Page 11 - All India Trinamool Congress

Criminals calling shots in parts of Bengal, this has to end: Guv Bose

West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose on Thursday welcomed the arrest of TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh in Sandeshkhali case and asserted that the time has come to put criminals, who are ruling the roost in parts of Bengal, behind bars. Absconding TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh was arrested on the early hours of Thursday from a house in Minakhan, around 30 km away from the island of Sandeshkhali. "This is the beginning of an end. We have to put an end to the cycle of violence in Bengal. In parts of Bengal, the goons are ruling the roost. This must end and the gangsters should be put behind bars", the governor said at a press conference here. Bose maintained that the Sandeshkhali incident is only the tip of an iceberg, suggesting there is much more to it than what meets the eye.

Bengal police arrested Shajahan after court cleared the decks, says TMC

The ruling Trinamool Congress on Thursday hailed the arrest of absconding party leader Shajahan Sheikh, accused of torturing villagers in trouble-torn Sandeshkhali area, and said it was possible only after the court cleared the decks and accused the opposition of exploiting the earlier "embargo" on his arrest. The BJP dubbed the arrest as scripted and claimed he was in the safe custody of West Bengal Police. Sheikh, accused of alleged sexual atrocities on women and land grabbing in West Bengal's Sandeshkhali, was arrested on Thursday morning, police said. He was arrested from a house at Minakhah in North 24 Parganas district where he was hiding, they said. "Due to a legal tangle, he couldn't be arrested initially. However, after the court clarified that there was no stay on his arrest, the West Bengal Police did its job. The opposition had earlier exploited the embargo on his arrest," TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh told PTI. The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday directed that Sheikh

Sandeshkhali incident: TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh arrested from Bengal

He was arrested from a house in Minakhah in North 24 Parganas district where he was hiding, they said

Sheikh Shahjahan will be arrested very soon: Sagarika Ghose on Sandeshkhali

Sagarika Ghose, while speaking to ANI, said that the government is acting in this matter and will continue to do so

TMC depriving poor of central schemes for sake of politics: FM Sitharaman

The politics of denying these benefits to the people of Bengal is a disservice done to them, the finance minister added

Sandeshkhali unrest: Cal HC says no restraint on arrest of Shajahan Sheikh

The Calcutta High Court on Monday clarified there is no stay on arrest of Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shajahan, who has been accused of sexual atrocities and land grab in Sandeshkhali. The court directed that Sheikh, the Enforcement Directorate, the CBI, the state home secretary be impleaded as parties in the suo motu matter initiated on the allegations of sexual atrocities on women and land grab of tribal people. A division bench presided by Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam directed that a public notice be given in newspapers by the high court registry stating that Sheikh has been impleaded in the matter, as he is on the run and not seen in public since a mob attack on ED officials on January 5. On a prayer by court-appointed amicus curiae for a clarification on whether there is a restraining order on police from arresting Sheikh, the division bench said there is no such stay and the police can arrest him. The court said that in a different matter, it had only stayed the ...

What will police do if HC ties their hands?: Abhishek on Sandeshkhali issue

Two Trinamool leaders, Uttam Sardar and Shibu Hazra, who are close to Shahjahan, have already been arrested in the incident

Why aren't women MPs allowed to meet Sandeshkhali victims: BJP leader

Senior BJP leader Vanathi Srinivasan on Saturday wondered if the TMC government in West Bengal is transparent, why are women MPs prevented from meeting victims in Sandeshkhali. The Mahila Morcha national president criticised the state government over allegations of sexual abuse against women in Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district and alleged that "women are not safe at all" under the TMC rule. "Women are not at all safe in West Bengal. If the TMC government is so transparent, why are opposition women MPs prevented from meeting the victims in Sandeshkhali? What are they trying to hide?" she told reporters here. Reacting to allegations that the BJP maintained stoic silence when similar allegations of "atrocities" were levelled in states ruled by the saffron party, she said the party has never shielded anyone involved in such heinous crimes. "The BJP has never shielded anyone whenever such incidents have happened in any state ruled by the party... we have zero tolerance (toward

