News Analysis India

Tag: West Bengal

  • West Bengal votes in mind, BJP may send Mithun da, Dona Ganguly to Rajya Sabha

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is planning to nominate actor-turned-politician Mithun Chakraborty and well-known Odissi dancer Dona Ganguly to the Rajya Sabha, sources said. The party expects the move to boost its prospects in West Bengal, they added. The duo will replace Rupa Ganguly and Swapan Dasgupta, whose terms came to an end recently. 

    Dona is the wife of former cricketer and current BCCI president Sourav Ganguly, who himself is said to be in the race. According to party insiders, the second seat would be given to either Dona or Sourav.

    Mithun Chakraborty had campaigned for the BJP in the last Assembly elections as well as the Lok Sabha bypolls. “He still has enormous magnetic appeal and it was seen during his campaign in the Asansol LS bypoll recently. He will certainly be an added advantage for us,” said a BJP leader with the caveat that only the top leadership can say anything on the record. Popularly known as ‘Disco Dancer’, a moniker conferred on him by his fans for his outstanding performance in the movie with the same name, has also become active in politics after a short gap. According to sources, he recently went to the West Bengal BJP office and expressed his willingness to spend time on party affairs in the state. 

    “Chakraborty’s nomination to the Rajya Sabha will not only give a strong message to the masses but it will also increase two votes for the upcoming vice-presidential elections,” said political analyst P K D Nambiar.

    READ COLUMN | Fresh and frozen decide Rajya Sabha choices

    At present, the saffron party has no representative from West Bengal in the Rajya Sabha ahead of upcoming vice-presidential elections after the terms of Ganguly and Dasgupta ended recently.

    Speculations about the Ganguly couple’s Rajya Sabha prospects began after Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited their home during his last visit to the state and had dinner with them. The Gangulys have neither confirmed nor denied reports of their being considered for Rajya Sabha. 

  • Murmu has better chances to win prez polls after Maha development: Mamata

    Banerjee stressed that “a consensus candidate is always better for the country”.

  • Mamata to use state funds as Centre withholds flow

    By Express News Service

    KOLKATA:  Expressing her ire over the Centre’s decision to withhold the release of funds under the MGNREGA scheme to West Bengal over alleged anomalies, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said her government would construct village roads using its own funds. She directed the zila parishads and panchayat samitis to utilise their funds for the purpose of constructing roads in rural Bengal.

    The decision of carrying out the works at state’s expenditure seems to be aimed at the panchayat elections scheduled to be held next year. “The central government has stopped the release of funds under the MGNREGA scheme. Construction of roads in villages is the most visible development work in rural Bengal,” Mamata said in an administrative meeting in Burdwan on Wednesday.

    “People get direct benefits of good roads. I am directing the zila parishads and panchayat samitis to carry out the construction of village roads before the panchayat elections,’’ she added. Talking about changing the name of the schemes, the CM said, “In Gujarat and other states, the central schemes are known by different names. Since we contribute 40 per cent of the cost in these projects, there is nothing wrong in it.’’  

  • Bengal govt pauses rural job scheme as Centre holds funds

    Express News Service

    KOLKATA:  In an unprecedented move, the West Bengal government has decided to press an indefinite pause button on the rural job guarantee scheme in the state as the Centre is yet to approve its labour budget for 2022-23 fiscal. Officials in the districts have been asked not to initiate any work under the MGNREGA.

    Sources in Nabanna, the state secretariat, said the decision was followed by the Centre’s decision to withhold the release of Rs 6,500 crore under the MGNREGA after a national-level monitoring team had raised questions over the way funds had been spent in some areas and the state government’s answers were not satisfactory.

    The TMC government’s decision of stalling the works under the scheme is said to be significant as the state will go to panchayat elections next year and the scheme benefits the voters in rural Bengal. Earlier, the state government used to allow the MGNREGA works even if there were delays in the approval of the labour budget by the Centre.

    “This is because the Centre had never stopped the fund flow under the scheme. But this time the unprecedented decision has been taken because the state is not in a position to afford the risk of launching work under the MGNREGA as there is a realisation that the Centre is unlikely to release the funds in near future,” said the official.

