Banerjee said he will publicly hang himself if the corruption charges levelled against him are proved to be true.
Tag: Mamata Banerjee
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Mamata Banerjee hails from ‘demoness’ culture, has faulty DNA: BJP MLA in UP
Singh was referring to Banerjee taking offence at the chanting of slogans of quot;Jai Shri Ram quot; at a programme held in Kolkata on the 125th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
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Still with party, future move depends on situation: Trinamool MLA Rajib Banerjee
By PTI
KOLKATA: A day after quitting West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s cabinet, TMC MLA Rajib Banerjee on Saturday said he is still with the party but his future move will depend on the situation.Banerjee, while speaking to reporters after garlanding a bust of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in his Domjur assembly constituency in Howrah district, said he has no immediate plan to quit from the MLA’s post.
“I will remain a party worker, a TMC MLA but I cannot say now what will be my future move, which will depend on the situation,” Banerjee, who had handled irrigation and forest portfolios, said.
Banerjee had earlier aired his grievances over loyal and hard-working leaders and workers allegedly not being given due respect in the party and the disconnect between the top brass and grassroots.
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‘Jai Shri Ram’ chants to her is like red rag to a bull: Anil Vij takes potshot at Mamata
By PTI
CHANDIGARH: Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij on Saturday hit out at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, saying ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogan to her is like “red rag to a bull” that is why she stopped her speech at an event in Kolkata.Banerjee had declined to speak at the event to celebrate Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s birth anniversary where “Jai Shri Ram” slogans were raised in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Jai Shri Ram” to #MamtaBanerjee is like a red rag to a bull that is why she stopped her speech at Victoria Memorial today,” the firebrand Haryana BJP leader said in a tweet.
Banerjee had not started her speech when the slogan was raised by a section of the crowd at the Victoria Memorial event to celebrate the 125th birth anniversary of the legendary freedom fighter.
She said such an “insult” was unacceptable.
“This is a government programme and not a political programme. There has to be dignity. It doesn’t behove anybody to invite people and insult. I won’t speak. Jai Bangla, Jai Hind,” she said, wrapping up.
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Dignity cannot be taught: Derek O’Brien on ‘Jai Shree Ram’ slogan at Netaji event
By PTI
NEW DELHI: Dignity cannot be taught, TMC spokesperson Derek O’Brien said Saturday, flaying those who raised the “Jai Shree Ram” slogan at a Kolkata event to mark the 125th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose which irked West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.Banerjee declined to speak at the event after the slogans were raised in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and said such “insult” was unacceptable.
She had not started her speech when the slogan was raised by a section of the crowd at the Victoria Memorial event to celebrate the 125th birth anniversary of the legendary freedom fighter.
“This is a government programme and not a political programme. There has to be dignity. It doesn’t behove anybody to invite people and insult. I won’t speak. Jai Bangla, Jai Hind,” she said, wrapping up.
Tagging a one-minute video depicting “what exactly happened”, Derek tweeted, “Dignity (noun). The state or quality of being worthy of honour and respect. You can’t teach ‘dignity’. Nor can you teach lumpens to be dignified. Here is a one-min video of what exactly happened today. Including the dignified response by @MamataOfficial.”
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Mamata refuses to speak at Netaji event after ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogans raised
By Express News Service
KOLKATA: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday expressed her discontent and declined to deliver a speech at an event to celebrate Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s birth anniversary where ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogans were raised in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Kolkata’s Victoria Memorial.“I think the government’s programme should have dignity. This is not a political programme. I am grateful to the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Culture that such an event has been organised in Kolkata. It (the slogan) doesn’t suit you to insult an invitee. In protest, I will not speak anything. Jai Bangla, Jai Hind,” she said and returned to the seat next to Modi.
The awkward moment took place when the moderator of the event announced Bengal CM’s name as the next speaker. As Mamata Banerjee stood up and started walking towards the podium, some of the audience chanted Jai Shri Ram slogan and said they would not want to listen to her. Others among the crowd were seen pacifying those who raised the slogan.
PM Modi, in his speech, aligned his government’s initiatives with the Netaji’s ideology and vision. He also compared the centre’s Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) vision with the ideology of Bose.
“Bengal had been Netaji’s workplace. He had a far-sighted vision. He wanted to build up Atmanirbhar Bharat. Today, India is heading towards the same goal. Netaji’s ideology now is in ground reality,” said Modi, while addressing an audience of odd 1,000 people. The Centre is walking along the path shown by Netaji and implementing his ideologies, the PM said.