Sandeshkhali row: ED files fresh case against TMC's Shahjahan Sheikh

Multiple teams of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted searches at locations linked to TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh

ED raids residences of absconding TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh's associates

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday conducted raids at residences of businessmen associated with absconding Trinamool Congress leader Shajahan Sheikh in connection with an old case of fraudulent land grab, a senior officer said. Raids and search operations were started by the ED early Friday morning at five different places in and around the city including Howrah, Bijoygarh and Birati, he said. "These raids are in connection with an old case of fraudulent land grab against Shajahan Sheikh and his associates. These people were involved in fish businesses with Shajahan. We are looking for a few specific documents", the officer said. The ECIR is generally filed by the ED as the case Information report. It is similar to a First Information Report (FIR) in criminal cases, he explained. On January 5, a team of ED officers were assaulted by a mob when they tried to enter the residence of Shajahan at Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. Three officers were inj

PM will address rally in Barasat on March 6: Bengal BJP chief Majumdar

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to address a women's rally in Barasat in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district on March 6, state BJP president Sukanta Majumdar said on Thursday. Majumdar said if the tortured women of Sandeshkhali express their willingness to meet the PM, the party will facilitate a meeting. "Today, we came to know that the prime minister will be visiting the state on March 6 and will address a women's rally at Barasat," Majumdar told reporters. Asked whether the PM will meet the women from Sandeshkhali, which is also located in North 24 Parganas, Majumdar said, "If the sisters and mothers of Sandeshkhali want to meet Modi, we will definitely arrange it." A large number of women in Sandeshkhali have accused Trinamool Congress strongman Shajahan Sheikh and his supporters of "land-grab and sexually assaulting" them under coercion. Shajahan has been absconding after a mob, allegedly affiliated with him, attacked Enforcement Directorate officials who had gone

Sandeshkhali violence: NCSC delegation submits report to Prez Murmu

A delegation of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) which visited West Bengal's Sandeshkhali to probe alleged harassment of women by TMC supporters has submitted its report to President Droupadi Murmu, officials said on Friday. A large number of women in Sandeshkhali have claimed that TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh and his supporters captured swathes of land by force and also sexually harassed them. They are demanding the immediate arrest of Sheikh, who has been absconding since an Enforcement Directorate (ED) team that raided his house in connection with an alleged ration scam was attacked by a mob last month. The NCSC delegation visited Sandeshkhali on Thursday and submitted its report to the President after returning to Delhi, the officials said.

Sandeshkhali violence case: PIL filed in SC seeks court-monitored probe

A PIL was filed in the Supreme Court seeking a court-monitored CBI or SIT probe into the violence in West Bengal's Sandeshkhali village. The plea filed by lawyer Alakh Alok Srivastava also seeks compensation for victims of the Sandeshkhali violence and action against officials of the West Bengal Police for alleged dereliction of duty. The plea also seeks transfer of the probe and subsequent trial outside West Bengal. Besides it seeks an inquiry by a three-judge committee as done in the Manipur violence case. Sandeshkhali, a village in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, has been witnessing protests over allegations of sexual abuse of women by a local TMC leader. Several women in the region have accused the local Trinamool Congress strongman Shajahan Sheikh and his supporters of land-grab and sexually assaulting them under coercion. Shajahan has been absconding after a mob, allegedly affiliated to him, attacked Enforcement Directorate officials who has gone to search his ..

TMC MP Mimi Chakraborty resigns from Lok Sabha, says 'politics not for me'

Announcing her resignation from the Lok Sabha, Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP, Mimi Chakraborty, on Thursday said "politics is not for me."Mimi Chakraborty said, "Politics is not for me. You have to promote someone here (in politics) if you are helping someone...Besides being a politician, I also work as an actor. I have equal responsibilities. If you join politics, you are criticised whether you work or not. I spoke with Mamata Banerjee regarding the issues I had. I wanted to tell her about my resignation from a party that gave me an opportunity to go ahead. I had also told her in 2022 about my resignation from the post of an MP. She had rejected it at that time. I will complete the further process after whatever she says."She further said that she was facing a lot of hurdles in giving service to her constituency."I have faced several hurdles in serving the people. I have given my resignation two days ago. CM Mamata Banerjee has not accepted my resignation. I have never spoken ill ...