    The state government’s decision has already been communicated to the district magistrates who are sending messages to the block development officers (BDOs). “You are requested to proceed very slowly as the labour budget for this FY is yet to be approved. You are again requested not to approve any material-based scheme until further communication,” a message to a BDO reads.

     While the Centre pays the entire wage bill for the people employed under the MGNREGA, the state bears 25 per cent of the material cost of the project under the job scheme.

  • Mamata meets Pawar; Yechury says NCP chief said no to being Oppn nominee for prez poll

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Left leaders met NCP chief Sharad Pawar separately on Tuesday trying to convince the veteran leader to be the joint opposition nominee for the presidential election.

    Pawar, however, refused, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said after his meeting with him. Pawar met Yechury, CPI general secretary D Raja, and NCP leaders Praful Patel and P C Chacko in Delhi and conveyed to them his decision to not contest the election.

    “I have been informed that Pawar will not be the opposition face for the presidential poll, other names are under consideration,” said Yechury.

    Opposition sources said Pawar was not keen to enter a battle which he is destined to lose at this point in his political career.

    Banerjee is in Delhi for a meeting of non-BJP parties she has convened to formulate a joint strategy for the upcoming presidential poll.

    Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress supremo, has convened the meeting on June 15 at the Constitution Club in the national capital for discussions to come out with a consensus opposition candidate. The election of the President of India will be held on July 18.

  • Fresh violence rocks Bengal, 60 people arrested, cleric served notice

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: At least 60 people were arrested after a wave of fresh violence in the industrial district of Howrah, parts of Murshidabad district and South 24 Parganas, as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee vowed to take strict action against “those attempting to instigate riots in the state”.

    Police chiefs were shunted out to bring in officers with “tough” reputations into areas scarred by violence since Friday and the Pirzada of Furfura Sharif, a cleric with political ambitions was served a notice Saturday by the West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights (WBCPCR) Saturday for using children in violent demonstrations.

    West Bengal | Clashes broke out in Murshidabad district. Police personnel at the spot pic.twitter.com/0vHuwGDFzi
    — ANI (@ANI) June 11, 2022
    Suspension of internet services which had been clamped since Friday on Howrah district was extended to parts of Murshidabad district too Saturday. The violent demonstrations and protests are targeted against comments by suspended BJP leader spokespersons on Prophet Mohammad.

    At least 60 people were arrested and booked under IPC sections that deal with rioting, attempt to murder and causing damage to public properties, among others, in connection with violence in West Bengal’s Howrah district, police said on Saturday.

    Widespread violence broke out in Howrah district on Friday over inflammatory comments by now-suspended BJP functionaries Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal.

    Fresh violence was reported in Panchla Bazaar area in West Bengal’s Howrah district on Saturday as protesters clashed with the police and several houses were set on fire, a senior officer said. Protesters pelted policemen with stones, injuring some of them, and also vandalised a BJP party office.

    Several fire tenders were pressed into service as police lobbed tear gas shells to disperse protesters, the officer said, adding the situation was “under control” at the moment.

    “The agitators have been dispersed. Some policemen have been injured in the stone-pelting. We are conducting a route march in the area. The situation is under control,” he said.

    The West Bengal government on Saturday also suspended internet services in parts of Murshidabad district till June 14 to stop the spread of misinformation following violence in Howrah, where such a clampdown is already in force.

    ALSO READ | Bengal violence: Mamata government reshuffles cops in Howrah; internet suspended in parts of Murshidabad

    This followed the arrest of a college girl in Murshidabad district’s Beldanga as well as violent protests and arson in the area.

    The girl was arrested for allegedly putting up a post on her social networking site supporting the views of the now suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma on Prophet Mohammed, police said.

    Protesters demanding her arrest, clashed with Police and attacked the girl’s house as well as several others in the area.

    Internet services have been suspended in Beldanga 1 block covering Beldanga Police Station area and Beldanga 2 block covering Rejinagar and Shaktipur Police Station areas till 6 AM on June 14, an order stated.

    Internet services have already been suspended in the entire Howrah district till June 13 and Section 144 of CrPC has been imposed in several areas such as Uluberia, Domjur and Panchla till June 15.

