News Analysis India

Tag: West Bengal

  • 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.

  • Bengal reports COVID-19 deaths below 100 for 3rd day, records

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: West Bengal recorded less than 100 fresh Covid-19 fatalities for the third consecutive day on Thursday with 87 patients succumbing to the infection during the day.

    However, the COVID-19 tally rose to 14,48,104 as 5,274 more people tested positive for the infection, while the fresh fatalities pushed the state’s coronavirus death toll to 16, 642, a health bulletin said.

    Of the deaths, 24 each were reported from the city and its neighbouring North 24 Parganas district. The rest were from the other districts.

    Of the 87 fresh fatalities, 55 were due to the comorbidities where Covid-19 was incidental, the bulletin said. As many as 5,170 more people were cured of the disease, taking the total number of recoveries to 14,16,743 and the discharge rate to 97.83 per cent.

    The state now has 14,719 active cases. West Bengal has thus far tested 1.31 lakh samples for COVID-19, including 66,257 in the last 24 hours. Meanwhile, 1,88,989 people have been vaccinated in the state on Thursday.

  • BJP leadership in Delhi to meet three Bengal MPs

    By Express News Service
    KOLKATA: Three BJP MPs from West Bengal Nishith Pramanik, Arjun Singh and Saunitra Khan arrived New Delhi on Wednesday to meet the party’s national leadership.

    The three visited the national capital after West Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP’s national president JP Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah this week.

    Sources in the BJP said the three MPs were asked to visit Delhi as the BJP’s high-command wants to take stock of the election loss in West Bengal and the post-poll situation in the state.

    “Pramanik, the Cooch Behar MP, will be asked to explain why the saffron camp failed to retain its performance in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in north Bengal in the recent Assembly elections. Singh is also expected to elaborate the reason behind the BJP’s debacle in his own LS constituency,” said a BJP leader.

    ​Sarkar, however, was asked to visit Delhi as the party did not perform up to its expectation in the belt dominated by Matuas, a Hindu religious sect comprising refugees from Bangladesh.

  • ‘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.

  • Promote class 11 students by July 15, Bengal HC council tells schools

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education Tuesday asked school authorities to complete the formalities relating to promotion of students from class 11 to the next class by July 15.

    The council had on April 30 said that the annual examination to promote students from class 11 to 12 will not be required this year in view of the pandemic situation and the respective higher secondary schools will promote students to the next class.

    The council on June 8 asked guardians to come to the school premises with the identity card of their wards to complete the admission procedure by strictly maintaining all Covid-19 protocols.

    Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Monday that the board examinations in the state for classes 10 and 12 will not be held this year due to the Covid-19 situation.

    The evaluation method will be decided by experts in a week’s time so that the careers of the candidates were not at stake, Banerjee had said. 

  • People will not take kindly to President rule threats made to TMC govt, says Rajib Banerjee

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: Bengal BJP leader Rajib Banerjee, who had walked out of the TMC ahead of Assembly polls earlier in the year, seem to have mellowed after the saffron party’s drubbing, as he took to social media on Tuesday to say that “people will not take kindly to threats of President’s rule against a government elected with a huge mandate”.

    Banerjee, after quitting the TMC in January, had claimed that he was forced to do so as a section of party leaders “humiliated him for airing his grievances over their style of functioning”.

    The former state minister, who skipped a meeting of the state BJP leadership during the day over post-poll violence, said everyone should rise above politics and stand beside the people of the state, amid the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and cyclone Yaas.

    “People will not take kindly to it if, for the sake opposing a government elected with huge popular support, threats of Delhi and Article 356 (President’s rule) are used at the drop of a hat.

    “We should rise politics and stand by the people of Bengal, who have been devastated by COVID and Yaas,” Banerjee, who failed to bag the Domjur seat in Howrah district, tweeted.

    Several TMC turncoats have, over the past few weeks, expressed their willingness to rejoin the Mamata Banerjee camp — prominent among them being former MLAs Sonali Guha and Dipendu Biswas.

    Some others have also been reportedly sending feelers to the party leadership, hoping to return.

    With TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee recently visiting senior BJP leader Mukul Roy’s ailing wife in hospital, speculation is rife about a possible change in equation between them.

    Roy, once the national general secretary of the TMC – a post currently held by Abhishek — joined the BJP in 2017.

    He was conspicuous by his absence in Tuesday’s meeting called by the state BJP leadership.

  • BJP leaders in West Bengal hold meeting on ‘post-poll violence’

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh on Tuesday held a meeting with party functionaries over the post-poll scenario in the state, as he claimed that workers were being attacked and forced out of their homes across districts by goons bearing allegiance to the ruling TMC.

    Several senior leaders, during the discussion, talked about ways to deal with the current situation, and activists shared their woes, sources in the party said.

    “Violence continues unabated in the state even after the formation of the government; the ruling party is unwilling to acknowledge the incidents,” Ghosh told reporters ahead of the meeting.

    Claiming that the “state government does not want peace to prevail”, Ghosh said that the BJP has moved various commissions and courts seeking protection for its workers.

    Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari wasn’t present at the session as he is away in Delhi to meet Home Minister Amit Shah and party’s national president J P Nadda.

    Party national vice-president Mukul Roy also skipped the meeting, amid speculation about a possible change in political equation after TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee visited his ailing wife in hospital on June 2.

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called Roy on June 3 to enquire about his wife’s condition, and Ghosh, too, had visited the hospital to meet her.

  • 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.

  • Central team to review damage caused by cyclone Yaas in West Bengal

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: A seven-member central team will arrive in West Bengal on a three-day visit to make an on-spot assessment of the damage caused by cyclone Yaas, a senior official said on Saturday.

    The inter-ministerial team headed by SK Shahi, joint secretary in the ministry of home affairs, will take stock of the situation in South 24 Parganas district upon its arrival on Sunday, and Purba Medinipur the day after, he said.

    It is scheduled to complete its assessment in three days and leave for Delhi on June 9, the official said. “After reaching Bengal on Sunday morning, the team will head to the affected areas of South 24 Parganas district. There, it will hold a meeting with officials. On Monday, the central team will be visiting Digha and Mandarmani in Purba Medinipur, where officials will give a presentation on the damage caused by Yaas,” he said.

    According to government sources, the inter-ministerial team is also likely to hold a meeting with finance department officials during its three-day visit. Cyclone Yaas struck the coastal belts of Odisha and Bengal on May 26, dumping rain, flooding homes, and leaving behind a trail of destruction.