'Politics not for me': Trinamool leader Mimi Chakraborty resigns as MP

Mimi Chakraborty has handed over her resignation to Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee

What's happening in Bengal's Sandeshkhali, and how's state govt responding?

Women in West Bengal's Sandeshkhali village have alleged systemic sexual exploitation by Trinamool Congress (TMC) members

Ration scam: TMC leader Shajahan yet to appear before ED officers

Absconding Trinamool Congress leader Shajahan Sheikh is yet to appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) officers on Monday in connection with the third summon issued to him in the multi-crore ration scam, an officer said. ED officers are waiting with a list of questions for the TMC leader at their office in the CGO Complex in Salt Lake, he said. "We have been waiting for Shajahan Sheikh since morning. He is yet to appear before our officers at the CGO Complex. No one on his behalf has appeared before our officers today. We will wait for him till this evening," the ED officer told PTI. The ED issued the summon to the TMC leader for his alleged involvement in the multi-crore ration scam. The ED sources said that if the TMC leader, against whom they have also issued one lookout notice, does not respond to the summons at all, then they might seek legal avenues. On January 24, the ED had sealed Shajahan's residence following a search operation in connection with the scam. On Jan

Post TMC-Cong break up, BJP bets on Ram Mandir, CAA for 35 LS seats in WB

Struggling to gain political traction on issues of corruption, the West Bengal BJP is shifting its focus to emotive topics such as the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in a bid to achieve its target of securing 35 out of the 42 Lok Sabha seats from the state. The BJP's strategy is buoyed by the decision of the Trinamool Congress to contest alone in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal, breaking away from the INDIA bloc in the state. This move has raised hopes within the saffron camp of consolidating anti-TMC votes, a trend evident in the party's surge from a 17% vote share in 2014 to 40% in 2019, resulting in 18 Lok Sabha seats. Despite facing internal strife and electoral setbacks since its defeat in the 2021 assembly polls, the BJP's attempts to capitalise on corruption allegations against the Mamata Banerjee government have fallen short. With a target of winning 35 out of the 42 Lok Sabha seats, the BJP is now banking on emotive issues lik

Govt making mockery of Parliament: Trinamool leader Derek O'Brien

Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien on Thursday accused the government of making a "mockery" of Parliament by extending the ongoing session by one day. He said the government is extending the session by a day, while eight Parliament sessions were in a row cut short. "Hypocrisy of the Narendra Modi government. Make a full mockery of Parliament and then extend last session by one day!" O'Brien said in a post on X. "Between 2020-2022, 8 sessions in a row cut short. Lowest number of sittings ever for a full 5-year Lok Sabha term," he said. "In 8 years, no 267 notice from Opposition allowed for discussion in Rajya Sabha," he said. Rule 267 of the Rajya Sabha rule book allows for suspension of day's business to debate the issue suggested by a Member. The Budget session of Parliament has been extended by a day till February 10, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla announced on Wednesday. The session, which began on January 31, was otherwise slated to end on February 9.

ED raids vendetta politics, attempt to divert attention from dharna: TMC

The Trinamool Congress on Tuesday denounced the coordinated ED searches in West Bengal as "vendetta politics" and a "desperate manoeuvre" by the BJP to divert attention from the TMC's ongoing dharna demanding clearance of the state's dues. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday morning started simultaneous searches at multiple places in West Bengal, including residences of some state officers, in connection with its investigation into alleged embezzlement of MGNREGA funds, officials said. Senior TMC leader Shashi Panja asserted, "This is an attempt to divert public and media's attention from the TMC's ongoing dharna demanding clearance of state's dues. This is a clear example of vendetta politics." However, the West Bengal BJP dismissed these allegations as "baseless". BJP leader Samik Bhattacharya stated, "The reality is that the TMC is deeply mired in corruption, with nearly every leader facing corruption allegations." Senior TMC leaders Partha Chatterjee, Jyotipriyo Mallic