    Incidents of violence and protests were reported from South 24 Parganas district’s Kulpi. Protesters attacked MLA Jogaranjan Halder’s vehicle near Amtala, police said.

    Banerjee in a tweet on Saturday claimed that some political parties were behind the violent incidents that rocked Howrah district and promised to take strict action against those attempting to instigate riots in the state.

    She also questioned why common people should suffer on account of a “sin” committed by the BJP, in reference to controversial remarks by suspended and expelled saffron party leaders on Prophet Mohammad which triggered the violent protests.

    “As I have said before, normal life has been affected by violent incidents in Howrah over the last two days. Some political parties are behind this, they want to instigate riots. But this won’t be tolerated and strict action will be taken against those involved. Why should common people suffer because of sin committed by BJP,” Banerjee tweeted in Bengali.

    Following the violence, the state government replaced the Superintendent of Police of Rural Howrah, and the Commissioner of Police of Howrah City.

    Praveen Tripathi, Additional CP of Kolkata Police, was made the new Commissioner of Police of Howrah City.

    ALSO READ | Prophet remarks row: Jharkhand CM orders high-level probe into Ranchi violence

    Swathi Bhangalia, DCP (South West) of Kolkata Police, was made the new SP of Rural Howrah.

    The West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights (WBCPCR) Saturday sent a show-cause notice Md Sanaullah Siddiqui, the Pirzada of Furfura Sharif, as it took suo motu cognisance of the videos on Facebook showing children participating in protests at Domjur in Howrah district where agitators pelted stones, set police vehicles on fire, damaged public property and clashed with police on Friday.

    In its notice, the commission expressed concern over the issue and condemned placing children at risk and directed the superintendents of police of Howrah rural and Barasat police districts, Howrah police commissioner and district magistrates of Howrah and North 24 Parganas to enquire and take appropriate action against those involved in using children for demonstrations.

    The protests kept the state’s political cauldron on the boil as West Bengal BJP President Sukanta Majumdar and his supporters were arrested while trying to visit the violence-hit Howrah district where several saffron party offices were attacked, as the district was under prohibitory orders and gatherings of 5 or more people was banned there.

    Majumdar and his companions were however later released.

    Reacting to the violence West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday expressed concern over the “worsening law and order” situation in the state and asked Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to deal sternly with lawbreakers.

    BJP MP from West Bengal, Saumitra Khan, also wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, demanding immediate deployment of central forces in violence-hit Howrah.

    Reacting to the developments, TMC chief spokesperson Sukhendu Sekhar Ray however accused the Governor and the BJP leaders of making provocative statements on the issue.

    “The Governor and the BJP leaders are making provocative statements. They are fanning violence,” he said, wondering why Nupur Sharma had not been arrested as yet.

  • Bengal: BJP MP writes to Amit Shah, demands deployment of central forces in violence-hit Howrah

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: BJP MP from West Bengal, Saumitra Khan, on Saturday wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, demanding immediate deployment of central forces in violence-hit Howrah district which had witnessed arson over controversial remarks made by two saffron party leaders against Prophet Mohammad.

    Khan alleged that the state government has “failed” to maintain law and order in the trouble-torn areas and “allowed the violence to spiral for vested political interests”.

    “For the last two days, we have seen that the state government has completely failed to maintain law and order in Howrah district. It allowed the protestors to let loose to wreak havoc. I have written a letter to Amit Shah Ji and requested him to send central forces so that they can be deployed in the troubled areas,” Khan said.

    He accused the ruling TMC of indulging in “cheap politics” and “allowing the violence to continue for vested political interest”.

    Senior BJP leader and co-in-charge of West Bengal, Amit Malviya, said if the state government cannot act, the chief minister should allow the governor to deploy the Army.

    “Mamata Banerjee, Home Minister of Bengal, has once again failed to manage law & order in the state. Her administration has remained a mute spectator to the rampaging rioters as they burn and vandalise property. If she is unable to act, she should urge the Governor do (to) deploy Army,” he said on Twitter.

    Reacting to the BJP’s allegations, senior TMC leader Kunal Ghosh said, “The state government has effectively tackled the situation. The BJP is trying to spread violence in the state. They are also trying to vitiate the atmosphere of Bengal and the country through their politics of hatred.”

