News Analysis India

Tag: West Bengal news

  • Post-Poll Violence: No Reservation If Central Forces’ Stay In Bengal Extended, Home Ministry To HC |

    The Union Home Ministry on Tuesday informed the Calcutta High Court that it has no reservation if the deployment of central forces in West Bengal is extended if the situation demands in the light of allegations of post-poll violence in the state.

    The court directed the Centre and the West Bengal government to assess the situation following the charges of post-poll violence as made by petitioners and disclose all relevant facts relating to these on the next date of hearing on June 21.

    During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General Asok Chakrabarti, representing the Union Home Ministry, submitted before the court that it has no reservations about extending deployment of central forces in the state if the situation demands.

    The counsel for Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, one of the petitioners in two PILs, submitted that a report by the West Bengal government states that till June 12, a total of 107 FIRs have been lodged and that 18 of these are not related to post-poll violence, claiming that thus it admits that post-poll violence was indeed occurring in the state.

    The seven-phase Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal concluded on June 1 and results were declared on June 4.

    A division bench presided by Justice Harish Tandon directed that the matter be listed for hearing again on June 21, till which date the central forces have already been directed by the court to stay put in Bengal.

    It was alleged by Adhikari and lawyer Priyanka Tibrewal in their separate PILs that people belonging to a particular political party were being subjected to atrocities following the conclusion of the Lok Sabha election process.

    The division bench, also comprising Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya, said that its main concern is the safety and security of the citizens as serious allegations have been made by the petitioners in the PILs.

    Appearing for the state, Advocate General Kishore Dutta said that the state government was doing its job in maintaining law and order.

    Petitioner-lawyer Priyanka Tibrewal claimed that she has a list of 250 people who were ousted from their homes for their political beliefs and were staying in a dharamshala in Kolkata.

    She sought to submit a supplementary affidavit in this regard before the court on the next date of hearing.

  • Mamata Calls BJP’s Ram Temple Inauguration A Gimmick Show, Says ‘I Swear On Ishwar-Allah…’ |

    Kolkata: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday slammed the BJP for putting up a “gimmick show” by inaugurating the Ram temple in Ayodhya before the Lok Sabha elections. The TMC chief stated that “she does not endorse festivities that leave out other communities”. Speaking at a public event in Joynagar in South 24 Parganas district, Banerjee said she does not support dividing people on the basis of religion.

    “I have no problem, but it is not right to ignore the people of other communities. I swear by all gods that as long as I live, I will never discriminate between Hindus, Muslims and other communities ,” the West Bengal CM added further.

    “They (BJP) come during the elections and divide on the basis of religion. Yet they do not pay the dues of Bengal. We do what we say, we give free ration, they ask us to put BJP’s logo in our schemes, why should I put it?

    Mamata urged the voters to get their added to the voter list and advised them to not get cut off from voter list or otherwise they (BJP will shout CAA, they will shout NRC.

    “Remember, those whose name is not in the voter list, join the voter list. They were asking me about the Ram temple, as if there is only one work and nothing else,” she added.

    The Ram temple in Ayodhya will be inaugurated on January 22, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and more than 6,000 people expected to attend the ‘Pran Pratistha’ ceremony.