee sustained “severe bone injuries” on her left foot and ankle as well as bruises and injuries on her shoulder, forearm and neck, according to the report of her initial medical examination.

    The Chief Minister was discharged from the hospital on March 12.

    “Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has responded well to the treatment. The six-member board has re-examined her health condition. We have opened the plaster cast. Fresh plaster has been applied. She has been discharged with appropriate instructions, after her repeated requests. She has been advised to revisit after seven days,” the medical board of the SSKM Hospital in Kolkata told reporters.

    ALSO READ | BJP firms up candidates, set to come out with all guns blazing in poll-bound states

    On Friday, a delegation of six MPs of Trinamool Congress (TMC) met the Election Commission officials in the national capital to raise their concern over the Nandigram incident. “The events/actions leading up to the attempt on her life, leave no doubt that the attack was premeditated and part of a deep-rooted conspiracy,” read a letter by the TMC to the Election Commission.

    A BJP delegation also met the Election Commission of India and demanded an impartial probe into an alleged attack on Mamata Banerjee.

    Commenting on the incident, West Bengal Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury accused Mamata Banerjee of resorting to ‘nautanki’ (theatrics)

    “This is ‘siyasi pakhand’ (hypocrisy) to gain sympathy. Before polls, she (Mamata Banerjee) planned this ‘nautanki’ after sensing difficulties in Nandigram,” Chowdhury had said.

    BJP National General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya too on Saturday said that the attempt by Trinamool Congress to create controversy has backfired as the district administration as well as Election Commission has called the incident in Nandigram that resulted in an injury to Banerjee as an accident.

    “Reports of district administration and EC have called it an accident. Mamata ji has said that she was pushed. It’s a controversy between governance and administration. This attempt of stirring controversy and gain sympathy has backfired,” said Vijayvargiya after BJP’s central election committee meeting in Delhi.

    ALSO READ | BJP leader visits Sisir Adhikari at his residence, speculation rife over Trinamool MP’s next move

    “We are not worried. Those (TMC) who tried to use the wrong means to gain sympathy from people should be worried. They have been exposed,” he added when asked if Banerjee’s injury could swing voters in her favour.

    West Bengal is likely to witness a triangular contest this time with TMC, Congress-Left alliance and the BJP in the fray.

    Elections to 294-member West Bengal Assembly will be held in eight phases starting from March 27 with the final round of voting taking place on April 29. The counting of votes will take place on May 2. 

  • Swelling on Mamata’s left ankle subsided, she is doing fine: Doctor

    The swelling on her left ankle, caused due to an injury she sustained during campaigning in Nandigram, has also subsided, they said.

  • Mamata Banerjee offered to be exchanged for 1999 IC 814 hostages, claims Yashwant Sinha

    By ANI
    KOLKATA: Former BJP leader Yashwant Sinha, who has joined the Trinamool Congress (TMC) ahead of the upcoming West Bengal assembly elections, on Saturday claimed that Mamata Banerjee had offered herself to be taken as hostage in exchange for passengers of Indian Airlines Flight 814, commonly known as IC 814, which was taken to Afghanistan’s Kandahar by Pakistan-backed hijackers in 1999.

    Addressing a press conference after joining the TMC, Sinha said, “Mamata Banerjee wanted to offer herself as a hostage in exchange for passengers of the hijacked plane in ‘Kandahar incident’ for the country.”

    ALSO READ| Former BJP leader Yashwant Sinha joins TMC ahead of Bengal elections

    India had to release three terrorists, including Masood Azhar to ensure the hostages’ release. Sinha was the union finance minister at the time under the leadership of then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

    The 83-year-old further said that the recent attack on Banerjee in Nandigram served as the “tipping point” behind his decision to join the TMC. “The tipping point was the attack on Mamata ji in Nandigram. It was the moment of decision to join TMC and support Mamata ji,” said Sinha.

    Sinha further lashed out at the BJP-led central government and said the latter believes in “crushing and conquering” ideas. “BJP during Atal Ji’s time believed in consensus but today’s government believes in crushing and conquering ideas. Akalis, BJD have left the BJP. Today, who is standing with BJP?” asked Sinha.

    In September 2020, Akali Dal had snapped its ties with BJP as they did not support the recently enacted farm laws. The resignation of the former cabinet minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal created a furore among the ties.

    West Bengal will witness eight-phased assembly polls beginning March 27. The counting will take place on May 2.

  • ECI finds Bengal govt report on ‘attack’ on Mamata Banerjee sketchy, asks chief secretary to elaborate

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has found the report submitted by the West Bengal government on the alleged attack on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram on March 10 as “sketchy” and asked Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay to elaborate it, a poll official said on Saturday.

    The chief secretary has been asked to furnish details like how the incident took place and who could be behind it by Saturday, he said.

    “The report submitted by the West Bengal government appeared to be quite sketchy and without any details of the incident like how it happened or who could be behind it.

    We have asked the state administration to furnish more details,” the official told PTI.

    The state government’s report submitted to the ECI on Friday evening referred to the presence of a huge crowd at the spot but has no mention of the “4-5 people”, who Banerjee alleged had attacked her, he said.

    It said there was no clear video footage of the alleged attack that took place in Birulia Bazar of Nandigram in Purba Medinipur district on Wednesday evening.

    After the incident, the ECI sought a report from the state government and appointed two poll observers for the state.

    The chief minister has left her Bhowanipore constituency in Kolkata to fight former aide and BJP candidate Suvendu Adhikari in Nandigram, where an anti-land acquisition movement catapulted her party to power in 2011.

    Elections to the 294-member assembly will be held from March 27 to April 29.

    Results will be declared on May 2.

  • Mamata back home, parties take conspiracy angle fight to the EC

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI:  Hours before West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was discharged from a Kolkata hospital after doctors found her recovery from a recent leg injury satisfactory, the BJP and the Trinamool Congress on Friday approached the Election Commission of India here seeking a thorough probe into the alleged attack on her.

    The Trinamool delegation submitted a memorandum claiming the alleged attack was pre-planned and demanded an immediate, thorough and unbiased investigation. The memorandum said the attack happened just a day after the West Bengal DGP was abruptly transferred.

    The BJP’s memorandum claimed that the Trinamool was spreading canards against the EC. As for the poll panel, it could take action against police personnel in charge of Mamata’s security, sources said.

    It is waiting for reports from the state government and the two observers appointed for the Assembly elections before deciding on the nature and quantum of the punishment.

  • EC seeks more details from Bengal chief secy on Mamata incident: Sources

    The sources said the Commission has now sought more details from the West Bengal chief secretary as the report was not comprehensive enough.