Netaji’s birth anniversary has become a political issue as both the ruling Trinamool Congress and its arch-rival BJP are trying to woo Bengalis by riding on their sentiment about the freedom fighter. Eyeing the same goal, Modi even likened her party’s Sonar Bangla slogan with Netaji’s dream.
“Netaji wanted to build a Sonar Bangla. Our aim is the same. We will build up his workplace like the same he wanted,” said Modi without naming the TMC or Mamata Banerjee.
The Sonar Bangla slogan has become a political tool of the BJP to attack Mamata-led West Bengal government on the issues of alleged poor governance. Party’s heavyweights including Union Home minister Amit Shah and national president JP Nadda never missed a chance to promise that the party would turn West Bengal, which has allegedly witnessed no development during Mamata’s 10-year tenure, into Sonar Bangla within five years if Bengal’s electorates bring the saffron camp in power in the 2021 Assembly elections.
The PM even highlighted the central government’s success combating Covid-19 pandemic. “Had Netaji seen how India fought the battle against the pandemic successfully, what would have happened?” he asked.
Before coming to Victoria Memorial, Modi went straight to Netaji’s residence and visited the museum there. BJP’s national and state functionaries, including Bengal observer Kailash Vijayvargiya and Rajya Sabha MP Swapan Dasgupta, wanted to accompany but they were not allowed by the Netaji Research Bureau.
“The PMO had included Modi’s Netaji Bhavan visit this morning. I told them that we will welcome him as the Prime Minister only because today is Netaji’s birth anniversary. We also said that no political leader will be allowed with the PM,” said Netaji’s grandnephew and chairperson of the research bureau.
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Mamata demands 4 rotating national capitals, says Kolkata must be one of them
By Express News Service
KOLKATA: Heat in Bengal’s politics soared on the day of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s 125th birth anniversary after CM Mamata Banerjee demanded four separate national capitals in the country including Kolkata.Her demand came shortly before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s aircraft touched the runway of Kolkata airport. She also raised question on the Centre’s unilateral decision to celebrate January 23 as Parakram Diwas (day of valour). Mamata led a march along a 5.5 km-stretch from Shyambazar to Red Road with her followers. She inaugurated Netaji’s birthday celebration by blowing a conch shell and visited Netaji Bhavan.
Modi is scheduled to attend a slew of events, including inauguration of exhibitions on the freedom movement involving Netaji, an initiative of Ministry of Culture, at Victoria Memorial.
“The British ruled the entire country from Kolkata. Why should there be only one capital in our country? Why not four national capitals in North, South, East and West. Why can’t we hold four parliament sessions on rotation basis,” asked Mamata Banerjee, while addressing a gathering at the end of the procession.
She also instructed her party MPs to raise the demand for four parliament houses.
ALSO READ | Declare Subhas Chandra Bose birth anniversary national holiday: CM Mamata urges Centre
Referring to Netaji’s deep-rooted connection to Kolkata, the CM took a dig at the Centre’s decision to celebrate the Bengal icon’s 125th birth anniversary nationwide. “We celebrate Netaji’s birthday every year. We don’t celebrate it only in the year of the election,” she said.
Castigating Modi’s announcement renaming the Netaji Port to Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Port, Mamata said, “If they are so concerned about Netaji, why they have changed the name of Netaji Port? Netaji had the foresight to conceptualise a Planning Commission and the Indian National Army before the Independence. BJP claims to follow Nataji’s ideology and at the same time, they scrap the Planning Commission.”
When the Centre marked Netaji’s birthday as Parakram Diwas, Mamata named the day as Desh Nayak Diwas (day of the national hero). “What is Parakram Diwas? How could they make the decision without consulting the state government,” she said.
Sugata Bose, the director of Netaji Research Bureau, said he doesn’t prefer to call Netaji birth anniversary Parakram Diwas. “Netaji was not only a fighter. He was a person with a vision,” he said.
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Mamata kicks off procession on Netaji’s 125th birth anniversary with conch shell and siren
By PTI
KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday kicked off a grand procession here to pay tribute to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on his 125th birth anniversary.Before the commencement of the procession from Syambazar area in the northern part of the city, Banerjee blew a conch shell and a siren was sounded at 12.15 pm, the time when Bose was born on this day in 1897.
“We do not celebrate Netaji’s birthday only in the years when elections are scheduled. We are celebrating his 125th birth anniversary in a grand fashion. Rabindranath Tagore described Netaji as Deshnayak. That is why we have decided to celebrate this day as Deshnayak Diwas,” she said.
