Page 13 - All India Trinamool Congress

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

Eastbound and determined: Will BJP's West Bengal blitz hit the mark?

Hoisting the sails of resurgence, BJP's flotilla charts a course for redemption with sights set on 35 seats in West Bengal

Congress-TMC talks 'on hold', Mamata reiterates vow to fight alone

The Trinamool supremo without naming any party or leader said that there were some who appeared only during elections like Cuckoos in spring

Speed dating by Nitish and why the BJP embraced him

It is quite likely that Kumar expects to benefit as member of the NDA from the religious fervour built by the inauguration of the Ram temple, Centre's welfare schemes and PM's larger-than-life persona

Our workers not happy with clash with TMC at ground level: Jairam Ramesh

In the states, we can fight, like in Kerala, where we fight with the leftists. We keep fighting with each other, but if we do not fight at the national level, we will have to find some similar formula

TMC demands immediate release of central MGNREGA funds due to Bengal

The Trinamool Congress on Sunday took out a rally in the metropolis, demanding the immediate release of MGNREGA funds due to the state by the Centre. Thousands of TMC activists and senior party leaders took part in the rally that started from Golpark area and culminated at Hazra Crossing, in south Kolkata. Senior minister Firhad Hakim and Rasbehari MLA Debashis Kumar were among those who led the march. "The youth and students have taken to the streets today in protest against the anti-people policies of the Narendra Modi government, which wants to weaken organisations like the Election Commission," Hakim said. Depriving a state of its rightful dues is akin to disrespect of the Constitution, he said. The saffron party only knows how to politically torment its opponents through the ED and CBI, Hakim alleged.

Nyay Yatra being denied permission for rallies in West Bengal: Congress

West Bengal Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Friday said his party was facing problems in getting permission for organising some public meetings as part of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in West Bengal. Speaking to reporters in Siliguri, Chowdhury said the party wanted to organise public meetings in certain places, but due to school examinations, the permission was not granted. "In some places, we are facing roadblocks as we are not getting permission to organise public meetings, citing exams. The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra has faced problems in the Northeast, including Assam, and now it is facing problems in TMC-ruled West Bengal as well," he said. Speaking on the issue on Thursday night, Chowdhury had said that they thought they would get "relaxations" in some places in West Bengal for the public meetings but the administration "is saying that they can't give it". The Rahul Gandhi-led Yatra, which began in Manipur on January 14, entered West Bengal from Assam on Thursday, and

Trinamool Congress blames Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury for INDIA bloc discord

TMC MP Derek O'Brien on Thursday said Chowdhury speaks the language of the BJP

Adhir Ranjan reason for alliance not working out in Bengal: Derek O'Brien

Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien Thursday held West Bengal Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury responsible for an alliance not working out between the two parties in West Bengal. The remark came a day after West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee announced that her party will fight the Lok Sabha polls "alone" in the state. Claiming that Chowdhury was the reason the alliance did not work out in West Bengal, O'Brien said the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) had many detractors but only two -- the BJP and Chowdhury -- have repeatedly spoken out against the bloc. "After the general elections, if the Congress does its job and defeats the BJP on a substantial number of seats, the Trinamool Congress will very much be a part of the front that believes and fights for the Constitution," O'Brien told reporters here. Banerjee's sudden comments on Wednesday forced the Congress to adopt a conciliatory approach with party general secretary ...

SC adjourns hearing on bail plea of TMC leader Anubrata Mondal to Feb 27

The Supreme Court on Monday adjourned to February 27 the hearing on the bail plea moved by Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Anubrata Mondal, arrested in connection with a cattle-smuggling case. A bench of Justice Bela M Trivedi and Justice Pankaj Mithal, meanwhile, directed the lower court to proceed with the trial on February 22. During the hearing, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing on behalf of Mondal, submitted that four charge sheets have been filed in the case and everybody is out of jail except the TMC leader. He told the court that Mondal is in jail for one-and-half years while the main accused has got bail in the case. "There are 309 witnesses. I am the only person who is in jail while others have got bail," Rohatgi told the court adding that the trial is not progressing in the case. Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, appearing for the Central Bureau of Investigation, opposed the bail plea saying Mondol is a very influential person and added he was involved in ..