    Protests erupted in several parts of Howrah on Friday over controversial remarks by suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma and expelled leader Naveen Jindal on Prophet Mohammad.

    Protesters clashed with police personnel in Dhulagarh, Panchla and Uluberia areas when law enforcers tried to end a blockade on a national highway stretch. They set police vehicles on fire and damaged public property during the agitations.

    Internet services have been suspended across the district till June 13, and prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC have been imposed in several areas such as Uluberia, Domjur and Panchla till June 15.

    Commuters had to face problems as roads and railway tracks were blocked by protesters in the district. Several local and express trains were cancelled due to the violence.

  • Internet services suspended in Howrah amid protests over comments on Prophet

    By PTI

    HOWRAH: Internet services were suspended in West Bengal’s Howrah district on Friday evening amid violent protests over controversial comments against Prophet Mohammad by two suspended BJP spokespersons.

    The internet will remain suspended till 6 am on Monday, said an order issued by the Home and Hill Affairs Department. Voice calls and SMS services will remain active, it added.

    Internet services were suspended to prevent the spread of any rumour for unlawful activities, the order said.

    The decision was taken after a request was received from the additional director general and Inspector General of Police (Law and order), in the view of the recent events in some areas, it said.

    Howrah, where West Bengal secretariat Nabanna is located, witnessed violent protests since Thursday over the comments made by the now-suspended BJP spokespersons, Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal.

  • Fire breaks out at Howrah paint factory, 18 injured 

    By PTI

    SHIBPUR: At least 18 people suffered injuries as a major fire broke out at a paint factory in West Bengal’s Howrah district on Wednesday afternoon, a fire department official said.

    Two of those injured are in “serious” condition, having sustained 80 per cent burns, he said, adding that the blaze was first spotted at the manufacturing unit of Berger Paints in Shibpur around 1.40 pm.

    The paints major, however, stated that 21 of its employees sustained injuries in their attempt to douse the fire. The cause of the fire is being probed, but preliminary investigation points to a short circuit in an AC unit.

    The incident occurred near the exit gate with production area remaining completely unaffected, the release said.

    “The fire was initially contained by the efforts of our team and was brought under complete control by the fire brigade. The best possible medical assistance is being provided to the injured employees caused by the unfortunate incident,” Abhijit Roy, MD & CEO of Berger Paints, said.

    Eight fire tenders were pressed into service to douse the flames. According to the fire department official, the situation was under control. Buildings adjacent to the factory were evacuated as part of the firefighting operations, he said.

    “Workers were inside the factory when the fire started. While some managed to flee, at least 18 sustained injuries. Since it is a paint unit, there were several inflammable items,” the official added.

    State health department sources said that two critically injured individuals have been admitted to state-run SSKM Hospital, while the other 10 are undergoing treatment at CMRI hospital.

    Fire and emergency services minister Sujit Bose, who was monitoring the operation, said that a proper probe will be conducted into the mishap.

  • Train mishap delays Rajdhani Express in Bengal

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: Four wheels of a compartment of a MEMU passenger train got derailed at Asansol station on Tuesday evening, causing a delay in running of two Rajdhani Express trains by half an hour each, an Eastern Railway official said here.

    No one was injured in the incident as the train was leaving a platform in Asansol station at a very low speed, ER spokesperson Ekalabya Chakraborty said.

    WB: Asansol-Bokaro MEMU train derailed shortly after leaving Asansol Railway StationAround 30-40 people were in this coach; no casualties. We had to stop a few express trains for a while, due to the derailment, but no serious impact: DRM Parmanand Sharma, Asansol Rail Division pic.twitter.com/yiXJRDgP8V
    — ANI (@ANI) June 7, 2022
    Four wheels of the rear coach of the Asansol-Bokaro MEMU train got derailed while leaving a platform at 6.10 pm, he said.

    “This led to delay of half an hour each of Howrah-New Delhi and Sealdah-New Delhi Rajdhani Express trains,” Chakraborty said.

    Train services were normalised by 7.45 pm after the wheels were put back on tracks, he said.