#WATCH West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee blows a conch shell at the beginning of the march from Shyam Bazaar to Red Road in Kolkata, to mark the occasion of 125th birth anniversary of #NetajiSubhashChandraBose pic.twitter.com/LykT1AczKM
— ANI (@ANI) January 23, 2021“Netaji was one of the greatest freedom fighters of the country. He was a great philosopher,” she said.
Banerjee also urged the Centre to declare Netaji’s birthday as a national holiday.
The 7-km procession will culminate at the Netaji’s statue on Red Road where Banerjee will be addressing the gathering.
Hundreds of people, several senior leaders of Trinamool Congress and MLAs joined the procession to pay their tribute to the freedom fighter.
Chief secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay and other bureaucrats of the state government are also present in the rally.
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Declare Subhas Chandra Bose birth anniversary national holiday: CM Mamata urges Centre
By PTI
KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday paid homage to freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on his birth anniversary and urged the Centre to declare January 23 as a national holiday.She also said a monument, named after Azad Hind Fauj, will be built in Rajarhat area and a state-funded university, which is also being set up, will be dedicated to Netaji.
“…. This year’s Republic Day parade in Kolkata will be dedicated to Netaji. A siren will be sounded today at 12.15 PM. We urge everyone to blow shankh (conch) at home. Centre must also declare January 23 as a National Holiday.
Homage to Deshnayak Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on his 125th birthday. He was a true leader & strongly believed in unity of all people.We are celebrating this day as #DeshNayakDibas. GoWB has also set up a committee to conduct year-long celebrations till January 23, 2022. (1/3)
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) January 23, 2021“We are celebrating this day as #DeshNayakDibas. GoWB has also set up a committee to conduct year-long celebrations till January 23, 2022,” Banerjee said on Twitter.
A grand ‘padayatra’ will be held here during the day to commemorate Netaji’s 125th birth anniversary.
“A monument, named after Azad Hind Fauj, will be built at Rajarhat.
A university named after Netaji is also being set up which shall be funded entirely by the state, and will have tie-ups with foreign universities,” she said on the microblogging site.
The Centre has decided to observe January 23 as “Parakram Diwas” to commemorate the birth anniversary of Bose, who was born on this day in 1897.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be here later in the day to address “Parakram Diwas” celebrations to commemorate Bose’s birth anniversary.
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Bengal polls: In big jolt to Mamata, Rajib Banerjee quits as minister
By Express News Service
KOLKATA: Bengal Minister for Forest Affairs Rajib Banerjee on Friday stepped down from Mamata Banerjee’s cabinet amid murmurs of his defection to the BJP.Banerjee’s move came weeks after former Trinamool Congress strongman and Bengal CM’s former aide Suvendu Adhikari and sports minister Laxmi Ratan Shukla resigned from Cabinet. While Adhikari joined the saffron camp, Shukla said he wanted to concentrate on his sports activities.
Banerjee handed over his resignation letter to governor Jagdeep Dhankhar at Raj Bhavan and broke into tears while explaining the reasons behind his decision.
“My removal from the irrigation department and the way it was done was unexpected. After spending two days in north Bengal, I returned to Kolkata and was in the party office. I came to know that I was moved to the forest department from TV news. I expected the minimum courtesy from the chief minister,” said Banerjee.
Banerjee’s resignation letter reads: “It has been a great honour and privilege to serve the people of West Bengal. I heartily convey my gratitude for getting this opportunity.”
Banerjee, however, did not rule out the possibility of joining another political platform. “I want to work for the people. I don’t know what platform I will get.”
Before going to Raj Bhavan, Banerjee went to the chief minister’s office at her Kalighat residence and tendered his resignation.
The MLA from Domjur had been airing his grievances against a section of TMC leaders over the past few weeks alleging he was not being able to work for the people. “I had decided to resign two-and-a-half-year ago after I was removed from the irrigation department. The chief minister, somehow, stopped me. In the past few weeks, I expressed my discontent on several occasions. But the statements by a section of my colleagues were painful enough to make this decision,” said Banerjee.
Banerjee had skipped five consecutive cabinet meetings. TMC leadership held a series of meetings with him but it proved futile.
TMC MP and spokesperson Saugata Roy said Banerjee’s resignation was expected. The party’s secretary-general Partha Chatterjee said party leaders like Banerjee and others would realise that their decision was wrong.
BJP state president Dilip Ghosh said Banerjee resigned as a minister but he is still a TMC MLA. “We cannot do anything unless he resigns from the party and the post of the MLA. We will wait for him if he wants to join our party,” he said.